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Sell Goods Without Any Licence, Tax or Fee

An honorably discharged veteran may hawk, peddle and vend their own goods free of every municipal, county and state licence, tax or fee.

Verified August 18, 2026

What this benefit is

An honorably discharged veteran may hawk, peddle and vend their own goods free of every municipal, county and state licence, tax or fee.

What it's worth: Every municipal, county and state vending licence fee waived

  • The value depends entirely on what your city charges for a vending or peddler licence, which varies widely across more than 480 California municipalities.

Who is entitled to it

  • You served in the U.S. armed forces.
  • You were honorably discharged, which is what §16102 requires.
  • You want to sell goods.
  • Your home is in California.

Not sure whether that describes you?

Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.

How to claim it

  1. 1Bring your DD214 to the licensing counter and cite §16102 by section number — front-desk staff frequently have not met it.
  2. 2Be clear that you are selling goods you own yourself. The exemption covers your own merchandise.
  3. 3Do not expect it to cover alcohol. The statute excludes spirituous, malt, vinous and other intoxicating liquor in terms.
File with
The city or county that would otherwise licence you
Documents you will need
dd214
No renewal needed
Worth knowingThe breadth is the point: "without payment of any license, tax or fee whatsoever, whether municipal, county or State". There is no disability requirement, no war-service requirement and no dollar ceiling.
Worth knowingBecause it binds every city in California, the practical obstacle is not eligibility but recognition. Expect to have to point at the section, and expect a licensing clerk to need to check with counsel.
Known gapHow far the exemption reaches into modern permitting — sidewalk vending programmes, farmers market stall fees, health permits — is contested and we have not researched the case law. The licence fee itself is what the statute names.

Sources

Why only one source type: The statute is the authority and is written as a direct exemption from local licensing. Because it binds cities and counties rather than a state agency, there is no single operating page to cite.

This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.