05/06/2026
With exceptions, a PERMIT IS REQUIRED for peddling, canvassing, soliciting and transient retail merchants in Stonycreek Township, Johnstown, Pa.
Ordinance #409, amended Chapter 119, entitled Peddling and Soliciting, of the Code of the Township of Stonycreek, Pennsylvania, to define the regulations for peddling, canvassing, soliciting and transient retail merchants which include but are not limited to requiring a permit for such activities, setting limitations on such activities, defining exemptions and establishing penalties for violations of this ordinance. A brief overview of the amended ordinance is as follows;
Defiant Trespassing Notice: Regardless if a permit is obtained from the Township or not and/or if an individual is exempt from the requirement of obtaining a permit from the Township or not, any person, knowing that they are not licensed or privileged to do so, enters or remains in any place as to which notice against trespass is given by actual communication to the actor, posting in a manner prescribed by law or reasonably likely to come to the attention of the intruder, fencing or other enclosure manifestly designed to exclude intruders is a violation of Pennsylvania Crimes Code Section 3503 (Criminal Trespass) Section (b) (Defiant Trespasser), is a misdemeanor of the third degree if the offender defies an order to leave personally communicated to them by the owner of the premises or other authorized person. Otherwise, it is a summary offense and the offender may be charged with a violation of that crime.
Permit Required: If you are a farmer seeking or taking orders for the sale of their own goods, seeking or taking of orders for the sale of bread, bakery products, milk or milk products, selling single serve treats on a seasonal basis such as ice cream, shaved ice, etc., an individual under the age of eighteen (18) years of age taking orders for and delivering newspapers, lawn maintenance, snow removal, pet care, greeting cards, candy, subs, sandwiches, pizzas, bakery goods and similar items, Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts and similar organizations, engaging in garage or yard sales by residents, with school and/or athletic organizations soliciting support for local based organizations and/or schools, Bona fide religious, charitable, political organizations and get out and vote groups (GOTV), you are exempt from a permit being required. If you do not fall within one of the above listed descriptions and/or categories, which are exempt, failing to obtain a solicitation permit from the Township prior to engaging in soliciting, canvassing, peddling or a transient retail business within the Township is a violation of this Ordinance and could result in legal action being filed against you.
Application Process: Unless exempt as defined within, every person desiring to engage in soliciting, canvassing, peddling or a transient retail business within the Township must submit a completed, signed and dated application, valid state issued driver's license or identification card, and non-refundable $25 application fee to the Township during normal business hours, which will be set by the Township, no less than two (2) business days prior to engaging in soliciting and/or peddling in the Township. Applications may be obtained at the Township Office during normal business hours, which are set by the Township. The Township, may investigate the applicant and their employer to determine whether it is against the interest of the Township to issue the permit. A decision whether the permit was issued or denied will be rendered to the applicant within two (2) business days of the receipt of the application.
A non-refundable $25 application fee should be paid at the time the application is submitted to the Township. The application fee shall be set by the Township by resolution by the Board of Commissioners and may be amended from time to time. The application fee is non-refundable, whether the application is approved or denied.
The Township reserves the right to deny any application if the applicant fails to complete the application in its entirety, fails to do so legibly, fails to include all of the information requested, any of the information provided is found to be false or inaccurate or the applicant has been convicted of a felony, misdemeanor or crime of any kind involving moral turpitude.
Permit Card: If the application is approved, the applicant will receive a permit card issued to them by the Township.
The applicant will receive a copy of the Standard of Conduct and Defiant Trespass Definition, along with their permit.
The Permit and Permit Card shall be valid for the year in which it was obtained and will be considered expired and void at the beginning of the following year.
The Permit Card must be displayed in a conspicuous place on the solicitor, canvasser and/or peddler that would be easily seen.
The registration card will contain and display the following information:
a. Name of the Solicitor and/or Peddler.
b. Name of the Employer or Business.
c. Year the permit was issued.
d. Permit number
The permit is NOT transferable.
The Township reserves the right to revoke any permit if the permit holder fails to comply with the Standards of Conduct, if it is learned that the applicant made a false statement or provided false information on their application and/or for just cause. If the Township revokes any permit, it must be returned to the Township immediately.
Standard of Conduct: Every person engaged in peddling, soliciting, canvassing or a transient retail business within the Township shall, in the conduct of their activities, comply with the following standards of conduct:
They shall conduct themselves at all times in an orderly, respectful and lawful manner.
They shall display their permit card in a conspicuous location that can be easily seen at all times.
They shall not permit any person to have possession of their identification card and shall immediately report its loss to the township. They shall not cause or permit their identification card to be altered or defaced in any way.
They shall not engage in peddling, canvassing, soliciting or a transient retail business before 8:00 a.m. or after dusk, Sundays or on any holiday recognized by the United States or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. For the purpose of this ordinance, dusk shall be defined as occurring one-half hour (1/2) after sunset prevailing time.
They shall not enter or attempt to enter any dwelling without the invitation or permission of the occupant and shall immediately leave any premises upon request of the occupant.
They shall not be guilty of any false pretense or misrepresentation, and particularly, they shall not represent their identification card to be an endorsement of themselves or their goods or services or of the goods or services of their employer by the township.
They shall immediately surrender their identification card to the Township upon revocation thereof.
They shall give a written receipt for all orders taken within Township where a down payment is received, which receipt shall be signed by the solicitor and shall set forth a brief description of the goods, wares, merchandise or services ordered, the total purchase price thereof and the amount of the down payment received by the solicitor from the purchaser.
Violations and Penalties: Unless exempt as defined within, any person who engages in peddling, canvassing, soliciting or a transient retail business without applying with and receiving a permit from the Township or any person, whether or not required to be permitted and licensed under this ordinance, who violates any of the other provision of this ordinance shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding brought before a District Justice under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, be guilty of a summary offense and shall be punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), plus costs of prosecution. In default of payment thereof, the defendant may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ninety (90) days. Each day or portion thereof that such violation continues or is permitted to continue shall constitute a separate offense, and each section of this article that is violated shall also constitute a separate offense.
Reminder: Although the is a brief overview of this ordinance, it is not the ordinance in its entirety. For any questions, please obtain a copy of the complete ordinance which can be found on Stonycreek Township’s website or by stopping at the Township building.
The Township amended this ordinance with the desire to protect the privacy of its residents and in addition, protect its residents from fraud, burglary, injury or other criminal activity which may occur in connection with or under the guise of the solicitation for the sale and purchase of commercial products and services at the homes of the Township of Stonycreek.
With that being said, we want to remind all of our residents, property owners and visitors to keep in mind that most of the individuals that are peddling, soliciting, canvassing and operating a transient retail business are simply hard-working individuals attempting to make a living when we are dealing with them. The Township defined a standard of conduct for anyone engaging in these activities. The Township also strongly urges all of our residents, property owners and visitors to treat these folks with respect and common decency when we encounter them or they encounter us, even if they make a mistake or violate this ordinance. Let’s not let a simple mistake be the justification to act irrational. If an issue should arise, simply ask them to leave and if they refuse to do so, call the police.
The Township also strongly encourages any resident, property owner or person with legal authority of said property that does not want peddlers, solicitors, canvassers or transient retail business employees to attempt to make contact with them, post their property No-Trespassing or No-Solicitation as defined within.
