Maryland has no single statewide law on “No Soliciting” signs, but your sign is not just a suggestion. In Baltimore City, a local ordinance makes it unlawful for anyone to solicit at a property where such a sign is posted. Everywhere else in the state, the sign works together with Maryland’s trespassing statute, which can carry up to 90 days in jail and a $500 fine for a first offense when someone ignores a posted property. How strong your sign is depends on where you live and who is standing on your porch.
What a No Soliciting Sign Actually Does in Maryland
Maryland does not have a statute that defines or regulates “No Soliciting” signs directly. Two other bodies of state law fill that space. The Commercial Law Article governs how door-to-door solicitors must behave once they arrive, and the Criminal Law Article’s trespassing provision governs what happens when someone refuses to respect a posted property.
Under the Commercial Law provisions, a “door-to-door solicitation” is an in-person request for money, contributions, or pledges at a consumer’s home. The law carves out several categories, including solicitations by charitable organizations exempt from federal income tax, licensed insurance agents, financial institutions, and broker-dealers registered with the SEC or the Maryland Securities Commissioner. A solicitor who violates the subtitle commits an unfair or deceptive trade practice, and any payment or pledge you made because of that violation is voidable.1Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Commercial Law 14-2602 – Door-to-Door Solicitation
The gap is that this state law tells solicitors what they can’t do during a pitch. It does not say what happens when a homeowner posts a sign at the door. That question is answered by local ordinances where they exist, and by the trespassing statute everywhere else.
Baltimore City: A Direct Rule
Baltimore City is the clearest case in Maryland. Under the city code, it is unlawful for any person to solicit on private or residential property if the owner, tenant, or occupant has either asked the person not to solicit there or posted a sign indicating no soliciting.2City of Baltimore Law Library. Baltimore City Code Article 19 – Soliciting in Certain Ways and Places Prohibited The same section prohibits soliciting within 10 feet of an ATM, on public transit vehicles or at transit stops, and from drivers stopped in traffic.
The sign itself is the legal instruction here. A solicitor doesn’t need to be personally warned off. Approaching a posted Baltimore City property and then soliciting is already a violation.
No Soliciting vs. No Trespassing: Which Sign Has More Weight
Most homeowners get tripped up by this, and the difference is real. A “No Soliciting” sign tells visitors you don’t want sales pitches, charitable appeals, or other commercial interruptions. In a place like Baltimore City with an ordinance directly on point, the sign carries force by itself. In counties without such an ordinance, it expresses a preference more than it triggers a criminal statute.
A “No Trespassing” sign works differently. Under Criminal Law Section 6-402, a person may not enter or trespass on property that is “posted conspicuously against trespass” with signs placed where they can reasonably be seen.3Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Criminal Law 6-402 – Trespass on Posted Property It applies to everyone, not just solicitors, and it doesn’t depend on any local ordinance.
There is a nuance in Section 6-402 that matters. The statute requires posting “against trespass,” not against solicitation. A “No Trespassing” sign fits that language squarely. A “No Soliciting” sign, standing alone, addresses a specific activity rather than entry onto the property, so it sends a weaker signal under this particular statute.
The practical answer is to post both. The “No Soliciting” sign speaks to door-to-door sellers in their own terms, and the “No Trespassing” sign gives you the state statute if anyone ignores it. Place them at eye level near your front entrance, where a reasonable person would see them before reaching the bell.
Penalties When a Solicitor Won’t Leave
If someone stays on your posted property after being told to go, Maryland’s trespassing statute is what puts teeth behind your sign. The penalties climb with repeat offenses:
- First violation: up to 90 days in jail, a fine up to $500, or both.
- Second violation within two years: up to six months in jail, a fine up to $1,000, or both.
- Each additional violation within two years: up to one year in jail, a fine up to $2,500, or both.3Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Criminal Law 6-402 – Trespass on Posted Property
These are ceilings, not automatic outcomes. A polite solicitor who leaves once asked will not realistically be charged. Aggressive behavior, refusal to leave, or repeat visits by the same person or company are where enforcement actually happens.
Who Can Legally Ignore Your Sign
Not every person who knocks is a “solicitor” in the legal sense, and the First Amendment limits how far any local rule can reach. The U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly held that political canvassers, religious groups, and people distributing literature have constitutional protection that commercial sellers don’t.
In Watchtower Bible & Tract Society v. Village of Stratton (2002), the Court struck down 8-1 a municipal ordinance requiring a permit for all door-to-door advocacy, finding it violated the First Amendment as applied to religious proselytizing, anonymous political speech, and handbill distribution. The earlier case of Martin v. City of Struthers (1943) overturned a complete city ban on door-to-door canvassing, but Justice Black’s majority opinion signaled that laws making it illegal to knock where homeowners have “previously indicated a desire not to be called on” would likely survive review. The homeowner gets to decide, not the government.
In practice, a political campaign volunteer or a religious canvasser who knocks despite your “No Soliciting” sign is probably not violating a solicitation ordinance, because their activity is constitutionally protected and most local laws exempt it. That is one more reason to have a “No Trespassing” sign alongside. If the same person ignores that sign or refuses to leave when you ask, Section 6-402 can still apply regardless of why they came.
Local Licensing: A Second Angle
Many Maryland counties require door-to-door sellers to hold a license before knocking on doors. Montgomery County requires a door-to-door vendor license for anyone traveling dwelling to dwelling or office to office to sell goods or services within the county, excluding the city limits of Gaithersburg, Rockville, and Takoma Park. Applicants must submit signed affidavits, provide a copy of their Maryland business license, and show registration through the Department of Labor and Licensing and Regulation.4Montgomery County Government. Door-to-Door Vendor License Process
Prince George’s County goes further and requires door-to-door solicitors to post a $2,000 surety bond before receiving a license. The bond protects the county and consumers from losses caused by solicitors who violate the licensing rules.5Prince George’s County Government. Door-to-Door Solicitor Bond Information
Why this matters at your door: an unlicensed solicitor who ignores your sign is usually breaking two rules at once. The licensing violation is often easier for local code enforcement to act on than a trespassing complaint, so it’s worth naming when you report.
How to Report a Solicitor Who Ignores Your Sign
Start by asking the person to leave, and say plainly that you have a sign posted and don’t want them on the property. If they don’t go, call your local police non-emergency line. When you make the report, note the posted sign, the time of the visit, and anything identifying about the solicitor: company name, vehicle description, badge number.
In Baltimore City, you can report the visit as a violation of the city solicitation ordinance.2City of Baltimore Law Library. Baltimore City Code Article 19 – Soliciting in Certain Ways and Places Prohibited In counties with licensing requirements, also call the permitting office, because many door knockers turn out to be unlicensed. Montgomery County handles vendor complaints through its Department of Permitting Services.4Montgomery County Government. Door-to-Door Vendor License Process A single complaint about someone who left when asked is unlikely to produce charges, but a log of repeat visits, dates, and descriptions strengthens whatever complaint eventually gets filed.
If You Already Bought Something at the Door
A sign only helps before the sale. If a solicitor got in and you signed something you regret, Maryland’s Door-to-Door Sales Act lets you cancel any door-to-door sale by midnight of the third business day after the transaction. The seller must give you two copies of a cancellation form at the time of sale, and you can cancel during that window without penalty or obligation.6Maryland General Assembly. Maryland Code Commercial Law 14-302 – Door-to-Door Sales
The FTC’s federal Cooling-Off Rule adds a parallel three-business-day right to cancel. It covers sales of $25 or more made at your home and $130 or more at temporary locations like hotel meeting rooms or convention centers. The seller must provide two copies of a cancellation form and clearly disclose the right to cancel. If they don’t, the cancellation period can extend beyond three days.7Federal Trade Commission. Buyer’s Remorse: The FTC’s Cooling-Off Rule May Help
Write a cancellation notice, date it, and get it to the seller before midnight of the third business day. Keep a copy.