Soliciting & Door-to-Door in San Mateo County, CA (2026)
2 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in San Mateo County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Solicitor Permits
Unincorporated San Mateo County requires commercial peddlers and solicitors to obtain a Peddler/Solicitor License from the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office, including a fingerprint-based background check and photo ID badge. Licensed solicitors may operate 9 AM to sunset (or 8 PM, whichever is earlier), must display the County-issued badge visibly, and may not solicit at any address with a posted 'No Soliciting' sign. Religious, political, and charitable canvassing are exempt under First Amendment protections.
soliciting/solicitor-permits
Significant RestrictionsCal. Penal Code Sec. 602 (Trespass - Refusal to Leave Posted Property)
602. Except as provided in subdivisions (u), (v), and (x), and Section 602.8, a person who willfully commits a trespass by any of the following acts is guilty of a misdemeanor: (a) Cutting down, destroying, or injuring any kind of wood or timber standing or growing upon the lands of another. (b) Carrying away any kind of wood or timber lying on those lands. (c) Maliciously injuring or severing ...
No-Knock Registry
Many San Mateo County cities (Redwood City, San Carlos, others) maintain 'Do Not Knock' registries that residents can join free of charge, and the County Sheriff requires all licensed solicitors to check the registry and respect posted No Soliciting signs before knocking. Unincorporated areas rely primarily on posted signs: a sign reading 'No Soliciting' or 'No Trespassing' on a home, gate, or driveway is legally sufficient to make subsequent solicitation a citable offense under Penal Code §602 and County Code.
soliciting/no-knock-rules
Some RestrictionsCal. Penal Code Sec. 602 (Trespass - Refusal to Leave Posted Property)
602. Except as provided in subdivisions (u), (v), and (x), and Section 602.8, a person who willfully commits a trespass by any of the following acts is guilty of a misdemeanor: (a) Cutting down, destroying, or injuring any kind of wood or timber standing or growing upon the lands of another. (b) Carrying away any kind of wood or timber lying on those lands. (c) Maliciously injuring or severing ...
Soliciting & Door-to-Door by City in San Mateo County
2 cities in San Mateo County have their own soliciting & door-to-door rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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