Do I need a permit to knock doors?

In many cities yes. It is set municipally, so the answer changes across a metro area and has to be checked per city.

Who is responsible, me or the company?

Usually the company, and in some jurisdictions the rep as well. Worth clarifying with your employer before the season rather than after a citation.

Are there hour restrictions?

Frequently, and they are often the rule reps are least aware of. They tend to bite exactly in the late-afternoon window that works best.

Permits, licences and no-soliciting

Most door-to-door permit rules are set by the city rather than the state, so they change from one municipality to the next inside the same metro. Many require a solicitor permit, some require registration on a public list, and some restrict hours. Check the city you are working in, not the one you live in.

Municipal, not state

This is the part that catches reps out. A permit valid in one city means nothing two miles away, and a team working across a metro may cross several sets of rules in a week without noticing.

What a permit usually involves

Commonly an application, a fee, identification, sometimes a background check, and sometimes a badge you must display. Processing time varies enough that it is worth starting before the season rather than during it.

What skipping it costs

Fines land on the company, and in some jurisdictions on the rep. The larger cost is usually that a complaint gets a company barred from a city it was working profitably.

Common questions

Do I need a permit to knock doors?: In many cities yes. It is set municipally, so the answer changes across a metro area and has to be checked per city.
Who is responsible, me or the company?: Usually the company, and in some jurisdictions the rep as well. Worth clarifying with your employer before the season rather than after a citation.
Are there hour restrictions?: Frequently, and they are often the rule reps are least aware of. They tend to bite exactly in the late-afternoon window that works best.

More on canvassing

Canvassing as a discipline — planning coverage, working a neighbourhood, and the difference between canvassing and knocking.

All of canvassing