No Trespassing Sign Laws

No Trespassing Sign Laws     

We’ve all seen a private property sign or a no trespassing sign somewhere in our journey through life. Sometimes they can be funny and others can be quite serious. Some, such as around military sites carry hefty fines or even advise that deadly force is authorized. Pro tip: if it says deadly force, just stay away. That snapchat of Area 51 isn’t worth it.

So, secret alien crash sites aside, what is the legality for placing your own, normal, no trespassing sign on your property? It seems fairly obvious to not enter an area if a sign is there, but like in our earlier post for soliciting signs, is there a law that actually protects private property?

Luckily for us there are a few legal ways to help out with this. In the US, all land was originally owned by the federal government, and many acres are still owned by them today. You could unknowingly be hunting or fishing on private government land without knowing it even.  

A private property no trespassing sign helps to advise that your land is private and no one should enter without permission. Fences can help even more but often get very expensive for large areas of land. Placing signage at interval spacing would be a much cheaper option and achieve roughly the same affect. Having signs placed is a good reminder for people that they cannot enter or participate in any activity on your land, without permission from you.

Regarding the law, those who wish to enter your land must ask for permission to be there. Oftentimes placing signs at the entrances of your land will be sufficient to state your property rules. No Trespassing signs spread the message that this area is off limits and eases the burden off of you, as you cant stand outside all day long telling hikers to leave.

What if my land is large or in a rural area?

If your land is quite large it can help to place signs on posts at spots people would most likely be in contact with. Fencing and signage is ideal but often not practical for large areas. Make sure signs are place in easily visible areas and are properly maintained

If your land is in a rural area or looks like its not “owned”, people can often assume that its public land. The Government tries to keep a balance with people and land ownership that is somewhat equal. If a person finds land that looks like it belongs with the rest of public land, has no fence or signs, and no visible trace of upkeep, they often assume its private land. This can become harder to protect as there is no visible indicator that the land belongs to you.

Assuming your property is maintained and clearly shown to be occupied, trespassing becomes illegal. If you catch someone on your land and ask them to leave, they are required to leave. Usually a trespassing sign or keep out signs works just fine for this though.

Who can post no trespassing signs?

Land owners, authorized employees or legal occupants are allowed to post no trespassing or keep out signs. Basically, its your land and you can choose what to do with it. If you authorized a family member or employee to place signs around the property, its your choice to do so and we as the public need to respect your wishes.

Click to check out our No Trespassing signs 

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Sign Wise has built a selection of our most popular No Trespassing Signs including No Soliciting signs. We have seen a large increase in orders for these signs as the laws change and people want to make sure they meet regulations.  As well as these signs, Sign Wise manufactures thousands of other signs including parking signs, safety signage, OSHA/ANSI signs, and much more. These signs are made with the highest quality of materials and made right here in the old US of A. If you’d like a quote or are looking for a custom sign please give us a ring at (877) 631-0197 or email us at sales@shopsignwise.com or check us out online at www.shopsignwise.com