Worcester, MA Soliciting & Door-to-Door: No-Knock Registry (2026)

Worcester County has no countywide no-knock registry because county government was abolished in 1998. The City of Worcester and several other Worcester County municipalities maintain voluntary 'Do Not Knock' or 'No Soliciting' registries through their License Commission or City Clerk offices. Residents can register online, by phone, or at City Hall — the list is distributed to all permitted commercial solicitors. Commercial solicitors who knowingly approach a registered address or who ignore a clearly posted 'No Soliciting' sign face citation under Worcester Revised Ordinances. Fitchburg, Leominster, Gardner, Shrewsbury, Westborough, Milford, Auburn, and other municipalities operate similar registries. First Amendment-protected activities — religious canvassing, political canvassing (candidate door-knocking, ballot initiative petitioners), union organizing, charitable solicitation — are generally exempt under Watchtower Bible v. Village of Stratton (2002). However, ALL visitors — including religious and political canvassers — must respect common-law trespass rules: if the homeowner tells them to leave, they must leave immediately, and remaining after being told triggers MGL c. 266 §120 trespass charges (up to 30 days jail and $100 fine, or $500 for fenced-in land).