Decatur, GA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: No-Knock Registry (2026)
Key Facts
- Door-mounted sign height
- 40 to 66 inches from door bottom
- Door-mounted letter size
- minimum 1/2 inch
- Yard/walkway sign height
- 12 to 60 inches
- Yard/walkway letter size
- minimum 1 inch
- Governing law
- Code of Ordinances § 70-5
Summary
Decatur, Georgia bars door-to-door sellers, order-takers, canvassers and charity solicitors from ringing a doorbell or knocking at any home posted with a compliant "No Soliciting" sign, and Code § 70-5 spells out the sign's exact size, letter height and placement.
(a)It shall be unlawful for any person engaged in the sale of merchandise, the taking of orders for any merchandise, the distribution of written materials or the solicitation of charitable contributions to disturb the peace of any occupant of any residential living unit by ringing the doorbell, knocking upon the door or otherwise attempting to attract the attention of the occupant when such residential living unit is properly labeled to forbid such conduct.(b)A residential living unit shall be properly labeled if a sign stating "No Soliciting" is placed on or about the door of the unit at a height of no less than 40 inches and no more than 66 inches from the bottom of the door and is either placed on the door or within 12 inches of either side of the door. The letters on such sign shall be a minimum of one-half inch high.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 28).
Full Breakdown
Section 70-5 of Chapter 70 (Offenses and Miscellaneous Provisions) makes it unlawful for anyone selling merchandise, taking merchandise orders, distributing written materials, or soliciting charitable contributions to disturb a resident by ringing a doorbell, knocking, or otherwise trying to attract attention at a "properly labeled" residential living unit. The section then defines "properly labeled" with unusual specificity. Under subsection (b), a "No Soliciting" sign at or beside the door itself must be mounted at a height of no less than 40 inches and no more than 66 inches from the bottom of the door, placed on the door or within 12 inches of either side of it, with letters at least one-half inch high.
Subsection (c) offers an alternative: a sign placed adjacent to the driveway, sidewalk or walkway leading to the residence, meaning its nearest edge sits within 12 inches of that path, mounted between 12 and 60 inches above the ground with letters at least one inch high. The rule traces to 1967 Code § 16-25 and has not been substantively amended since. It protects only individual residential units that are actually labeled to the code's specifications; an unposted home, or one with a sign that does not meet the height, placement or letter-size requirements, gives a solicitor no defense but also no ordinance-based basis for a citation if approached.
Violations & Fines
Violating section 70-5 by soliciting at a properly posted residence is punished under the chapter's general penalty, Code § 70-1, which applies the citywide penalty schedule in section 1-12 through Decatur Municipal Court. Because the rule is complaint-driven, enforcement typically follows a resident report identifying the solicitor and confirming the sign met the size and placement specifications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a "No Soliciting" sign have to be a specific size in Decatur, Georgia?
Can charity canvassers legally knock if my house has no sign?
Where exactly can I place a No Soliciting sign near my driveway?
What kinds of solicitors does the ordinance cover?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Decatur
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