Colorado Statewide Rule
Colorado No Trespassing and No Soliciting Signs: Limited Force
Key Facts
- Statute
- C.R.S. 18-4-503
- Premises trespass
- Petty offense
- Sign alone
- Usually not sufficient
- Stronger basis
- Notice to leave or enclosure
Summary
A posted no-soliciting sign alone generally is not enough for criminal trespass in Colorado. Under C.R.S. 18-4-503, second-degree criminal trespass of residential premises requires fenced or enclosed property, or a solicitor who refuses to leave after the resident gives notice.
18-4-503. Second degree criminal trespass. (1) A person commits the crime of second degree criminal trespass if such person: (a) Unlawfully enters or remains in or upon the premises of another which are enclosed in a manner designed to exclude intruders or are fenced; or (b) Knowingly and unlawfully enters or remains in or upon the common areas of a hotel, motel, condominium, or apartment building; or (c) Knowingly and unlawfully enters or remains in a motor vehicle of another. (2) (a) Second degree criminal trespass in violation of subsection (1)(a) or (1)(b) of this section is a petty offense, but it is a class 5 felony if the person trespasses on premises so classified as agricultural land with the intent to commit a felony thereon.
Full Breakdown
Under C.R.S. 18-4-503, a person commits second-degree criminal trespass by unlawfully entering or remaining on premises that are fenced or enclosed in a manner designed to exclude intruders, or in the common areas of an apartment or hotel. A posted no-soliciting sign on an open, unfenced yard usually does not by itself satisfy the statute; the stronger case arises when a solicitor refuses to leave after the resident gives notice, or enters fenced or otherwise enclosed property. Local solicitation-permit ordinances operate alongside state trespass law and a resident may always order a solicitor to leave.
Violations & Penalties
Second-degree criminal trespass of residential premises is a petty offense in Colorado; only the motor-vehicle variant is a class 2 misdemeanor. A refusing solicitor can also be removed and cited under local ordinances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a no-soliciting sign carry legal weight in Colorado?
Can Colorado cities require solicitor permits in addition?
Sources
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