Door to door sales laws: permits, hours and the 3-day rule

What federal law says about door-to-door sales

Federal law does not require a permit to knock. It does regulate the sale. The FTC Cooling-Off Rule (16 CFR Part 429) lets a buyer cancel a door-to-door sale for any reason until midnight of the third business day after the sale. A "business day" is any calendar day except Sunday or a federal holiday, so Saturday counts.

The rule covers a sale of consumer goods or services where the buyer agrees away from the seller's place of business. The dollar floors are in 16 CFR 429.0:

• $25 or more if the sale is made at the buyer's residence.
• $130 or more if the sale is made elsewhere, such as hotel rooms, convention centers, fairgrounds, restaurants or the buyer's workplace.
• The test counts the total price, including interest and service charges, across single or multiple contracts.

The rule excludes sales of real property, insurance, and securities sold by a registered broker-dealer. It also excludes sales made entirely by mail or phone and a few narrow cases such as a buyer-initiated repair visit. 16 CFR 429.3 adds auto-dealer and arts-and-crafts exemptions.

An invitation from the homeowner does not remove the right: the definition covers sales "in response to or following an invitation by the buyer."

What the seller must do

Under 16 CFR 429.1, the seller must:

1. Give a completed receipt or contract, in the language of the sales pitch, with the date, the seller's name and address, and a bold cancellation statement of at least 10-point type.
2. Give two copies of a "Notice of Cancellation" form with the last cancellation date filled in.
3. Tell the buyer orally of the right to cancel when the buyer signs.
4. Refund payments and return trade-ins within 10 business days of a valid cancellation, and cancel any note or security interest.
5. Not assign the buyer's note to a finance company before midnight of the fifth business day.

The FTC rule does not replace state law. Under 16 CFR 429.2, state and local rules stay in force unless they are directly inconsistent with the federal rule. A state that gives the buyer less than the federal right does not override it.

Is door knocking protected speech?

Part of it is. In Watchtower Bible and Tract Society v. Village of Stratton, 536 U.S. 150, decided 06/17/2002, the Supreme Court struck down a village ordinance that made canvassers register with the mayor and carry a permit before going door to door. The Court held that the rule violated constitutional free speech protections as applied to religious proselytizing, anonymous political speech and handbill distribution.

Two points matter to sellers:

• The ordinance reached non-commercial speech. Cities still license commercial solicitation, such as selling roofing, solar, pest control or alarm systems.
• The Court noted that residents can post "No Solicitation" signs and refuse to talk. That gave "ample protection for the unwilling listener."

A real estate agent asking for a listing is commercial, so assume a sales permit applies unless the local code says otherwise.

Local permits, hours and signs

Permits, hours and sign rules are set by towns and counties, so a team that works three suburbs can face three rule sets in one afternoon. Three examples from the cities' own pages:

City	Permit	Hours	Signs and penalties
Yorba Linda, CA	Permit required for soliciting money, funds or contributions (ordinance effective 10/21/2010); approved commercial solicitors get ID cards to display at all times	Not stated on the city page	Do Not Knock Registry: no soliciting at registered addresses or where a sign is posted; stickers cost $1.00
Dayton, MN	License and background check; $35 application, then $30 weekly, $65 monthly or $300 yearly; badge worn at all times	9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.	"Peddler's Prohibited" placard at least 3.75 by 3.75 inches in 48-point type; unlicensed solicitors face a fine up to $250
Geneva, IL	See Title 4, Chapter 8 of the City Code	Not before 9 a.m. or after 9 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays; none on Sundays and holidays	"No Solicitor" sign on the door binds solicitors; fines up to $400

Sources: Yorba Linda, Dayton, Geneva.

Where a city runs a registry, as Yorba Linda does, check the list before you walk a street.

No-soliciting signs and trespass

A posted sign is a legal notice. In a city with a sign ordinance, ignoring it is an ordinance violation. Where no ordinance exists, a sign or a spoken request to leave can still support a trespass charge once you stay after being told to go.

Florida shows the pattern. Under Fla. Stat. 810.09, willfully entering or remaining on property other than a structure without authorization is a first-degree misdemeanor, and notice against entering can be given directly or by posting. Other states use different wording, so treat the pattern as a floor, not a rule for every state.

If a sign says no, or a person says no, leave and log the address.

State home solicitation acts

Many states have their own cooling-off statute with state-specific notices, thresholds and exclusions. The six checked for this page:

State	Cancellation period	Threshold or scope	Statute
California	Midnight of the 3rd business day; 5th business day for senior buyers; 7 business days for disaster repair contracts	Home solicitation contracts	Civ. Code 1689.6
Texas	Midnight of the 3rd business day (notice text); 5 business days for residential solar	Consideration over $25; solar under Occ. Code ch. 1806	Bus. and Com. Code 601.002, 601.052, SB 1036
Florida	Midnight of the 3rd business day	Purchase price in excess of $25	Fla. Stat. 501.021, 501.031
Ohio	Midnight of the 3rd business day	Excludes sales under $25	R.C. 1345.21, 1345.22
Massachusetts	Midnight of the 3rd business day after execution	Value in excess of $25	M.G.L. c. 93, s. 48
New York	Midnight of the 3rd business day; the period runs only once the seller complies with section 428	Door-to-door sales; written notice plus oral notice at signing	PPL 428

Every state here sits at three business days or longer. In New York, the clock does not start until the seller has given the written and oral notices section 428 requires.

What changed in the last 24 months

• 09/01/2025: Texas SB 1036 took effect. It creates the Residential Solar Retailer Regulatory Act. It gives buyers of residential solar systems five business days to cancel and, to the extent of a conflict, it prevails over Texas Business and Commerce Code ch. 601 and municipal ordinances regulating the same conduct (Occ. Code 1806.006).
• 09/01/2026: The Texas registration requirements for solar salespeople and solar retailers (Occ. Code 1806.101 and 1806.102) took effect. A person may not do residential solar retail for pay without registering.
• Federal rule: No change. The last amendment to 16 CFR 429.0 is dated 01/09/2015 (80 FR 1332), which set the $130 threshold for sales away from the home.

The single policy that clears all of it

A written field policy that covers every rule above:

1. Knock Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. local. No Sundays or holidays. Use a shorter window wherever the local code is shorter.
2. Buy or confirm the city permit before the first door. Carry the permit and photo ID. Wear the badge where the code requires it.
3. Check the city's no-knock registry before you walk a street.
4. Leave at once if you see a sign. Do not knock, hang a flyer or ring the bell.
5. Leave at once if anyone says no. Log the address as do-not-contact and keep the log.
6. For any sale of $25 or more at the home, give the federal notice of cancellation in duplicate, say the right out loud, and wait out three business days before you start work you cannot undo. In states with longer periods, use the longer one.
7. Never misstate the right to cancel, and honor a cancellation notice with a refund inside 10 business days.

Penalty exposure

For federal violations, the FTC can seek civil penalties of up to $53,088 per violation under 16 CFR 1.98, which applies to penalties assessed after 01/17/2025. State attorneys general enforce home solicitation acts and unfair-practice laws with their own penalties and refunds. Check the amounts in each statute.

City penalties are smaller but more common: up to $250 plus denial of future applications in Dayton, up to $400 in Geneva.

Where records fit

Lists built from county assessor records and the county recorder let a team skip non-owners. Counts by market are on the homeowner count pages, and the homeowner list page explains the build. For the field method, see door knocking prospecting.

Phone and mail have separate rules. See cold calling laws, direct mail rules and telemarketing penalties. Other pages are in the compliance hub.

Next step

Pull a homeowner count for your territory on the get counts page before you plan routes.

This page is a plain-English summary with sources, not legal advice. Last reviewed 10/10/2026.

Questions people ask

Q01Does Saturday count toward the three business days?

Under the FTC rule, yes. A business day is any calendar day except Sunday or a federal holiday. The Texas residential solar act counts differently: its business day excludes Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, so a solar contract signed on a Friday runs into the next week.

Q02Does the 3-day rule apply if the homeowner invited me?

Yes. The FTC definition covers a sale at the buyer's residence, including one made in response to or following an invitation by the buyer. Narrow exceptions exist, such as a handwritten emergency waiver or a repair visit the buyer requested.

Q03Do real estate agents need a solicitor permit to knock on doors?

Often yes, because many city ordinances cover anyone who goes door to door and do not exempt agents. The federal cooling-off rule excludes sales of real property, but the city permit rules are separate. Read the local code.

Q04What happens if I ignore a No Soliciting sign?

Many cities treat it as an ordinance violation. Geneva, Illinois lists fines up to $400. A posted sign can also support a trespass complaint, and Florida notes that notice against entering can be given by posting.

Q05Can a city make me register before I knock?

For commercial sales, usually yes. The Supreme Court in Watchtower v. Stratton struck a permit rule as applied to religious and political canvassing and handbills, not as applied to selling goods. Expect permits for sales and none for pure advocacy.

Sources

1. FTC Cooling-Off Rule definitions, 16 CFR 429.0law.cornell.edu
2. FTC Cooling-Off Rule, 16 CFR 429.1law.cornell.edu
3. 16 CFR 429.2, effect on state laws and municipal ordinanceslaw.cornell.edu
4. 16 CFR 429.3, exemptionslaw.cornell.edu
5. FTC Cooling-Off Rule page and rule historyftc.gov
6. 16 CFR 1.98, FTC civil penalty amountslaw.cornell.edu
7. Watchtower Bible and Tract Society v. Village of Stratton, 536 U.S. 150 (2002)law.cornell.edu
8. Yorba Linda, CA: solicitor permit and Do Not Knock Registryyorbalindaca.gov
9. Dayton, MN: peddlers and solicitors license, hours, signsdaytonmn.gov
10. Geneva, IL: peddlers and solicitors, hours, No Solicitor signsgeneva.il.us
11. Cal. Civ. Code 1689.6, California Legislative Informationleginfo.legislature.ca.gov
12. Cal. Civ. Code 1689.6 (secondary reproduction, FindLaw) (secondary)codes.findlaw.com
13. Tex. Bus. and Com. Code ch. 601, including 601.002 and 601.052tcss.legis.texas.gov
14. Fla. Stat. 501.021, home solicitation sale definitionsleg.state.fl.us
15. Fla. Stat. 501.031, home solicitation sale written agreementleg.state.fl.us
16. Fla. Stat. 810.09, trespass on property other than a structureleg.state.fl.us
17. Ohio Rev. Code 1345.21, home solicitation sale definitionscodes.ohio.gov
18. Ohio Rev. Code 1345.22, right to cancelcodes.ohio.gov
19. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 93, section 48malegislature.gov
20. N.Y. Personal Property Law 428nysenate.gov
21. Texas SB 1036 (2025), Residential Solar Retailer Regulatory Act, enrolled textcapitol.texas.gov