Last updated 2026-07-09
TL;DR
Consumers register a phone number free at donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222. Businesses that scrub call lists buy access through the FTC's telemarketer portal, starting free for five area codes and running to $17,056 for the full national file. Federal registration takes effect within 31 days and never expires.
What is the National Do Not Call Registry and who runs it?
The National Do Not Call Registry is a federal database the Federal Trade Commission maintains so U.S. consumers can opt out of most commercial telemarketing calls. Congress created it under the Do-Not-Call Implementation Act of 2003. Three enforcers share the job: the FTC, the FCC, and state attorneys general. [1]
The FCC's authority runs through 47 U.S.C. § 227, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Call a residential number on the Registry after the 31-day grace period and you have a violation. Private lawsuits carry fines up to $1,500 per call. FTC enforcement actions reach into five figures per violation, and that ceiling adjusts for inflation each year. [2][3]
The registry covers landlines and mobile phones. There is no separate mobile phone do not call list; one federal database handles both. State registries sit on top of the federal one, and some are stricter, so a compliant business has to check both layers before dialing.
How do I get on the do not call list as a consumer?
Getting your own number on the list takes about two minutes and costs nothing. There are three ways to do it, but only two of them are real.
Online. Go to donotcall.gov, click "Register Your Phone," enter up to three phone numbers, and give a valid email address. The FTC sends a confirmation link. Click it within 72 hours or the registration does not go through. [1]
By phone. Call 1-888-382-1222 from the number you want registered. The system registers that specific number automatically, no email needed. TTY users can call 1-866-290-4236. [1]
By mail. There is no mail-in option for the federal registry. If you see one advertised, it is not the official process. Ignore it.
Once you register, telemarketers have 31 days to stop calling. After that, calls to your number from covered businesses are a legal violation. Federal registration does not expire under current FTC rules, so you never have to re-register on a schedule. Checking your status at donotcall.gov every few years is still a reasonable habit, because carriers recycle numbers and reassignments happen. [1]
If you also want how do I get on a do not call list coverage for your state, read the state sections below. Texas, New York, and roughly a dozen others run their own registries that require separate sign-up.
How do I verify my number is already registered?
Go to donotcall.gov and use the "Verify a Registration" tool. Enter the phone number and your email. The FTC emails a confirmation showing your registration date, usually within a few days. [1]
Say your number shows as registered but the calls keep coming. Two explanations cover most of it. The calls may be from exempt categories: political organizations, charities, survey firms, or a business you already have a relationship with. Or the calls are flat-out illegal robocalls that ignore the registry, which is a separate problem registration alone will not fix. Report those at donotcall.gov. That data feeds FTC enforcement cases. [1]
For a closer look at how the ftc do not call list works and what the agency does with complaint data, that article walks through the enforcement process in detail.
How do I get the do not call list as a business (downloading the registry)?
This is where the process splits completely from consumer registration. If you run an outbound sales or marketing operation, you do not "get on" the list. You buy access so you can scrub your call lists against it before dialing.
The FTC runs a subscription portal for telemarketers at telemarketing.donotcall.gov. [4] Here is the sequence:
1. Create an organization account at the portal. 2. Choose your area codes. Subscribe by individual area code or buy the full national file. 3. Pay the annual subscription fee (see the pricing table below). 4. Download the data files, which arrive as pipe-delimited text you import into your dialer or CRM. 5. Re-download at least monthly. The FTC updates the registry monthly, and the safe harbor under 16 C.F.R. § 310.4 only applies if you accessed an updated copy within 31 days of the call. [5]
The safe harbor is real, but it is narrow. A business that registered with the FTC, paid for access, downloaded the list on time, and still accidentally called a listed number is shielded from FTC enforcement. It is not a shield against private TCPA lawsuits, where plaintiffs' lawyers argue the standard differently.
You also have to keep your own internal do not call list. The Telemarketing Sales Rule at 16 C.F.R. § 310.4(b)(1)(iii) requires companies to honor a consumer opt-out within 30 days and keep that number on a company-specific DNC list indefinitely. [5] Missing that internal list is arguably a bigger daily risk than the federal registry, because every prospect who asked you to stop is a ready-made complainant.
For a full breakdown of what triggers a do not call list violation, that article covers federal and state enforcement with real case outcomes.
How much does access to the National Do Not Call Registry cost?
The FTC charges by area code, per year. The fee schedule as of 2024:
| Scope | Annual cost |
|---|---|
| First 5 area codes | Free |
| Each additional area code (6th and beyond) | $75 per area code |
| Full national file (all area codes) | $17,056 |
Source: FTC telemarketer portal, telemarketing.donotcall.gov. [4]
A small local team calling one state can often stay on the free tier if it works five or fewer area codes. A team calling nationally pays the full subscription. There is no monthly billing. It renews annually.
One practical note. Plenty of compliance vendors resell scrubbed data or run API-based scrubbing as a monthly service, which can beat buying the raw FTC file and building your own workflow. The tradeoff is that you are trusting the vendor's update cadence. Get it in writing that they pull fresh data at least monthly, or you lose your safe harbor. The government do not call list article explains how the federal file is structured if you want to judge vendors on the merits.
How do I register on the do not call list in Texas?
Texas runs its own state registry, separate from the federal list. The Texas No Call List is administered by the Texas Office of the Attorney General under the Texas Business and Commerce Code, Chapter 304. [6]
Consumers register at texasnocall.com or by calling 1-866-896-6225. It is free. Texas law gives telemarketers 30 days to honor the registration, one day tighter than the federal 31-day window.
Businesses calling into Texas must subscribe to the Texas list on top of the federal registry. The Texas subscription is fee-based for telemarketers, and violations can draw state fines that stack on the federal penalties.
The takeaway for outbound teams is simple. Call Texas residents and you need both the FTC federal file and the Texas state file. Scrubbing one is not enough. The state attorney general has sued companies that held the federal list but skipped the state one, so this gap is not theoretical. The do not call list texas article covers the Texas rules in depth.
How do I register for the do not call list in New York?
New York has two layers. The federal registry covers New York residents like everyone else. The state also passed its own telemarketing law under General Business Law § 399-z, though in recent years the state has leaned on the federal infrastructure for list-based enforcement. [7]
New York consumers who want do not call protection should start at donotcall.gov for federal coverage. For state-specific programs, the New York State Division of Consumer Protection website has current details.
Businesses calling into New York face requirements beyond the federal rules, including disclosures at the start of a call and restrictions on calling times. Violations draw penalties under state law separate from federal TCPA exposure. If your team dials New York area codes heavily, the do not call list number article lays out the full set of numbers and registries to check.
Which exemptions mean the do not call list does not protect you?
Registration on the federal or any state DNC list does not stop every call. The FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule at 16 C.F.R. § 310.6 lists the main exemptions. [5]
The one people misread most is the established business relationship (EBR). A company you bought from, inquired with, or did business with can call you even if you are registered: up to 18 months after a purchase, up to 3 months after an inquiry. That window slams shut the moment you tell them to stop.
Other exemptions include:
- Political calls (campaigns, PACs, ballot initiatives)
- Charitable solicitations from registered nonprofits calling directly, not through a for-hire telemarketer
- Survey and research calls that make no sales pitch
- Calls from companies where you gave prior express written consent
For outbound teams, the EBR is both a real defense and a trap. Plenty of TCPA suits involve callers who thought they had an EBR but could not produce documentation, or who called after the 18-month window closed. Document everything.
The FCC adds a wrinkle for cell phones. Even with an EBR, autodialed or prerecorded calls to a mobile number require prior express consent under 47 U.S.C. § 227(b). [2] The DNC list and the TCPA autodialer rules are two separate tracks. They overlap. They are not the same.
What happens after you register and calls keep coming?
You registered at donotcall.gov, waited 31 days, and a telemarketer called anyway. Report them at donotcall.gov/report. [8] Reports are free, take about two minutes, and land directly in the FTC's complaint database that drives enforcement priorities.
You can also file with your state attorney general if the company may have broken state law.
Private lawsuits are the other lever. The TCPA lets an individual consumer sue a telemarketer for $500 per violation, or $1,500 if the violation was willful, with no need to prove actual damages. [2] That is why TCPA class actions are everywhere. Plaintiffs' attorneys stack hundreds or thousands of individual $500-to-$1,500 claims into cases worth millions.
For a business, this is the real money at stake. An FTC enforcement action is serious but rare. A TCPA class action from a plaintiff's firm is the more likely threat for a small outbound team that skips registry scrubbing.
The do not call list report article walks through filing complaints and what the FTC's data actually shows about outcomes.
What other state do not call lists should outbound teams know about?
About a dozen states run their own registries or telemarketing rules that add requirements on top of the federal ones. The states with the strictest rules or the most active enforcement include:
| State | Registry | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | Yes (texasnocall.com) | Chapter 304, TBCC; 30-day window |
| Florida | Yes (state-managed) | Strong AG enforcement history |
| Indiana | Yes | Separate subscription for telemarketers |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | Active AG enforcement |
| New York | State law adds call-time and disclosure rules | |
| Colorado | No separate registry but strict state law | |
| Oklahoma | Yes | Separate list |
For Florida, Pennsylvania, and Indiana specifics, the florida do not call list, do not call list pa, and indiana do not call list articles have state-by-state steps and penalty structures.
The safest posture for a team calling nationally is to scrub against the federal list plus every state list for the states you actively call. Most compliance vendors bundle the major state lists with the federal file, so this is manageable in practice.
Want a free starting point for checking your own posture? LeadCompliant's free TCPA checker verifies numbers and flags basic DNC issues with no subscription.
How often does a business need to re-download the do not call list?
The FTC updates the National DNC Registry monthly. Under the safe harbor at 16 C.F.R. § 310.4(b)(1)(iv), a telemarketer must have accessed the registry within 31 days of placing a call to stay protected. [5] Monthly downloads are the floor. Some high-volume teams pull weekly to shrink the lag.
This is one of the most commonly blown compliance steps. A team that subscribed, downloaded once, and then ran the same suppression file for six months has almost certainly dialed numbers added after that last download. No safe harbor. Exposed on every one of those calls.
The fix is mechanical. Calendar a recurring task to download a fresh file each month, import it into your dialer or suppression system, and log the date you did it. The log is the part people skip. If a call is ever disputed, you need to show the download date against the call date.
If your CRM or dialer plugs into a compliance vendor's API, confirm the contract specifies monthly or more frequent updates. Do not let that sit buried in the fine print.
Is there a way to get the do not call list for free?
For consumers, yes. Registration is always free.
For businesses, the first five area codes are free through the FTC's telemarketer portal. Past that, you pay. There is no legal way to download the full national file without the annual fee, and scraping or replicating the registry would breach the FTC's terms of use and possibly the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
Some companies try to dodge the cost by calling only numbers they believe are not on the list, without ever subscribing. That strategy throws away the safe harbor entirely. If a number turns out to be registered and you get sued, you cannot claim the safe harbor, because it only protects registered telemarketers who accessed the official registry. [5]
The math is usually plain. $17,056 for the full national file, spread across millions of dials, is a rounding error per call. The class action settlement that follows one bad scrubbing workflow runs orders of magnitude higher. The pennsylvania do not call list article has an example of a mid-size operation that took state penalties dwarfing a full year of subscription fees.
If you want to review your setup before buying access, LeadCompliant's free compliance kit covers the full DNC scrubbing workflow with checklists you can hand to your ops team.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take for my number to show up on the do not call list?
The FTC says registration takes effect within 31 days. During that window telemarketers can still legally call you. After 31 days, covered companies must stop. Verify your registration at donotcall.gov using the "Verify a Registration" tool. Confirmation usually shows within a few days of signing up, well before the 31-day window closes.
Does the do not call list stop all unwanted calls?
No. The registry blocks most commercial telemarketing but exempts political calls, charitable solicitations from nonprofits calling directly, survey calls, and companies you have done business with in the past 18 months. Illegal robocallers ignore the list entirely. For those, reporting at donotcall.gov feeds FTC enforcement. Call-blocking apps and carrier tools help with the illegal robocalls registration cannot stop.
Can I register a cell phone on the do not call list?
Yes. Mobile numbers and landlines both qualify for federal DNC registration at donotcall.gov. There is no separate mobile-specific list. Cell phones carry extra TCPA protections for autodialed and prerecorded calls that apply regardless of DNC status, but for list-based protection, the same federal registry covers both number types.
How do I register for the do not call list in Texas specifically?
Go to texasnocall.com or call 1-866-896-6225. Texas runs its own registry under Chapter 304 of the Texas Business and Commerce Code, separate from the federal list at donotcall.gov. Register on both for full coverage. Texas gives telemarketers 30 days to honor your registration. Violations can draw penalties from the Texas Attorney General on top of federal TCPA exposure.
How do I register on the do not call list in New York?
Start at donotcall.gov for federal coverage, which applies to New York residents automatically. New York also has state telemarketing rules under General Business Law § 399-z. The New York State Division of Consumer Protection website covers any active state-specific programs. Businesses calling into New York must meet both layers, including state rules on call timing and required disclosures.
Do I need to re-register on the do not call list every few years?
No. Under current FTC rules, federal DNC registration does not expire. Once you register, you stay on the list indefinitely. The only practical reason to re-register is if your number was recycled and reassigned, then reassigned back to you. Checking your status at donotcall.gov every few years takes two minutes and confirms your registration date is still active.
What is the fine for calling a number on the do not call list?
FTC enforcement penalties adjust for inflation each year under the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act and reach into five figures per violation. Private TCPA lawsuits under 47 U.S.C. § 227 allow $500 per call, or $1,500 if the violation was willful, with no cap on the number of violations in a class action. Most small-team exposure comes from private suits, not FTC cases.
How does a business subscribe to download the national do not call list?
Go to telemarketing.donotcall.gov, create an organization account, select the area codes you need, and pay the annual fee. The first five area codes are free; the full national file costs $17,056 per year. Files come as pipe-delimited text. You must re-download at least monthly to keep the 16 C.F.R. § 310.4 safe harbor. Log every download date in case a call is disputed.
Does registering on the do not call list stop text message marketing?
The DNC Registry mainly targets voice calls. Text messages run under a different TCPA and FCC framework, where the key protection is prior express written consent, not DNC registration. Some states treat certain texts as telemarketing subject to state DNC rules. If you get unwanted texts, revoking consent directly with the sender and reporting at donotcall.gov are both reasonable steps.
Can a company still call me if I registered but gave them my number on a web form?
Possibly yes. If the web form carried clear and conspicuous disclosure that you consented to autodialed or prerecorded marketing calls, that written consent can override DNC registration for that specific company under FCC rules. The consent must be specific to that company, not buried in a terms-of-service page. Revoking consent in writing ends their right to call, regardless of your DNC status.
Are there state do not call lists in addition to the federal registry?
Yes, roughly a dozen states run their own registries, including Texas, Florida, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. State lists require separate registration by consumers and separate subscriptions by telemarketers. States can impose their own penalties on top of federal fines. Outbound teams calling multiple states should scrub against both the federal file and every state file covering their active call areas.
What is the established business relationship exemption and how long does it last?
If you bought from a company or made an inquiry, they can call you despite DNC registration for up to 18 months after a purchase or 3 months after an inquiry. The clock resets with each new transaction. If you explicitly tell them to stop during that window, the exemption ends immediately and they must add you to their internal DNC list within 30 days.
How do I report a do not call violation?
File a complaint at donotcall.gov/report. You will need the number that called you, the date, and what the caller offered or said. The FTC aggregates this data to identify repeat violators and set enforcement priorities. You can also file with your state attorney general. If the calls were repeated and willful, talking to a consumer protection attorney about a private TCPA claim is another option.
Sources
- FTC, National Do Not Call Registry: Consumers register free at donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222; registration takes effect within 31 days and does not expire
- Cornell LII, 47 U.S.C. § 227, Telephone Consumer Protection Act: TCPA allows private suits of $500 per violation or $1,500 for willful violations; autodialed or prerecorded calls to cell phones require prior express consent
- FTC, Enforcement: FTC civil penalty ceiling for DNC violations adjusts for inflation each year and reaches into five figures per violation
- FTC Telemarketer Registration Portal: First five area codes are free; full national file costs $17,056 annually; additional area codes cost $75 each per year
- FTC, Telemarketing Sales Rule, 16 C.F.R. Part 310: Safe harbor requires downloading registry within 31 days of call; internal DNC list must honor opt-outs within 30 days and retain numbers indefinitely; exemptions listed at 16 C.F.R. § 310.6
- Texas Office of the Attorney General: Texas administers its own No Call List under Texas Business and Commerce Code Chapter 304; telemarketers have 30 days to honor registration
- New York State Legislature, General Business Law § 399-z: New York state telemarketing law adds disclosure and call-timing requirements beyond federal rules
- FTC, Report Unwanted Calls: Consumers can report DNC violations at donotcall.gov/report; data feeds FTC enforcement priorities
- FTC, Business Guidance: Established business relationship exemption: 18 months after purchase, 3 months after inquiry; exemption ends immediately if consumer requests no further calls