Nashville Bill to Crack Down on Aggressive Door-to-Door Solicitors - FOX 17 News

Nearly 500 complaints over the past two years according to an online petition have prompted Nashville lawmakers to move forward with new restrictions on door-.

Unwelcome business representatives and salespeople would face strict daylight hour limits under a proposed bill currently advancing through the Metro Council. The legislation cleared its second vote this week and requires one final vote before becoming law.

Under the proposal sponsored by Metro Council Member Jordan Huffman, solicitors cannot knock on doors earlier than 10 a.m. Workers would also need to display a visible city-issued permit while going door to door.

WARNING 🚨: Please be on the lookout for these two men who have been targeting elderly residents posing as landscapers to burglarize their homes. One knocks on the front door asking for the homeowners to take them into the backyard while the other enters the home & steals… pic.twitter.com/THz2JwW7fc

— Post by @MNPDNashville on X

“We have a no-knock registry in Davidson County that you can stay on for up to two years. The issue is there’s no teeth to it,” Huffman said during a Metro Council meeting, as reported by FOX 17 News.

Metro Codes would receive the authority to issue citations and revoke permits from repeat offenders under the new rules. Residents can currently add their addresses to the No-Knock Registry, and individuals experiencing persistent visits can submit complaints through Hub Nashville.

Nashville Bill to Crack Down on Aggressive Door-to-Door Solicitors - FOX 17 News

Concerns have extended beyond aggressive sales pitches. Doorbell camera footage was distributed by Metro Police during the summer months to caution locals about suspected burglars purportedly acting as landscapers.

“It poses a real threat to the safety of the community when they show up after dark, are asked to leave, told you are not interested, and they still stay at your door, harassing you, even insulting you…” wrote one commenter in an online petition calling for stronger enforcement, cited by FOX 17 News.

First Amendment protections mean the proposed restrictions will not apply to religious organizations, such as churches, or political candidates and organizations.

Metro Council considering bill to strengthen penalties for door-to-door solicitors

“At the end of the day, if you’re in your home and you don’t want somebody to knock on your door, you deserve that right, and this is what that bill does,” Huffman said, according to FOX 17 News.

Locals are advised to request identification and proof of a city permit from solicitors, or to simply bypass answering altogether.