Support Your Do-Not-Call Process

The National Do Not Call Registry is a free FTC service that lets consumers register personal phone numbers to reduce covered telemarketing calls. Covered sellers and telemarketers generally must avoid registered numbers unless a rule or exemption permits the call, and companies must separately honor requests not to call made directly to them.

Sellers and telemarketers making calls covered by the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule or the FCC's TCPA rules must follow the requirements that apply to their calls. Scope can depend on the purpose of the call, the caller, the dialing method, consent, and the relationship with the recipient. Many business-to-business, political, charitable, and survey calls fall outside the National Registry's core restrictions, but other federal, state, and entity-specific do-not-call rules may still apply.

Violations can lead to federal or state enforcement, civil penalties, and reputational harm. Penalty amounts change over time and can depend on the rule and facts, so businesses should confirm current requirements in official FTC and FCC sources and obtain legal advice for their programs.

The FTC enforces the Telemarketing Sales Rule, while the FCC administers rules implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. The two frameworks overlap but are not identical. A calling program may need to address National Registry checks, company-specific suppression requests, calling hours, identification, consent, and stricter requirements for prerecorded or automated telemarketing.

Use the FTC's Complying with the Telemarketing Sales Rule guide, the official National Do Not Call Registry at donotcall.gov, 16 CFR 310.4, and the FCC rules in 47 CFR 64.1200. These sources should be checked again whenever a calling program or applicable rule changes.