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Harford County, MD Soliciting & Door-to-Door: No-Knock Registry (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Sign rule section
Harford County Code § 197-5C
Applies in
Unincorporated Harford County
Also bars
Vehicle solicitation, § 197-5F
Enforcement
DILP licensing plus Sheriff's Office
Exempt
Invited guests, civic volunteers per § 197-6

Summary

Harford County Code § 197-5C makes it unlawful for a solicitor to enter onto the premises of a private residence in unincorporated Harford County when the owner or occupant has posted a 'No Soliciting' sign. The same section also bars entering under false pretenses, staying after being told to leave, and stopping vehicles on a street to solicit.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Harford County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

No person shall: A. Enter into or upon a private residence in the county under false pretenses to solicit for any purpose or for the purpose of soliciting orders for the sale of goods, wares or merchandise. B. Remain in a private residence or on the premises thereof after the owner or occupant has requested such person to leave. C. Enter into or upon the premises of a private residence for soliciting when the owner or occupant has displayed a "No Soliciting" sign on such premises. D. Engage in the practice of soliciting in the county without a license required by this article. E. Knowingly allow an employee or agent to solicit without a license required by this article. F. Stand on a street or highway and solicit, or attempt to solicit, employment, business or contribution from the occupants of any vehicle.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4988582; v46 updated 2026-06-09; through 06-09-2026).

Full Breakdown

Section 197-5, part of Chapter 197's Article I on solicitors, lists prohibited acts alongside the No Soliciting sign rule. Subsection A bars entering a private residence under false pretenses to solicit or to solicit orders for goods. Subsection B bars remaining on the premises after the owner or occupant asks the person to leave. Subsection C, the sign-based rule, bars entering onto the premises of a private residence for soliciting when the owner or occupant has displayed a 'No Soliciting' sign; no separate registry filing is required, the posted sign itself is the legal bar to entry.

Subsection D bars soliciting in the county without the license required by §§ 197-2 through 197-4, and Subsection E bars a solicitor from knowingly letting an employee or agent solicit without that license. Subsection F, added by Bill No. 02-47, separately bars standing on a street or highway to solicit or attempt to solicit employment, business or a contribution from the occupants of passing vehicles. None of Section 197-5's prohibitions apply to the exemptions in § 197-6: invited visitors, registered unpaid civic or charitable volunteers, newsboys and regular route deliverymen. The rule applies only in unincorporated Harford County; Bel Air, Aberdeen and Havre de Grace regulate soliciting under their own municipal codes.

Violations & Fines

Entering a posted 'No Soliciting' property, entering under false pretenses, overstaying a request to leave, soliciting unlicensed or letting an unlicensed employee solicit are each separately prohibited acts under § 197-5. As with the rest of Article I, the code does not print a stand-alone criminal fine for these subsections; enforcement runs through DILP's licensing authority, including the power to decline or revoke a license under § 197-4, and through a resident's ability to report trespass to the Sheriff's Office when a solicitor ignores a posted sign or a request to leave.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a 'No Soliciting' sign have legal force in Harford County?
Yes. Section 197-5C makes it unlawful for a solicitor to enter the premises of a private residence for soliciting once the owner or occupant has posted a 'No Soliciting' sign. No county registry or separate permit is needed; the posted sign itself is the legal bar to entry, and disregarding it is a code violation.
Can solicitors approach me while I'm driving in Harford County?
No. Section 197-5F, added by Bill No. 02-47, separately bars standing on a street or highway to solicit or attempt to solicit employment, business or a contribution from the occupants of any vehicle, regardless of whether a 'No Soliciting' sign is involved.
What can I do if a solicitor ignores my No Soliciting sign?
You can report the solicitor to the Harford County Sheriff's Office for a possible trespass complaint and notify the Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits, which licenses solicitors under §§ 197-2 through 197-4 and can decline or revoke a license tied to that conduct.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Harford County

All Harford County rules

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