California do not call list: what it covers and how to stay compliant

Last updated 2026-07-10

What is the California Do Not Call list and how is it different from the federal list?

California has two separate legal frameworks you must clear before calling a resident: the federal National Do Not Call Registry run by the FTC, and California's own registry created under Public Utilities Code (PUC) sections 2871 through 2876. ^[1][2]

The federal registry covers every U.S. number. California's registry covers California residents specifically, and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) enforces it, not the FTC. That split matters. Two agencies with different penalty structures and different complaint processes are watching the same call.

Most California numbers on the state list also sit on the federal list, because consumers who register with the FTC count as registered under California's program too. The CPUC has historically cross-referenced the federal database rather than keeping a fully separate list of California-only numbers. But the state law still gives an independent cause of action. A plaintiff or the CPUC can pursue a violation under California law even if the FTC never acts. ^[2]

So if you call California numbers, checking only the federal DNC registry is not enough from a strict legal standpoint. Confirm your scrubbing process accounts for both the federal suppression file and California's state protections.

Which laws govern telemarketing calls to California residents?

Three layers of law hit most outbound telemarketing calls reaching California consumers.

Start with the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), 47 U.S.C. § 227. It limits automated calls and texts and treats DNC violations as a private right of action worth $500 to $1,500 per call. ^[3] The FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), 16 C.F.R. Part 310, adds a second federal layer with civil penalties up to $51,744 per violation as of the most recent FTC inflation adjustment. ^[4]

California PUC sections 2871-2876 create the state-specific DNC obligation. Section 2872 bars a telephone solicitor from calling any number listed on the federal or state registry. State penalties reach $25,000 per violation. ^[2]

Then there's the California Automatic Dialing-Announcing Device (ADAD) statute (PUC section 2871.1 and related provisions), which restricts auto-dialers and prerecorded solicitation messages. It's another enforcement hook for any call using automated technology. ^[2]

California also has the Consumers Legal Remedies Act and its unfair competition law (Business and Professions Code section 17200), which plaintiffs stack on top of TCPA claims in state court. That stacking is why California TCPA class actions get expensive to settle. For the federal side in full, the FTC do not call list article covers the national program in detail.

How does a California consumer register for the Do Not Call list?

California consumers register through the federal National Do Not Call Registry at donotcall.gov, which the FTC runs. ^[5] That one registration protects them under both federal law and California's state program, because California treats federal registry numbers as state-registered.

The process is simple. Visit donotcall.gov, enter up to three phone numbers per session, and confirm through a verification email. Registration takes effect within 31 days. ^[5]

Consumers can also call 1-888-382-1222 from the number they want to register. ^[5] The do not call list number article covers phone registration in more depth.

A California consumer who wants to file a complaint against a telemarketer can do it through donotcall.gov (FTC) or through the CPUC's complaint system at cpuc.ca.gov. Filing in both places is a good move. It creates two agency records.

Does the California Do Not Call registration ever expire?

No. Federal DNC registrations do not expire, and California's program mirrors that permanence. ^[5]

The Do Not Call Improvement Act of 2007 made federal registrations permanent. Before that law, registrations lapsed after five years, so "does the do not call list expire" used to be a real question. Since 2008 the answer is settled: once you're on the list, you stay on it until you remove yourself or the number is disconnected and reassigned. ^[5][6]

For telemarketers, this means no number ages off the list on its own. A number registered in 2004 is still protected today unless the consumer actively deregistered. The FTC purges disconnected and reassigned numbers periodically, but that's administrative housekeeping, not a scheduled expiration. ^[5]

Here's the practical takeaway. Never build a list-aging workflow that assumes DNC registrations lapse. They don't. The only safe assumption is that a number on your last scrub is still on the list today, unless you re-scrub against a fresh suppression file.

What are the penalties for violating the California Do Not Call rules?

Penalties stack across multiple enforcement channels, and the combined exposure is serious.

Under California PUC, each violation carries a civil penalty up to $25,000. ^[2] Under the federal TSR, the FTC can assess up to $51,744 per violation (the figure adjusts periodically for inflation). ^[4] Under the TCPA, private plaintiffs can sue for $500 per negligent violation or $1,500 per willful violation, with no cap on the number of class members. ^[3]

The table below shows the ranges across the three primary enforcement channels:

Law	Enforcer	Penalty per violation
TCPA (47 U.S.C. § 227)	FCC / private plaintiff	$500-$1,500
FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule	FTC	Up to $51,744
California PUC §§ 2871-2876	CPUC	Up to $25,000

Real cases give a sense of scale. The FTC has brought multi-million dollar actions against telemarketers for systematic DNC violations, including a 2023 action against a home security company that ended in a $6.9 million settlement. ^[10] The CPUC has pursued violations independently too, though its cases against telemarketers come up less often than FTC actions.

For a small outbound team, the real financial danger is a class action TCPA lawsuit, not a single CPUC citation. One case covering thousands of improperly called California numbers at $500 to $1,500 each adds up fast. Defense costs alone often reach six figures before any settlement.

Who is exempt from California's Do Not Call requirements?

Exemptions exist, but they're narrower than most callers assume.

The federal DNC rules and California's state program share a core set. Calls are generally allowed without a DNC check when:

1. The caller has an established business relationship (EBR) with the consumer. Under the TSR and California law, an EBR created by a purchase lasts 18 months from the last transaction. An EBR created by an inquiry lasts 3 months from the inquiry. ^[4] Once those windows close, the EBR is gone and the DNC registration controls.

2. The consumer gave the caller written prior express permission to call, even if the number is on the DNC list. That permission has to be signed (electronic signature qualifies) and specifically authorize calls from the entity placing them. ^[3]

3. The call is a personal relationship call, meaning a call between individuals who know each other personally, not commercially.

4. The organization is a nonprofit calling solely for charitable solicitation, with no third-party telemarketer involved. If a charity hires a for-profit telemarketer, the exemption may not apply.

5. Political calls and survey calls are exempt from the DNC rules under federal law. California does not layer extra DNC obligations on top of those exemptions.

One trap: the TCPA's consent requirements for automated calls and the DNC rules are separate. Being exempt from DNC checking does not mean you can robocall the consumer without consent. ^[3] The do not call telemarketer list article walks through how these exemptions work in practice.

How do telemarketers access and scrub against the California Do Not Call list?

Because California treats federal registry numbers as state-registered, the primary scrubbing mechanism is the federal National Do Not Call Registry database, accessed through the FTC's telemarketer portal at telemarketers.donotcall.gov. ^[5]

Here's how it works in practice.

You register with the FTC's portal and pay an annual fee to download state-specific area code files or the national file. As of the most recent FTC fee schedule, access to one area code's data costs $77 per year, and national access (all area codes) costs $18,765 per year. ^[5] For most small teams calling a handful of area codes, buying individual area code files beats national access by a wide margin.

California's active area codes include 209, 213, 310, 323, 408, 415, 424, 442, 510, 530, 559, 562, 619, 626, 628, 650, 657, 661, 669, 707, 714, 747, 760, 805, 818, 820, 831, 858, 909, 916, 925, 949, and 951, among others. You buy each area code file that covers your target list.

Scrub your call lists against the DNC database no more than 31 days before placing a call. ^[4] That 31-day window is a hard rule. A scrub from 45 days ago does not protect you. Build your compliance calendar around that deadline.

The how do I get the do not call list article covers the access and download process step by step. Mobile numbers carry additional TCPA consent requirements on top of DNC scrubbing, and the mobile phone do not call list article covers that overlap.

What internal policies does a California telemarketer need to maintain?

The FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule requires every covered entity to keep a written do not call policy, train staff on it, and maintain a company-specific internal DNC list on top of scrubbing the national registry. ^[4]

California does not pile on dramatically different internal policy rules, but state enforcers can look at whether you had any written policy at all, and that affects how hard the penalty lands.

Here's what a small team needs on paper.

A written company-specific DNC list. Any consumer who asks not to be called again goes on this list within a reasonable time. The FTC says "promptly," and courts have read that as no more than a few days. You must honor that request for at least five years. ^[4]

A written telemarketing compliance policy. It should cover who runs the scrub, what database you use, how often you scrub, how agents handle DNC requests during a live call, and how you document that a number was on or off the list at the time of the call. That last piece, the documentation of your scrub, is your main defense if you get sued.

Call records. Retain enough data to reconstruct who was called, when, which list they came from, and the scrub date. Plaintiff attorneys in TCPA cases subpoena this routinely. If you can't produce it, the court may draw an adverse inference.

LeadCompliant's free compliance kit has a starter policy template and a scrub-date tracking worksheet if you want a quick starting point, at leadcompliant.com.

What should you do if a California consumer says they are on the Do Not Call list?

Stop the call. That's the only right answer.

When a consumer invokes the DNC list on a live call, the agent should apologize, confirm the number, add it to the company-specific internal DNC list right then, and end the call. Don't argue about whether the number is actually on the list. Don't transfer to a closer. Don't keep pitching.

Document the interaction. Note the date, time, number called, agent ID, and what the consumer said. That record is your evidence that you honored the request.

Check your scrub logs afterward to understand what happened. Common scenarios: the number was on the list and your scrub was outdated (a scrub-date failure), the number was on the list and got missed through a data formatting error, or the consumer registered after your last scrub and sits inside the 31-day window. The 31-day window defends the third scenario. The first two are harder to explain.

If the consumer later files with the FTC or CPUC, your documented response and your scrub records are the first things a regulator asks for. Having them ready shortens the investigation a lot.

You can point a consumer to do not call list report if they want guidance on filing a complaint themselves.

How does California's Do Not Call law compare to other states?

Several states run their own DNC registries or add telemarketing restrictions on top of the federal rules. California is not the most aggressive state on unique requirements. Indiana and Florida, for example, keep separate state DNC lists with their own registration systems that are partially distinct from the federal registry. ^[8][9]

The table below compares California's framework to a few other states with active programs:

State	Separate state registry?	Max state penalty	Primary enforcer
California	Parallel to federal	$25,000/violation	CPUC
Florida	Yes (separate)	$10,000/violation	FDACS
Indiana	Yes (separate)	$10,000/violation	Indiana AG
Pennsylvania	Parallel to federal	$1,000/day	PA AG
Federal (all states)	N/A	$51,744/violation	FTC

The practical difference for telemarketers calling multiple states: Indiana and Florida make you buy their state-specific DNC data on top of the federal scrub. California has no separate data file to purchase. Federal scrubbing covers it. ^[8][9]

For more on how other state programs run, see the Florida do not call list, Indiana do not call list, and do not call list PA articles.

What common mistakes get California telemarketers in trouble?

Most TCPA and DNC violations aren't deliberate rule-breaking. They come from predictable operational errors you can head off.

Outdated scrub files. Teams that scrub quarterly or on an informal monthly rhythm blow the 31-day rule constantly. Set a hard policy: no list gets dialed if the scrub is more than 30 days old. Not 31. Thirty, so you keep a one-day buffer.

Assuming the EBR lasts longer than it does. A salesperson remembers a customer's last purchase but often never tracks whether the 18-month EBR window closed. Build an automated expiration flag in your CRM. An expired EBR on a DNC-registered customer is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Buying leads without verifying DNC status. Buy a lead list and you own the scrub before you call. The vendor's claim that the list is "clean" is not a defense. Scrub it yourself.

Missing company-specific DNC requests. The national registry is only half the job. If someone called you last year and said "take me off your list," they belong on your internal DNC list, and calling them again violates the TSR no matter what their federal registry status is. ^[4]

Running a dialer configured for California without checking ADAD rules. California's ADAD provisions on prerecorded messages carry timing limits (no calls before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. Pacific) and content disclosures that differ slightly from federal defaults. ^[2]

To verify whether a specific number is currently on the federal list before calling, the government do not call list page explains how to run a quick lookup.

Is there a free way to check a number against the Do Not Call list?

Yes, with limits. The FTC lets consumers verify whether their own number is registered at donotcall.gov at no cost. ^[5] Telemarketers can't use that consumer-facing lookup for bulk commercial scrubbing. It's rate-limited and not built for list management.

For commercial scrubbing, you subscribe through the FTC's telemarketer portal and pay the area code or national access fee described above.

Some compliance platforms fold DNC scrubbing into a subscription, keeping current downloads of the federal file and running your list against it. Cost ranges widely, from a few cents per number for one-off checks to monthly plans. The trade-off is convenience against auditability. If you rely on a third-party tool, make sure you can export the scrub report showing the date and file version used, because that's what you need for your defense records.

LeadCompliant has a free number-checker tool at leadcompliant.com that covers the federal DNC registry. It's handy for spot-checking individual numbers or confirming your scrub process is working. For full-campaign scrubbing, the FTC portal stays the authoritative source.

Frequently asked questions

Does registering on the federal Do Not Call list automatically protect you under California law?

Yes. California's DNC program under PUC sections 2871-2876 treats federal registry numbers as state-registered, so a single registration at donotcall.gov covers both federal and California state protections. You do not need to register separately with the CPUC. The registration takes effect within 31 days and does not expire.

Does a California Do Not Call registration ever expire?

No. The Do Not Call Improvement Act of 2007 made federal registrations permanent, and California's program mirrors that. Before 2008 registrations expired after five years, but that rule is gone. A number registered in 2009 is still protected today unless the consumer actively removed it or the number was disconnected and administratively purged by the FTC.

What is the penalty for calling a California number on the Do Not Call list?

Penalties can come from three directions: up to $25,000 per violation under the California PUC, up to $51,744 per violation under the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule, and $500 to $1,500 per call in a private TCPA lawsuit. A class action covering thousands of improperly called numbers can reach millions in combined exposure before defense costs.

How often do telemarketers need to scrub their lists against the California DNC list?

The FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule requires scrubbing against the national DNC database no more than 31 days before placing a call. That 31-day window is a hard ceiling. A scrub performed 35 days ago provides no safe harbor. Most compliance teams build a 30-day maximum into their workflow to keep a one-day buffer.

Are political calls and surveys exempt from the California Do Not Call rules?

Yes. Political calls and research surveys are exempt from the federal DNC rules, and California does not override those exemptions. But calls using automated dialers or prerecorded messages still face TCPA and California ADAD restrictions even when they're exempt from DNC checking. The exemptions are separate from the consent rules.

Can a business call a California customer it has an existing relationship with?

Yes, but the established business relationship window is limited. A relationship created by a purchase lasts 18 months from the last transaction date. A relationship created by an inquiry lasts 3 months from the inquiry date. After those windows close, the DNC registration on the consumer's number controls, and you cannot call without separate written permission.

Does a California DNC registration cover cell phones?

Yes. The national DNC registry and California's state program cover both landlines and mobile numbers. Cell phones registered at donotcall.gov are protected the same way landlines are. A separate layer of TCPA consent requirements also applies to calls and texts to cell phones made with automated technology, regardless of DNC status.

Where do I report a telemarketer that called my California number on the Do Not Call list?

File a complaint at donotcall.gov with the FTC and separately through the CPUC's complaint system at cpuc.ca.gov. Include the caller's number, the date and time of the call, and any company name given. Filing with both agencies creates two records and raises the odds of enforcement, especially if the same company has racked up multiple complaints.

Do nonprofits have to follow California's Do Not Call rules?

Charitable solicitation calls made directly by a nonprofit are generally exempt from the federal DNC rules. But if the nonprofit hires a for-profit telemarketer to call on its behalf, those calls may lose the charitable exemption and must comply with DNC requirements. California does not add broader nonprofit exemptions on top of the federal framework.

What is the difference between the California DNC list and the California ADAD restrictions?

The DNC rules under PUC sections 2871-2876 govern whether you can call a number at all. The ADAD restrictions under PUC section 2871.1 govern how you call using auto-dialers and prerecorded messages, including timing limits (no calls before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m.) and required disclosures. Both apply to commercial telemarketing calls; they address different parts of compliance.

If I buy a lead list, am I responsible for scrubbing it against the California DNC list before calling?

Yes. The telemarketer placing the call owns DNC compliance regardless of where the list came from. A vendor's claim that a list is pre-scrubbed is not a legal defense. You must independently scrub any purchased list against the national DNC registry through the FTC's telemarketer portal, and document that scrub with a date and file version in case you need to defend a call.

How do I access the DNC list data for California area codes?

Go to the FTC's telemarketer portal at telemarketers.donotcall.gov, register your organization, and buy access to the California area code files you need. Each area code file costs $77 per year as of the most recent FTC fee schedule. National access covering all area codes costs $18,765 per year. After purchasing, download fresh files before each campaign.

What happens if I call a California number that registered after my last scrub?

You have a potential defense. The 31-day scrub window exists because the registry updates continuously. If your scrub was within 31 days of the call and the consumer registered inside that window, you're generally protected from FTC enforcement. Document your scrub date and file version. If the consumer complains, be ready to show the timeline clearly with your records.

Sources

1. California Legislative Information, Public Utilities Code sections 2871-2876: California's state Do Not Call program is established under California Public Utilities Code sections 2871 through 2876
2. California Public Utilities Commission, telemarketing and ADAD rules: The CPUC enforces California PUC sections 2871-2876 including penalties up to $25,000 per violation and ADAD restrictions on automated calls
3. Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law, 47 U.S.C. § 227 (TCPA): The TCPA provides a private right of action of $500 per violation or $1,500 for willful violations, and restricts automated calls and DNC violations
4. FTC, Telemarketing Sales Rule, 16 C.F.R. Part 310: The TSR requires scrubbing no more than 31 days before calling, mandates a written DNC policy, requires a company-specific DNC list, sets an 18-month EBR window for purchases and 3-month window for inquiries, and civil penalties up to $51,744 per violation
5. FTC, National Do Not Call Registry, donotcall.gov: Federal DNC registrations do not expire, take effect within 31 days, and consumers can register by phone or online; area code access costs $77/year, national access costs $18,765/year
6. FTC, National Do Not Call Registry FAQs for consumers: The Do Not Call Improvement Act of 2007 made federal registrations permanent, ending the prior five-year expiration
7. Indiana Attorney General, Indiana Do Not Call list information: Indiana maintains a separate state DNC registry with penalties up to $10,000 per violation enforced by the Indiana AG
8. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Florida Do Not Call program: Florida maintains a separate state DNC registry with penalties up to $10,000 per violation enforced by FDACS
9. FTC, 2023 enforcement action against home security telemarketer: The FTC has brought multi-million dollar enforcement actions for systematic DNC violations, including a 2023 action resulting in a $6.9 million settlement