The City of Wichita has launched a new online garage sale permitting system designed to make it easier to do business with local government. Just visit www.wichita.gov, look for the garage sale sign icon in the middle of the page, and click. Set up an account by entering an email address and create a private password. Apply for a permit or search the City’s garage sale permit “ads” and locations.
City government issues more than 5,000 garage sale permits a year. The new system will allow users to add information about each sale, including what merchandise is offered at the sale (e.g. tools, books, clothing, furniture, etc.). Users can create a “classified” ad about their sale to be carried on the City’s website. The information will be available for free to anyone with Internet access. A Google map will pinpoint the location of each garage sale and a report can be printed listing each sale. The information for a sale may even include up to five photograph images that can be uploaded with the ad.
There is no additional cost to advertise on the website. The $2.50-a-day cost of the permit includes the inclusion of each garage sale’s advertisement on the website. Users searching for garage sales pay nothing.
The new online system comes at a good time. Dillon’s grocery stores discontinued selling garage sale permits from customer service counters on Jan.1. Since then, residents have had two options: go to the Express Office Business Licensing window on the 1st floor of City Hall or purchase a permit at The Wichita Eagle. The new system is more convenient.
