Amherst, NY Soliciting & Door-to-Door: No-Knock Registry (2026)
Key Facts
- Tool
- Posted notice at entrance door
- Minimum lettering
- 1/2 inch tall
- Placement
- Conspicuous, next to entrance door
- Town registry
- None; sign-based, per address
- Maximum penalty
- $250 fine or 15 days jail
Summary
Amherst homeowners can block door-to-door solicitors by posting a notice at their entrance. Section 148-12A of the Town Code makes it unlawful to knock, ring a doorbell or try to enter once a resident has posted a conforming 'peddlers or solicitors are prohibited' sign; no Town registry is needed.
The owner or occupant of a residential building may post a notice prohibiting peddlers and solicitors. The notice shall be placed in a conspicuous place adjacent to the entrance door of the building. The letters of the notice shall be at least 1/2 inch in height and shall contain a statement saying in substance that "peddlers or solicitors are prohibited." No person shall engage in any activity regulated by this chapter by attempting to enter a building or ringing a doorbell or knocking on an entrance door to any residence building at which entrance such a notice has been posted.
Full Breakdown
Section 148-12A of Chapter 148 gives Amherst residents a direct, self-service tool against unwanted door-to-door sales: the owner or occupant of a residential building may post a notice prohibiting peddlers and solicitors. ' Once that sign is up, § 148-12A makes it unlawful for anyone regulated under Chapter 148, meaning peddlers, solicitors, transient businesses and mobile food vendors alike, to attempt to enter the building or to ring the doorbell or knock on the entrance door where the notice is posted. Amherst does not run a separate town-wide no-knock registry the way some municipalities do; the mechanism is the posted sign itself, enforced address by address.
Section 148-12B backs this up with a broader trespass rule requiring anyone conducting a Chapter 148 activity, exempt or not, to leave immediately and peacefully once an occupant asks them to, whether or not they were invited onto the property in the first place.
Violations & Fines
Ignoring a posted no-solicitation notice, or refusing to leave when an occupant asks under § 148-12B, is a Chapter 148 violation punishable under § 148-13 by a fine of up to $250 or up to 15 days in jail, or both, enforced by the Amherst Police Department.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I stop solicitors from knocking on my Amherst door?
Does Amherst keep a do-not-solicit list I can register for?
What if a solicitor won't leave after I ask?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Amherst
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