New York State Department of State Peddlers' Licenses

Chronological.

Issuance and registration of peddlers' licenses was first required by an amendment to the Revised Statutes, Part I, Chapter 17, Title 4 (passed March 23, 1840). The license was required only of peddlers who wanted to sell goods manufactured in foreign countries. The statutory provisions relating to peddlers' licenses (General Business Law Sections 30-31) were repealed by Chapter 318 of the Laws of 1956.

This series contains peddlers' licenses issued by the Secretary of State's Office, later Department of State; register entries tracking the issuance of peddlers' licenses; and some applications, dating 1949-1956 only, submitted in order to obtain licenses. The records contain the following data: name of peddler, residence (for 1949-1956 documents only), fee paid for license, date of license, term of license (six months or one year), and method of conveyance (e.g. foot, one horse, etc.). Very few entries appear for licenses issued after the 1870s. There are no indexes to the names in the registers; however, at the fore of the registers are chronological listings to licenses obtained for the years covered by the particular volume. The listings contain the following information: date of license, name, travel, term, duty, and fees. Volume 4, covering 1854-1896, contains no licenses but only the chronological entries tracking issuance of peddlers' licenses.

A0352-78: Microfilm is available at the New York State Archives.

Microfilm: 1 roll; 35 mm.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.