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Massachusetts Posting Laws: How to Post Land
Massachusetts has one clear sign rule: notices about hunting, fishing and trapping must carry the name of the owner or tenant. General trespass law has no sign specification at all. This guide explains how the two fit together and what to put on a sign for your woodlot, pond or farm.
What the law asks for on signs
Under M.G.L. c.131 s.36, notices for hunting, fishing and trapping must bear the name of the owner or tenant. Once land is posted that way, no one may fish, hunt or trap there without the owner's or tenant's permission.
The statute text we read shows no letter height, no sign size and no spacing figure in the text we read. Put your name on the sign in clear letters and read the current statute for anything beyond that.
General trespass
The general trespass law, c.266 s.120, covers dwellings, buildings and improved or enclosed land. It applies after a person is forbidden to enter directly or by notice posted on the land. It has no sign specification.
We did not re-read this section, so check its current text before you rely on it. A direct request to leave and a posted notice can work together, and a posted sign is easy proof of what you asked.
Practical tips
Since your name belongs on the sign, plan to update it if the land changes hands or is leased to a tenant. Place signs at every spot where a hunter or angler could step in: trailheads, pond edges, gaps in stone walls.
Our signs are custom printed on aluminum or plastic with a live preview, and the builder follows these sign rules. Take dated photos of each sign in place, and check the statute yourself before you post.
Questions about posting land in Massachusetts
Does Massachusetts require my name on a posting sign?
For hunting, fishing and trapping notices, yes. M.G.L. c.131 s.36 says they must bear the name of the owner or tenant. The general trespass law, c.266 s.120, has no sign specification.
What happens once land is posted for hunting in Massachusetts?
Under c.131 s.36, once posted, no one may fish, hunt or trap there without the owner's or tenant's permission. The text we read gives no size or spacing for the notice.
Is there a size or spacing rule for Massachusetts signs?
The statute text we read shows no minimum letter height, no minimum sign size and no spacing figure in the text we read. Put signs where people will see them and read c.131 s.36 for the latest wording.
This guide explains the law in plain words; it is not legal advice. We read the statute text on 2026-10-24. Laws change: check the current text here or ask your county or state wildlife agency.