Haltom City, TX Soliciting & Door-to-Door: No-Knock Registry (2026)

Haltom City residents who wish to prevent door-to-door solicitation can post a conspicuous no soliciting or no trespassing sign at the entrance to their property. Under Texas Penal Code 30.05 (Criminal Trespass), entering or remaining on property after receiving notice that entry is forbidden is a Class B misdemeanor, reduced to Class C if the property is not a habitation. Notice can be given orally, by written communication, or by a sign that is conspicuously posted and reasonably likely to come to the attention of intruders. A simple laminated no soliciting sign at the front door or on the mailbox generally satisfies the notice requirement. Commercial solicitors with a Haltom City permit are required to leave immediately upon seeing the sign or upon oral request from the resident. Refusing to leave can result in permit revocation and a criminal trespass citation. First Amendment-protected canvassing (religious, political, charitable) is treated slightly differently. The U.S. Supreme Court in Watchtower Bible v. Village of Stratton (2002) held that cities cannot require permits to knock on doors for noncommercial speech, but residents may still post a no-trespass sign that applies equally to all visitors, commercial or not. Political campaigners and religious witnesses who continue to knock after seeing a no trespassing sign are subject to the same criminal trespass rules. Telephone solicitation is regulated separately under the federal Do Not Call Registry (donotcall.gov) and the Texas No Call List at tpuc.texas.gov. Registering a phone number with both provides overlapping protection, though exemptions apply for political, charitable, and existing-business-relationship callers. Text message solicitation is governed by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). Residents can file complaints against aggressive solicitors with Haltom City Police (817) 222-7000 and, for telephone violations, with the FTC and the Texas Public Utility Commission.