In recent weeks, Dalton residents have complained about unwanted solicitors knocking on their doors to sell products or services, according to officials. While that can be annoying, it can also be intimidating - in at least one case, a resident reported that the sales person wasn't willing to easily take no for an answer and kept trying to make a sale. In Dalton, it's illegal to solicit door-to-door without a permit. And currently, nobody has applied for or been issued such a permit.
Chapter 82 of the City's Code of Ordinances states that "It shall be unlawful for any solicitor to engage in solicitation activities in the city without first obtaining a permit from the city." Solicitors must apply for a permit from the City Clerk's office each week that they intend to go out knocking on doors.
Additionally, the ordinance requires solicitors taking cash deposits or taking orders for cash-on-delivery purchases to furnish a $500 cash bond to the city.
Anyone who has previously been convicted of certain crimes or who currently is facing charges involving allegations of assault, battery, theft or other crimes, cannot be issued a permit.
If an applicant meets all of the requirements in the ordinance, the Dalton Police Department would issue a permit and identification badge to each person who is allowed to solicit.
However, even with a permit, it is still against the law to solicit in neighborhoods or areas with posted prohibitions against solicitation.
The penalties for violating the city's solicitation ordinance are serious. Section 82-27 of the ordinance states that "any solicitor or individual engaged in door-to-door solicitation who violates any section of this article shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $1,000, or by imprisonment for a period not to exceed 20 days, or both, or to labor on the streets, sidewalks or other public works for a period not exceeding 20 days."
There are some exceptions to the law. The ordinance specifies that minors under the age of 18 who are soliciting donations or selling any property to finance extracurricular athletic programs, artistic programs, social programs, etc. are allowed to go door-to-door, provided that the principal of their sponsoring school approves. Political candidates may solicit campaign funds provided that the candidate has already qualified to run and is seeking election of a local, state or national elected office. And non-profit tax-exempt charitable organizations or churches are also exempt from the permitting requirements.
Anyone who wishes to report solicitation in their neighborhood that they believe to be in violation of local ordinances should call the non-emergency number for police dispatch at 706-370-4900 to make a report.