As the Raleigh Durham area continues to fill in, there is a higher likelihood of unwanted trespassers on private property. Legally, there are specific rules to be aware of if you want to keep your private land private.
This land is your land; this land is my land
By law, an area that has not been improved on (meaning it is still wild) and that isn’t fenced in can be assumed to be open to public use. So, people have the legal right to wander onto your land and do things like fish, hunt, and park on it until you tell them to leave.
If you own the land though, you can post “No Trespassing” or “Private Property” signs, and they will no longer have this right. North Carolina law gives two ways to let people know you don’t want them there.
“The owner or lessee of the property may place notices, signs, or posters on the property.”
“The owner or lessee of the property may place identifying purple paint marks on trees or posts around the area to be posted.”
Signs vs. purple paint marks
The law gives some details on what these purple marks should look like, but the problem is, will most people hiking through the woods know what they mean? Did you know what a purple “vertical line of at least eight inches in length” meant before reading this?
Most people don’t. This means they may still end up wandering onto your land. And unless you want to have to keep calling the police to hike after them, you’ll have to deal with these unwelcome visitors. This is why many people go for “option one” — posting signs. When people see the signs, they know exactly what “No Trespassing” or “Private Property” means and will most likely turn back. If they don’t, you now also have a better legal case against them since you posted as instructed by law.
Private property signs in the Triangle
While the Triangle area doesn’t have as much “wild” land as it once did, there are still areas that are not obviously “improved” with yards and buildings. If you don’t want visitors on this land, it’s important to post signs saying so (unless you want to get out the purple paint bucket and hope for the best).
Since these are outdoor signs that are displayed at all times of day and all seasons of the year, they will need to be visible and durable. Aluminum is a popular choice because it is weatherproof and is reflective at night. There are other material options, but metals are a better idea for these types of signs.
Jack Rabbit Signs supplies high-quality private property signs
Whether it’s to keep people from hunting, door-to-door soliciting, parking or any other activity on your property, Jack Rabbit can design, manufacture and supply a sign with the message you want to convey. We have lots of material, design and wording options to choose from. To learn more, give us a call at (919) 571-1185 or come by our storefront near Crabtree Valley Mall off of Glenwood Ave. in Raleigh.