Solicitor's Information

Solicitors and Canvassers

[Adopted 4-27-1981 ATM (Ch. 5, § 23, of the Bylaws)]   Application below.

Permit and license required - It shall be unlawful for any solicitor or canvasser, as defined in § 192-10 of this bylaw, to engage in such business within the corporate limits of the Town of Lynnfield without first obtaining a permit and license therefor in compliance with the provisions of this bylaw.

It shall be unlawful for any solicitor or canvasser, as defined in § 192-10 of this bylaw, to engage in such business within the Town of Lynnfield before the hour of 8:00 a.m. in the morning and (a) after the hour of 8:00 p.m. in the evening during the period when Eastern Standard Time is in effect, and (b) after 9:00 in the evening during the period when Daylight Savings Time is in effect.

CANVASSER OR SOLICITOR - Any individual, whether resident of the Town of Lynnfield or not, traveling either by foot, wagon, automobile, motor truck or any other type of conveyance, from place to place, from house to house, or from street to street, distributing sales information in any manner, taking or attempting to take orders for sale of goods, wares and merchandise, personal property of any nature whatsoever for future delivery, or for services to be furnished or performed in the future or soliciting information opinions for surveys or polls, whether or not such individual has, carries or exposes for sale a sample of the subject of such sale or whether he is collecting advance payments on such sales or not; provided that such definition shall include any person who, for himself, or for another person, firm, or corporation, hires, leases, uses, or occupies any building, structure, tent, railroad box car, boat, hotel room, lodging house, apartment, shop or any other place with the Town for the sole purpose of exhibiting samples and taking orders for future delivery. All census enumerators employed by the United States of America, or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, or the Town of Lynnfield shall not be included in this definition of canvassers and solicitors.

Application for permit - Click on the above link for instructions and application.

Badges - The Town Clerk shall issue to each licensee at the time of delivery of his license a badge which shall contain the words "Licensed Solicitor," the period for which the license is issued and the number of the license, in letters and figures easily discernible from a distance of 10 feet. Such badge shall, during the time such licensee is engaged in soliciting, be worn constantly by the licensee on the front of his outer garment in such a way as to be conspicuous.

Exhibition of license - Solicitors and canvassers are required to exhibit their licenses at the request of any citizen.

Residential property - No person shall engage in solicitation or canvassing in or upon any residential property upon which is displayed a sign prohibiting trespassing or solicitation or canvassing.

Enforcement - It shall be the duty of any police officer of the Town of Lynnfield to require any person seen soliciting or canvassing, and who is not known by such officer to be duly licensed, to produce his solicitor's or canvasser's license and to enforce the provisions of this bylaw against any person found to be violating the same.