Berkeley, CA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: No-Knock Registry (2026)
Key Facts
- Posted sign
- Creates legal notice
- Commercial
- Must obey signs
- Non-commercial
- Must leave on request
- State law
- Penal Code 602
- Federal DNC
- Phone only, not door
Summary
Berkeley residents can post No Solicitation or No Knock signs at their door. Ignoring a posted sign during door-to-door commercial activity exposes the solicitor to trespass enforcement.
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: (h) (1) Entering upon lands or buildings owned by another person without the license of the owner or legal occupant, where signs forbidding trespass are displayed. (2) In order for there to be a violation of this subdivision, the trespass signs under paragraph (1) shall be displayed at intervals not less than three per mile along all exterior boundaries and at all roads and trails entering the land.
Full Breakdown
California law and Berkeley practice recognize that posted signs such as No Solicitors, No Trespassing, or No Knock create constructive notice to commercial canvassers. Once a sign is clearly posted at the entry, a commercial solicitor who knocks or rings anyway can be cited for trespass under California Penal Code 602(o) or related sections, and the City may act on repeated complaints. Federal Do Not Call rules (47 CFR 64.1200) are separate and cover telephone calls, not in-person visits. Non-commercial canvassers (political, religious, charitable) have broader First Amendment protection and are not automatically bound by No Solicit signs, but are still obligated to leave when asked. Residents can track recurring violators and provide descriptions to Berkeley Police for enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a No Solicit sign really work?
Can I tell religious canvassers to leave?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Berkeley
California rules heatmap·Compare Berkeley to another location·View the California soliciting & door-to-door overview
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No-Knock Registry in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Alameda County handle no-knock registry.