DC residents may post 'No Solicitation' signs at their entrances, which licensed commercial solicitors must honor under DCMR Title 17 section 509. DC does not maintain a centralized no-knock registry like some suburban jurisdictions, but MPD and OAG enforce sign-based refusals. Political and religious canvassers retain First Amendment rights regardless of signage.
DC does not operate a formal city-wide 'Do Not Knock' registry, unlike several Maryland and Virginia suburbs. Instead, DC relies on posted-sign enforcement under DCMR Title 17 section 509 and the general criminal trespass statute at DC Code section 22-3302. A clearly posted 'No Solicitation', 'No Soliciting', or 'No Trespassing' sign at the property entrance or front door obligates licensed commercial solicitors to leave immediately and not knock or ring. Ignoring such signs is a violation of the solicitor's DLCP license and grounds for a citation. MPD can also charge persistent sign violators with trespass after an owner's unambiguous notice. Many DC apartment buildings and condominiums post building-wide 'No Soliciting' notices that apply to all units. Religious and political canvassers are constitutionally exempt from commercial solicitor rules under Watchtower Bible & Tract Society v. Stratton (536 US 150), but they may still be asked to leave individual properties and become trespassers if they refuse. Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs) occasionally lobby for stronger local rules, and the DC Council has debated formal no-knock registries in recent sessions. Scams targeting elderly residents (utility imposters, roof repair fraud) trigger OAG Consumer Protection enforcement.
Ignoring posted 'No Solicitation' sign: $100-$500 DLCP license violation. Repeat violations: license suspension or revocation. Refusal to leave after notice: criminal trespass under DC Code 22-3302, up to $500 and 6 months. Elder fraud cases: OAG civil action plus criminal referral.
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See how District of Columbia's no-knock registry rules stack up against other locations.
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