Port Townsend, WA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: No-Knock Registry (2026)
Key Facts
- Sign text
- "no solicitors allowed"
- Allowed hours
- 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine / 90 days jail
- Solicitor license fee
- $50/year, background check
Summary
Posting a "no solicitors allowed" sign makes it a nuisance for peddlers to ring your bell, and all soliciting is capped to 9 a.m.-6 p.m. citywide.
It is unlawful and constitutes a nuisance for a person to go upon a premises and ring the doorbell upon or near a door, or create a sound in any other manner calculated to attract the attention of the occupant... for the purpose of securing an audience with the occupant thereof and engage in soliciting... in defiance of the notice exhibited at the residence, business, or development in accordance with the provisions of PTMC 5.94.120.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 3364, passed May 18, 2026).
Full Breakdown
A resident or business can block door-to-door solicitors just by posting a sign reading "no solicitors allowed" at the door or gate, or at each entrance of a residential development. Once that notice is up, a solicitor who rings the bell or otherwise tries to get the occupant's attention anyway is committing a nuisance under PTMC 5.94.130. Every solicitor must also check for the sign before approaching and leave immediately if asked. Citywide, soliciting is only allowed between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. regardless of signage (PTMC 5.94.150). Registered solicitors still need a $50/year city license with a background check; violations are a misdemeanor.
Violations & Fines
Ignoring a posted "no solicitors" sign or soliciting outside 9 a.m.-6 p.m.: misdemeanor, up to $1,000 fine and/or 90 days jail (PTMC 5.94.170).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a posted sign have legal force in Port Townsend?
Can solicitors come by any time of day?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Port Townsend
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