Foley Approves Ordinance Targeting Door to Door Solicitors
By Rick McCann
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News
October 3, 2026
FOLEY, Ala.
The City of Foley has approved new regulations targeting door-to-door solicitation.
The Foley City Council approved an ordinance that creates new requirements for commercial solicitors. These ordinances include permits, background checks, city-issued ID badges, legitimate business requirements and solicitation hour limits.
According to a city news release, under the city’s new ordinances for solicitation, people would have to complete an application through the revenue department, identify their company and go through a background check at their own expense.
The companies that employ or utilize solicitors must have a Foley business license. A solicitor must always display their badge during the approved hours between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
There will be penalties for those would do not comply with the new ordinance.
The release said the ordinance also creates a ‘No Solicitation Registry’ for residents or communities that want to opt out of commercial solicitation at all times. Residents can receive ‘No Soliciting’ signs for their property through the city’s online citizenserve portal.
Warnings, citations and permit revocation could be enforced if businesses and their solicitors fail to comply with the ‘No Soliciting’ signs.
In many cities, violations of similar ordinances can result in local police issuing a criminal citation or making a physical arrest which would be a misdemeanor.
According to the news release, Mayor Ralph Hellmich wants to protect residents’ privacy and consideration without restricting solicitors’ free speech.
“Solicitation has always been one of those areas between freedom of speech and the rights of privacy for the citizens,” Hellmich said. “I want to commend our staff. They worked very hard on this to balance the positive and the negative. I really appreciate the efforts.”
The new city ordinances go into effect on Friday, October 30, 2026.
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