PEDDLERS

Charlotte City Code ch. 6, art. VIII

in effect

Charlotte City Code § 6-431 Definitions.

Sec. 6-431. - Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning: Article of merchandise means anything of value offered for sale to the public by any person. Coliseum district means and includes that area of land off Tyvola Road, which is devoted to use by the Charlotte Coliseum, including all of the parking areas. Congested business district is hereby declared, designated and defined to be the following streets of the city: (1) Chipley Avenue; (2) Church Street, between Fifth Street and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard; (3) Coliseum Drive; (4) College Street, between Seventh Street and Brooklyn Village Avenue; (5) Independence Boulevard, between Morehead Street and the city limits; (6) Television Place; (7) Trade Street, between Alexander and Cedar Streets; (8) Tryon Street, between Eighth Street and Brooklyn Village Avenue; (9) Second Street, between College and Church Streets; (10) Third Street, between College and Church Streets; (11) Fourth Street, between College and Mint Streets; (12) Fifth Street between Church and College Streets; (13) Sixth Street, between Church and College Streets; (14) Seventh Street, between Church and College Streets; (15) North Davidson Street, between 32 nd and Mercury Street; (16) Yadkin Avenue, between 32 nd and 36 th Streets; (17) 32 nd Street, between Yadkin Avenue and North Davidson Street; (18) 33 rd Street, between Yadkin Avenue and Rollerton Road; (19) 34 th Street, between North Davidson Street and Yadkin Avenue; (20) 35 th Street, between railroad tracks and Yadkin Avenue; and (21) 36 th Street, between railroad tracks and N. Alexander Street. The city manager or his designee shall have the authority to amend that area designated and defined as the congested business district of the city by expanding or reducing the number of streets contained therein. Peddling means the sale or offering for sale at retail by any person on foot or from any vehicle where it is proposed by such person so offering or selling such article of merchandise to deliver the article of merchandise to the purchaser instantly upon receipt of the purchase price therefor. Stadium district means and includes an area bounded by the following: (1) East Seventh Street from North McDowell Street to Hawthorne Lane; (2) Hawthorne Lane to East Fourth Street; (3) East Fourth Street to South McDowell Street; and (4) South McDowell Street to East Seventh Street. (Code 1985, § 6-21; Ord. No. 992, § 1, 6-23-2025)

Charlotte City Code § 6-432 License required.

Sec. 6-432. - License required. It shall be unlawful for any person required to have a license to peddle any article of merchandise upon the streets or sidewalks of the city until such person shall have first secured a proper license to peddle the articles of merchandise, and such person shall keep and shall produce and exhibit the license to any lawful officer upon demand. (Code 1985, § 6-22)

Charlotte City Code § 6-433 Producer-peddler's permit—Required.

Sec. 6-433. - Producer-peddler's permit—Required. It shall be unlawful for any person to peddle any article of merchandise in the city, which article of merchandise has been grown, made or manufactured by such person or members of such person's immediate family, upon premises owned or occupied by such person or the members of such person's immediate family until such person shall have first obtained a permit therefor from the collector of revenue. (Code 1985, § 6-23)

Charlotte City Code § 6-434 Same—Application.

Sec. 6-434. - Same—Application. Every person desiring to obtain a permit to peddle any article of merchandise in the city which has been grown, produced, made or manufactured by such person or members of such person's immediate family upon premises owned or occupied by such person or the members of such person's immediate family shall apply and make a sworn affidavit as appears in this section before the revenue collector. Upon making application and swearing to such affidavit, the revenue collector shall issue to such person a free permit to peddle such article of merchandise as allowed in this section, all of which shall be given free of charge. The affidavit sworn to by such applicant to be in a form as follows: "I, ___________, residing at _______, first being duly sworn, depose and say: That all of the articles of merchandise to be peddled and proposed to be sold or offered for sale by me in the City of Charlotte will be grown, produced, made or manufactured by me on my premises or upon the premises of my immediate family, owned or occupied by me or members of my immediate family, and that I will not, by peddling on foot or from any vehicle, sell or offer for sale in the City of Charlotte any article of merchandise which has been purchased for resale. I make this affidavit for the purpose of having issued to me a free permit to peddle the articles of merchandise described herein and no other, in the City of Charlotte. This the _____ day of ________, 20___. /s/ Sworn and subscribed to before me, This _____ day of ________, 20___. /s/ Notary Public My commission expires _____ ." (Code 1985, § 6-24)

Charlotte City Code § 6-435 Same—Issuance.

Sec. 6-435. - Same—Issuance. The free permit provided for in section 6-434 shall be in force and effect until revoked for cause. Each person to whom such free permit shall be issued shall keep and have such permit on his person or vehicle at all times while peddling and shall produce and exhibit the permit to any lawful officer upon demand. (Code 1985, § 6-25)

Charlotte City Code § 6-436 Peddling in congested business district, coliseum district or stadium district.

Sec. 6-436. - Peddling in congested business district, coliseum district or stadium district. It shall be unlawful for any person to sell any article of merchandise upon any of the streets and sidewalks within the congested business district, the coliseum district and the stadium district of the city, as defined in section 6-431, other than newspapers and magazines, except as provided in article X of this chapter and except as follows: (1) Any peddler with the proper business licenses shall be permitted to apply for a permit to sell merchandise within the congested business district as part of a market, festival, activity or other similar event sponsored or sanctioned by the city or county government. No peddler without the required permit shall otherwise sell merchandise within the congested business district. All applications for such permits shall be made to the appropriate event sponsor. (2) Any peddler with the proper business licenses shall be permitted to apply for a permit to sell merchandise within the NoDa Market, as defined in section 6-431(15-21), during a pilot period of up to six months commencing no later than August 15, 2025. All applications for such permits shall be made to the City of Charlotte. (3) Because of the space limitations within the boundaries of such events, peddlers may be subject to a selection process established and adopted by the event sponsor. The selection process shall include the adoption of guidelines which ensure the fair and equitable selection of all peddlers seeking to sell merchandise at the sponsored event. Peddlers at such events may be assigned locations. Where locations are assigned, the event sponsor shall develop and adopt fair and equitable guidelines for the assignment of locations. Each event sponsor shall establish and adopt an appropriate appeal process for disgruntled peddlers. (4) In addition to the required licenses, peddlers may be subject to such additional fees as may be established or authorized by the city council and amended by the city manager or his designee pursuant to subsection (1) of this section or the Tryon Street Mall closing policy. (5) The city manager or his designee shall have the authority to designate the boundaries of any market, festival, activity or other similar event. To accommodate such an event, the city manager or his designee is further authorized to temporarily close any public streets, sidewalks or other publicly owned areas within the boundaries of any proposed market, festival, activity or similar event. Where such streets, sidewalks or other publicly owned areas are temporarily closed, they shall be for the general use of the public. (Code 1985, § 6-26; Ord. No. 992, § 1, 6-23-2025)

Charlotte City Code § 6-437 Time on street limited.

Sec. 6-437. - Time on street limited. It shall be unlawful for any person, while peddling any article of merchandise from any vehicle or on foot, to occupy any space upon any street within one block or to occupy any space within a 300-foot distance for a period of more than 30 minutes during any 24-hour period. (Code 1985, § 6-27)

Charlotte City Code § 6-438 Restricted hours in residential areas.

Sec. 6-438. - Restricted hours in residential areas. It shall be unlawful to peddle any article of merchandise from any vehicle or on foot between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. in areas zoned for residential purposes within the corporate limits. However, during such periods that daylight saving time is in effect, these hours shall be from 9:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. (Code 1985, § 6-28)

Charlotte City Code § 6-439 Penalty.

Sec. 6-439. - Penalty. Any person who violates a provision of this article may be assessed a civil penalty not to exceed $500.00 pursuant to section 2-24. (Ord. No. 992, § 1, 6-23-2025)

Source: City of Charlotte, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/nc/charlotte/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH6BUTR_ARTVIIIPEFetched: 10/27/2026