The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects the rights of door-to-door solicitors to operate. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld free speech for commercial purposes and prohibits municipalities from banning solicitors in their community. However, the rulings do allow municipalities to implement local regulations limiting the time, place, and manner of door-to-door solicitations.
Solicitors in Lincolnshire are regulated by Title 3, Chapter 5 “Peddlers and Solicitors” of the Village Code, and must obtain an approved solicitors permit from the Police Department before operating within the Village. Obtaining the approved permit involves fingerprinting, local background checks, and fees. Solicitors are only permitted to operate Monday – Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Solicitors are prohibited from operating on Sunday, as well as state and federal holidays.
Additionally, authorized solicitors must wear a Village-issued vest and carry a Village-issued identification card at all times while performing door-to-door solicitation. Click on the “Solicitor Information” tab to the left to see an example of what the vest and identification card.
Exemptions
The Lincolnshire Village Code also outlines individuals who are exempt from obtaining a permit. Those exemptions include:
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Individuals under the age of 18; however, those individuals must be sponsored by a supervising adult who obtains a solicitor group permit.
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Individuals seeking to influence personal beliefs on any political or religious matter.
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Individuals seeking to obtain donations on behalf of any charitable, religious, or political purposes.
To report suspicious behavior or solicitors who are not following local regulations, please call 9-1-1 immediately.