Jamestown Township requires door-to-door salespeople to be licensed by the township. See “Peddler Application & Ordinance” on the township’s Forms, Applications, and Permits page.
Highlights:
- The permit acquired from the township must be worn by the salesperson in a visible location (keeping it in a folder or having a photo on their phone doesn’t work). If you have to ask them to show it to you, they’re not wearing it properly.
- While the ordinance allows the Township Board to set a fee, permits are currently FREE as of July 2023.
- Each individual salesperson needs their own permit, the individual person is licensed, not the company. Background checks are performed as part of the permitting process.
- There is a $100 fine for selling door-to-door without a permit. Second and subsequent offenses carry a fine of $250 plus enforcement costs.
- Soliciting is not allowed between 7pm and 11am, and is not allowed on Sundays.
- Non-profit organizations such as churches, schools, youth organizations and 501(c)(3) charities are exempt and do not require a permit as long as they have a physical location in Jamestown Township, a township that borders Jamestown Township, or within the cities of Hudsonville or Zeeland.
- Violations can be reported by calling the Ottawa County Sheriff non-emergency line at (800) 249-0911.
Please see the “Peddler Ordinance” on the township’s Ordinances page for full details. In case of any conflicts between this page and the official ordinance, please defer to the official ordinance (and report it to the board so we can fix this page).