The days of trudging through paperwork and city hall corridors for permits are over in Owatonna, as the city welcomes a new era of convenience with the launch of its online permit application system for transient merchants and solicitors.

Gone are the times when peddlers, solicitors, transient merchants, and non-commercial door-to-door advocates needed to navigate the bureaucracy to get a green light for their door-to-door activities. Owatonna’s modernized approach, available at the city’s official website (Owatonna.gov), streamlines this once cumbersome process.

Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or a seasoned merchant, the process is straightforward: register for permits with the Administrative Services Department online. This holds true for transient merchants who can do so at no cost. Solicitors, however, are subject to a background check—a measure to keep the community's safety in check—and are required to pay a reasonable fee of $100.

Residents, meanwhile, can benefit from the system's transparency. A knock at the door no longer needs to be greeted with uncertainty. Citizens are encouraged to verify the legitimacy of salespeople and advocates by requesting to see a city-issued permit. Without it, merchants are directed back to the digital drawing board to obtain their necessary credentials.

This systemic upgrade not only eases the administrative load on the city's staff but also empowers the community, putting a clear verification tool in the hands of the consumers. It's a testament to Owatonna's commitment to innovation, security, and the fostering of a safe, trustworthy business environment.