# Posted: No Tresspasing - \>"Posted"??? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 27, 2002, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posted-no-tresspasing-posted/139140 "2002-11-27T17:19:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posted-no-tresspasing-posted/139140/1 "2002-11-27T17:19:50Z")
Why do many “No Tresspasing” signs say “Posted”? Isn’t this obvious? Is there some legal meaning to this term, perhaps? And, isn’t still tresspassing even if there’s no sign? - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posted-no-tresspasing-posted/139140/2 "2002-11-27T17:48:48Z")
In many jurisdictions, it is necessary to give notice on open lands in order to bring a charge of trespassing. In others, there is a distinction of degree between trespass on open land and trespass on posted land. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posted-no-tresspasing-posted/139140/3 "2002-11-27T17:53:37Z")
There is often a legal definition of posted, ie signs saying so every 200’ (or whatever). Without that, many states and localities allow travel across land. This is especially interesting in hunting season. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2002, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posted-no-tresspasing-posted/139140/4 "2002-11-27T17:54:30Z")
It’s the law in many places, as in [Lousiana](http://www.louisianacriminallaw.com/html/criminal_trespass1.html), for example. LSA-R.S. 14:63 Criminal Trespass > [@](#): > > (2) Placing signs around the area to be posted at no more than one hundred feet apart and at normal points of ingress and egress. The signs shall bear the words “Posted”, “No Trespassing”, or “No” in letters at least three and one-half inches high and shall be so placed as to be readily visible to any person approaching the property. > (3) Constructing a fence around the area to be posted of not less than three strand wire, or its equivalent, and placing signs that bear the words “Posted”, “No Trespassing”, or “No” in letters at least three and one-half inches high at normal points of ingress and egress. In general, posted property is property that is enclosed and has a sign. One of the definitions of to post is to erect a sign. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2002, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posted-no-tresspasing-posted/139140/5 "2002-11-28T01:16:29Z")
- - - A couple years back, a guy I know who works at a water treatment site (a gov’t facility) was told that their signs had to be in both English and Spanish. ~ ---
**Author:** ![brad\_d](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@brad\_d](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brad_d)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2002, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/posted-no-tresspasing-posted/139140/6 "2002-11-28T02:05:27Z")
Lib, that law makes it sound like signs simply saying “No Trespassing” are perfectly adequate. The addition of the word “Posted” seems legally unnecessary. I kind of like the idea of surrounding my property with signs that simply say “No.” It certainly gets points for brevity. 🙂