INFORMATION FOR EAST PETERSBURG RESIDENTS –
Door to Door Solicitors and Peddlers
East Petersburg Borough frequently receives inquiries regarding persons going door to door and soliciting. Please review the following information about our solicitation guidelines and some suggestions for interacting with solicitors.
Solicitors within East Petersburg Borough must apply for and be approved for a license to solicit in the Borough in accordance with the Borough’s Soliciting Ordinance.
Political canvassing, religious proselytizing, and distributing handbills are activities that do not require a license and are permitted by law.
Per the East Petersburg Borough Ordinance, solicitors must adhere to the following guidelines and rules regulating door-to-door solicitation:
Must cease solicitation upon owner or occupant request
Must obey posted “No Soliciting” and “No Trespassing” signs
Must carry and display their license while they are soliciting
May only solicit between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 6:00 P.M.
If a solicitor does not display and cannot produce a license, they may not be licensed to solicit within East Petersburg Borough and may be reported to the Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Department:
Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Office 717-733-0965
Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Dispatch Emergencies – 911
Non-Emergencies – 717-664-1180
East Petersburg Borough maintains a list of current soliciting license holders on its website, which residents can reference.
Pushy, rude, or aggressive solicitors
Beyond the restrictions listed above, the Borough of East Petersburg does not directly regulate the demeanor of individual solicitors. Remember however, that as a homeowner or occupant you may at any time ask a solicitor to leave your property. Every resident has the right to feel secure in their home, should you feel threatened or unsafe based upon a solicitor’s behavior, contact the Police immediately.
How to Prevent Solicitors At Your Home
Prominently display a “No Soliciting” or “No Trespassing” notice on your property. Signs should be of a size that is easily visible to Solicitors who may approach your front door or main entrance.
It is illegal in East Petersburg Borough to solicit at a location where proper No Soliciting or No Trespassing signage has been posted. With or without a sign, residents should not ever be afraid to exercise boundaries with solicitors by refusing to answer their door or by politely stating ‘no thank you’ or ‘not interested’ and shutting and locking their door.
Constitutional Rights of Solicitors
The First Amendment and the U.S. Constitution protect the rights of door-to-door solicitors and preclude the ability of a community to ban or significantly limit door-to-door sales. The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld free speech for commercial purposes, and the Borough’s ability to restrict commercial door-to-door solicitation is limited to local regulations restricting the time, place, and manner of door-to-door solicitations. Homeowners and occupants, however, do have the ultimate right to determine whether solicitors shall or shall not be invited to their residences or property.