Boston residents may post no-soliciting signs to prevent unwanted commercial solicitation. Licensed solicitors are expected to respect these signs. Violating a no-soliciting request by continuing to solicit can constitute trespassing. There is no citywide no-knock registry, but residents can report persistent violators to BPD.
Boston does not maintain a formal no-knock or no-soliciting registry, but residents have the right to post no-soliciting signs on their property, and solicitors are expected to honor them. Under Massachusetts trespass law (MGL c.266 §120), a person who enters or remains on property after being told to leave or after observing a no-trespassing sign commits criminal trespass. This applies to solicitors who ignore no-soliciting signs or refuse to leave when asked. Commercial solicitors with city licenses are specifically advised to respect no-soliciting notices as a condition of their license. Condominium and apartment buildings may restrict solicitor access through building management policies and locked entry systems. The city encourages residents to report aggressive or unlicensed solicitors through 311 or directly to BPD. First Amendment-protected activity (political canvassing, religious outreach) may have broader access rights, but all visitors must leave when asked.
Ignoring a no-soliciting sign and refusing to leave constitutes criminal trespass under MGL c.266 §120, punishable by a fine up to $100 or imprisonment up to 30 days. Aggressive solicitation may result in harassment charges. Licensed solicitors who repeatedly ignore no-soliciting signs may face license revocation.
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See how Boston's no-knock registry rules stack up against other locations.
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