No soliciting signs are enforceable in Utah. Under the state’s criminal trespass statute, a visible posted sign is legal notice that uninvited entry is unwelcome, and a solicitor who ignores it can be charged with a class B misdemeanor.1Utah Legislature. Utah Code 76-6-206 – Criminal Trespass How far that protection reaches depends on where you put the sign, what it says, and who is standing on your porch.
What the Statute Actually Does
Utah Code 76-6-206 is the law behind the sign. A person commits criminal trespass when they enter or remain on property after notice against entry has been given through “posting of signs reasonably likely to come to the attention of intruders.”1Utah Legislature. Utah Code 76-6-206 – Criminal Trespass The sign is the legal trigger. Without one, a salesperson walking up your driveway has not been told to stay away and has not technically trespassed.
The statute does not prescribe specific words. It demands only that the sign be reasonably likely to be seen by someone approaching. A placard tucked behind a planter or hung below knee height will not satisfy that standard. A clearly visible sign near your front door, on a gate, or at the start of your walkway will.
Wording controls scope. A “No Trespassing” sign addresses the act of entering at all and applies to everyone. A “No Soliciting” sign is narrower: it tells commercial visitors that they specifically lack permission. Both are valid notice, but a solicitor could argue that “no soliciting” says nothing about non-commercial callers. A combined “No Soliciting, No Trespassing” sign closes that gap.
Visitors Your Sign May Not Stop
A sign cannot override the First Amendment. The U.S. Supreme Court held in Watchtower Bible & Tract Society v. Village of Stratton that cities cannot require people to obtain a permit before going door to door for religious, political, or other advocacy purposes.2Legal Information Institute (LII) / Cornell Law School. Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York Inc v Village of Stratton An earlier case, Martin v. City of Struthers, struck down blanket bans on door-to-door visits on the ground that individuals already have the right to refuse visitors themselves.3Constitution Annotated. Solicitation
Utah’s Charitable Solicitations Act reflects those limits. Under Utah Code 13-22-8, religious organizations conducting missionary, religious, or humanitarian solicitation are exempt from state registration requirements, as are political parties, candidates, campaign workers, and political action committees working on ballot issues.4Utah Legislature. Utah Code 13-22-8 – Exemptions Many local ordinances carry the same exemption. Provo explicitly exempts people “advocating for a religious or political cause” from its solicitor permit requirements.5City of Provo. Frequently Asked Questions – Solicitation
A missionary or campaign volunteer can therefore read a “No Soliciting” sign and reasonably decide it doesn’t apply, because they aren’t selling anything. If you want everyone to turn around at the sidewalk, use language that addresses the act of approaching rather than the commercial purpose of the visit. “No Trespassing,” “No Knocking,” or “Do Not Disturb” is harder for any visitor to argue around.
Local Hours and Permit Rules That Reinforce Your Sign
State trespass law sets the floor. City ordinances usually add the specifics that matter day to day, including permit requirements, hours of operation, and explicit duties to respect posted signs.
Provo’s ordinance restricts door-to-door solicitation to the hours between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., and requires solicitors to leave posted homes alone. The city’s own guidance states: “Displaying a ‘No Solicitation’ sign means the homeowner does not want to be approached by solicitors. It’s your responsibility to check for these signs before approaching a home.”5City of Provo. Frequently Asked Questions – Solicitation Cedar City uses the same 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. window and makes it unlawful for anyone, licensed or not, to solicit outside those hours without the resident’s prior express permission.6Cedar City, Utah. Cedar City Code Chapter 23B – Door to Door Solicitation Ordinance
Local ordinances can supplement state law but cannot override it. The Charitable Solicitations Act expressly allows political subdivisions to regulate solicitation within their boundaries so long as the local ordinance coordinates enforcement with the state division.7Utah Legislature. Utah Code Title 13 Chapter 22 – Charitable Solicitations Act A quick call to your city clerk, or a look at your city’s website, tells you what rules apply where you live. Those details change the leverage you have when someone shows up uninvited.
What Happens When Someone Ignores the Sign
Criminal trespass on posted property is a class B misdemeanor.1Utah Legislature. Utah Code 76-6-206 – Criminal Trespass The maximum penalty is six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.8Utah State Judiciary. Criminal Penalties If the trespass happens inside a dwelling rather than on the surrounding property, it elevates to a class A misdemeanor.
The real-world sequence is usually quieter than the statute suggests. A single knock despite a posted sign almost never ends in an arrest. You ask the person to leave, and if they refuse, you call local law enforcement. Officers check the solicitor’s credentials and the visibility of your sign. A solicitor who lacks a required local permit, or who has been warned before, can be cited or removed. Repeat offenders and solicitors who turn aggressive face the most serious consequences.
Violations of local solicitation ordinances carry their own penalties, which can stack on top of a state trespass charge. When several residents in a neighborhood report the same company or individual, the pattern gives code enforcement and the Division of Consumer Protection a stronger basis to act.
Making Your Sign Hold Up
The statutory standard, again, is a sign “reasonably likely to come to the attention of intruders.” That translates into a short checklist.
- Placement. Put the sign where anyone approaching will see it before reaching the door. Near the doorbell, on a front gate, or at the start of the walkway all work.
- Legibility. Use lettering large enough to read from several feet away. A faded or weather-damaged sign gives a solicitor room to claim they couldn’t read it.
- Wording. “No Soliciting” stops commercial salespeople and charitable fundraisers. “No Soliciting, No Trespassing” extends the notice to everyone, including religious and political callers. “No Knocking” or “Do Not Disturb” is broadest.
Keep the language short and direct. A sign reading “No Soliciting — Violators Will Be Reported” tells both the visitor and any responding officer that you intend to enforce the notice. If you do call it in, write down the solicitor’s name, the company, the time of the visit, and any visible identification. That information is what lets officers verify credentials and, where appropriate, issue a citation.