Last updated 2026-07-10
TL;DR
Indiana maintains a state Do Not Call list managed by the Indiana Attorney General, separate from the federal FTC registry. Consumers register free online or by phone. Telemarketers must scrub both lists before calling Indiana numbers. Violations carry civil penalties up to $10,000 per call under Indiana Code 24-4.7. Registration on either list takes effect within 31 days for the federal list and varies for Indiana's.
What is the Indiana Do Not Call list and who runs it?
Indiana has its own statewide Do Not Call list created under Indiana Code 24-4.7, and the Indiana Attorney General runs it [1]. It sits alongside the federal Do Not Call Registry maintained by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) [2]. A consumer who registers with one is not automatically on the other. To get full protection, you register with both.
The Indiana list covers telephone solicitations made to Indiana residents. A "telephone solicitation" under IC 24-4.7-1-10 means a call or text made for the purpose of encouraging the purchase of goods or services. The law applies to both residential and mobile numbers, which matters for anyone running outbound sales into Indiana.
The Attorney General's office can investigate complaints, pursue injunctions, and assess civil penalties without going to federal court. Indiana has real enforcement teeth independent of the FTC, and the state has used them. Run a call center that touches Indiana area codes and you are dealing with two separate legal obligations, not one.
How do you register for the Indiana Do Not Call list as a consumer?
Consumers have two ways onto Indiana's list. The first is online at the Indiana Attorney General's website, where you submit your number through the Do Not Call registration portal [1]. The second is by calling the Attorney General's consumer protection hotline at 1-888-834-9969. Both methods are free.
Indiana registration has no expiration. Once your number is on the list, it stays there unless you remove it yourself or the number is disconnected and reassigned. The federal list also has no expiration under current FTC rules, following the Do-Not-Call Registry Fee Extension Act of 2007 [3].
After you register, telemarketers must stop calling within a reasonable time. Indiana does not publish a grace period the granular way the federal registry does (the federal rule gives telemarketers 31 days to scrub a newly registered number [2]). If calls keep coming well past 30 days, file a complaint.
You can register a cell phone on both lists. The federal registry has accepted mobile numbers since it launched in 2003, and Indiana's statute does not exclude them [1][2]. If you want to stop both live calls and robotexts to your cell phone, the separate federal TCPA protections under 47 USC 227 cover autodialed texts and prerecorded messages to mobile numbers regardless of DNC registration [4].
How do consumers register for the federal Do Not Call list from Indiana?
Register with the FTC's national registry at donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222 from the number you want to register [2]. You can add up to three numbers online per email address. The federal list covers telephone solicitations from companies anywhere in the U.S., a wider net than just the ones operating in Indiana.
The federal list reaches further in practice because most large telemarketers and lead buyers scrub against it first. Violating it exposes them to FTC enforcement and private TCPA lawsuits under 47 USC 227(c) [4]. The federal private right of action lets consumers sue for $500 to $1,500 per call when a telemarketer calls a federally registered number. Indiana's statute uses a different penalty structure, described below.
Register your number with both lists on the same day. It costs nothing and takes about five minutes total. The federal DNC registry page has the full registration walkthrough if you want more detail on the federal side.
What are the rules telemarketers must follow before calling Indiana numbers?
Any telemarketer making solicitation calls to Indiana residents must subscribe to the Indiana Do Not Call list and scrub against it before each campaign [1]. Under IC 24-4.7-5-1, a telephone solicitor has to purchase access to the Indiana list. The Attorney General's office charges a fee for that access, which varies by the size of the list segment the caller needs.
The telemarketer also has to scrub against the federal registry. Two separate subscriptions. Two separate scrub obligations. Skip either one and you are exposed to penalties from two different enforcement agencies.
Beyond list scrubbing, Indiana's law mirrors several federal TCPA baseline rules:
| Requirement | Indiana IC 24-4.7 | Federal TCPA / FTC Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Honor registered numbers | Yes | Yes |
| Time-of-day calling window | Not specified in state statute; federal window (8am-9pm local) applies | 8am-9pm consumer's local time [5] |
| Caller ID transmission | Required | Required [5] |
| Internal DNC requests | Must honor within 30 days [1] | Must honor within 30 days [5] |
| Written consent exception | Yes | Yes |
Callers also have to keep their own internal Do Not Call list. If a consumer tells a telemarketer to stop calling, that company adds the number to its internal DNC list no matter whether the consumer is registered with Indiana or the FTC [5]. The internal list obligation exists under both state and federal law.
Buying leads or running a campaign through a vendor does not get you off the hook. Using a third party does not transfer liability. That is a consistent position from both the FCC and Indiana's AG enforcement history.
What exemptions apply to the Indiana Do Not Call list?
Not every call to an Indiana number is covered by the state DNC law. Indiana Code 24-4.7-1-10 carves out several categories [1]:
1. Calls made with the prior express written consent of the called party. 2. Calls between a business and its existing customers, where an established business relationship (EBR) exists. Indiana's EBR window mirrors the federal standard: 18 months after a purchase or transaction, or 3 months after an inquiry. 3. Calls made by or on behalf of tax-exempt nonprofit organizations. 4. Calls that are not commercial in nature (surveys, political calls, informational calls). 5. Calls made to a business telephone number (the list protects residential and personal cell numbers, not business lines).
These exemptions look similar to federal TCPA exemptions, but the details diverge enough to matter. The federal established business relationship defense was narrowed by FTC rulemaking in 2003 [5], and the FCC has tightened consent standards under the TCPA in orders through 2024 [6]. An exemption that works under federal rules may not fully protect a caller under Indiana's statute, and the reverse is also true.
Political calls are not exempt from the TCPA's autodialer and prerecorded message rules, even though they skip the DNC registry scrub requirement [4]. That distinction trips up a lot of outbound teams running political or advocacy campaigns.
What penalties apply for violating the Indiana Do Not Call list?
Indiana treats violations as expensive. Under IC 24-4.7-6-1, the civil penalty for violating the Indiana Do Not Call law is up to $10,000 per violation, and each call to a registered number counts as a separate violation [1]. The Attorney General can also seek injunctive relief to stop ongoing violations.
The $10,000 per-call cap is higher than the baseline federal TCPA private right of action ($500 per call, or $1,500 for willful violations [4]). A caller who makes 100 unauthorized calls to Indiana registered numbers faces exposure of up to $1,000,000 under state law alone.
Consumers cannot sue directly under Indiana's state DNC statute the way they can under the federal TCPA (which creates a private right of action under 47 USC 227(c)(5) [4]). Indiana enforcement runs through the Attorney General. A consumer on both lists can still pursue a private TCPA suit in federal court for the same call, which means violators can face AG enforcement and private litigation at the same time.
The AG's office publishes enforcement actions periodically. Past actions have ranged from consent decrees with injunctions to six-figure settlements for repeat violators. The state has gone after out-of-state callers who reach Indiana residents.
How does the Indiana list interact with the federal TCPA?
The federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 47 USC 227, and the Indiana Do Not Call statute are separate legal frameworks that overlap heavily [4]. The TCPA covers autodialed calls, prerecorded messages, and unsolicited faxes, plus DNC protections. Indiana's law focuses on telephone solicitation and the state DNC registry.
A caller can comply with Indiana's DNC statute and still violate the federal TCPA. Use an autodialer or prerecorded voice to call a cell phone without prior express written consent and you have a TCPA problem, even if the number sits on no DNC list [4][6]. The two frameworks address different things. You satisfy both or neither.
The FCC, which enforces the TCPA, issued an order in 2024 tightening the definition of valid consent for lead generation. It requires one-to-one consent, where the consumer specifically agrees to be contacted by the named seller rather than a broad group of third parties [6]. That order affects every outbound team buying leads for Indiana campaigns.
To understand the full federal framework next to Indiana's state rules, the do not call list guide covers how these two systems work together nationally. For specifics on using or obtaining the national registry data as a telemarketer, see how do i get the do not call list.
How do you access the Indiana Do Not Call list as a telemarketer?
Telemarketers who want to call Indiana residents must purchase access to the Indiana Do Not Call list through the Attorney General's office [1]. The process asks the caller to register as a telephone solicitor and pay the applicable fee before receiving list data.
Fee structures for state DNC lists vary. Indiana's fees are set by the AG's office and scale based on how much of the list the caller needs (by area code, by county, or the full statewide list). The AG's website has the current fee schedule and registration form.
Once you have access, scrub your call list against the Indiana data before each new campaign. Phone numbers get added to the registry continuously. A scrub you did three months ago is stale. Most compliance teams run scrubs within 30 days of a campaign launch at minimum.
For the federal registry, telemarketers access data through the FTC's National Do Not Call Registry at ftc.gov/donotcall [2]. The federal fee as of 2024 is $79 per area code per year, with the first five area codes free for new organizations [2]. You need both subscriptions. Skipping either one is not a cost-saving measure. It is a liability.
LeadCompliant's free DNC checker tool lets you run a number against the federal registry instantly to verify status before a campaign goes live. It does not replace a full list subscription, but it works well for spot checks and training. The do not call list number guide explains how to look up specific numbers across both lists.
If you are comparing Indiana's approach to neighboring states, the Pennsylvania do not call list guide covers how a similarly strong state program operates and where the rules differ.
How do you file a complaint about unwanted calls to Indiana numbers?
An Indiana resident getting calls after registering on the state list has two complaint channels. The first is the Indiana Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, which handles Indiana DNC complaints. File online at the AG's website or call 1-800-382-5516 [1].
The second channel is the FTC's complaint system at reportfraud.ftc.gov [7]. The FTC uses complaint data to spot patterns and target enforcement, even when it does not act on every individual complaint.
For federal TCPA violations specifically, you can also file with the FCC at consumercomplaints.fcc.gov [8]. The FCC handles complaints about autodialed calls, prerecorded messages, and unsolicited texts under 47 USC 227.
When you file, document as much as you can: the number that called you, the date and time, what was said or offered, and whether the call was prerecorded. That detail helps investigators. Screenshots of your phone's call log are useful.
If the calls keep coming and you think you have a federal TCPA claim, consult a consumer protection attorney. The TCPA's private right of action at 47 USC 227(c)(5) lets you sue directly for $500 to $1,500 per call without going through an agency [4]. Many TCPA plaintiffs' attorneys work on contingency because the per-call statutory damages add up fast. For a guide on tracking and reporting violations, see do not call list report.
Does the Indiana Do Not Call list cover text messages?
Indiana's state DNC statute covers telephone solicitations, and the definition in IC 24-4.7-1-10 is written around voice calls [1]. Whether it clearly covers commercial text messages is less settled at the state level. The statute was drafted before SMS became a primary marketing channel, and Indiana has not issued explicit guidance extending the state DNC list to text solicitations.
The federal TCPA is clearer. Under 47 USC 227(b), an unsolicited commercial text sent via an autodialer to a cell phone without prior express written consent is a TCPA violation regardless of DNC registration status [4]. The FCC has confirmed that text messages qualify as "calls" under the TCPA in multiple orders [6][8].
Here is the practical read. If someone's number is on Indiana's DNC list and you text them a marketing message, assume they did not want to hear from you by any channel. You might dodge an Indiana AG penalty for the text specifically, but you could still catch a federal TCPA claim for the autodialed message. The mobile phone do not call list guide covers the cell phone TCPA rules in detail.
For outbound SMS campaigns into Indiana, treat DNC-registered numbers as off-limits for texts the same way you would for calls, and get separate written consent for any text marketing program. That is the conservative and legally sound path.
How does Indiana's list compare to other state Do Not Call programs?
Indiana is one of roughly 40 states that maintain their own Do Not Call lists or statutes on top of federal law [9]. The specifics vary a lot by state. Some states simply adopt the federal registry and add penalties. Others run fully independent lists with separate registration, separate fees for telemarketers, and their own exemption structures.
| State | Separate State DNC List | Max Penalty Per Call | Private Right of Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | Yes (AG-administered) | $10,000 [1] | No (AG enforces) |
| Florida | Yes (FL AG-administered) | $10,000 [10] | Limited |
| Pennsylvania | Yes (PA AG-administered) | $1,000 + injunction [11] | No |
| Texas | Yes (SOAH process) | $5,000-$10,000 | No |
| Federal (FTC) | Yes (national) | $51,744 per violation (FTC) [2] | Yes, TCPA: $500-$1,500/call |
Indiana's $10,000 per-call cap is on the higher end among state programs. Florida's is comparable. Pennsylvania's is lower but still stings at volume. The federal FTC penalty ceiling is the highest in the table, but FTC enforcement tends to focus on large-scale violators rather than smaller operations.
Call into multiple states and you need a separate compliance check for each state program. There is no universal scrub that covers all state lists. The florida do not call list and do not call list pa guides cover those states' specific rules.
For teams calling across many states, the practical move most compliance teams make is to scrub the federal registry (which covers the broadest population), then add individual state scrubs for the states where the campaign is concentrated. Indiana belongs on that list if you are calling Midwest markets.
What should outbound sales teams do right now to comply?
If your team calls Indiana consumers, here is the short version of what needs to be in place.
First, subscribe to both the federal DNC registry and Indiana's state DNC list. Run scrubs against both before every campaign, ideally within 30 days of launch. Document the scrub date and the version of the list you used.
Second, keep an internal Do Not Call list. Every consumer who asks you to stop calling gets added within 30 days and never called again by your organization, no matter whether they are on any government list [5].
Third, get your consent documentation in order. Under the 2024 FCC one-to-one consent order, each consumer must have specifically agreed to calls from your named company, not from a broad category of sellers [6]. Web form consent language needs to name you specifically.
Fourth, train callers on exemptions and do not let them assume an EBR covers a situation it does not. The 18-month transaction window closes fast, and once it does, the consumer's DNC registration applies again.
Fifth, build a complaint response process. If a consumer or the AG's office contacts you about a violation, respond fast and document everything. Prompt fixes almost always produce better outcomes than ignoring the complaint.
LeadCompliant's free compliance kit includes a federal and Indiana DNC scrub checklist, an internal DNC policy template, and consent language review. It does not replace a compliance attorney for complex setups, but it covers the documentation most small teams are missing.
For a broader look at how the federal DNC rules fit together, the ftc do not call list and government do not call list guides are worth reading alongside this one.
Frequently asked questions
How do I register my phone number on the Indiana Do Not Call list?
Go to the Indiana Attorney General's website and use the online registration portal, or call 1-888-834-9969. Registration is free and covers both landlines and cell phones. Your number stays on the list permanently unless you remove it. After registering, also add your number to the federal registry at donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222 for dual protection.
How long does it take for Indiana DNC registration to take effect?
Indiana does not publish a specific grace period in statute, but the federal registry gives telemarketers 31 days to honor new registrations. Most compliance guidance treats 30 days as the standard window for both lists. If you are still getting solicitation calls well past 30 days after registering, file a complaint with the Indiana Attorney General at 1-800-382-5516.
Does the Indiana Do Not Call list cover cell phones?
Yes. Indiana's statute does not exclude mobile numbers. You can register a cell phone on the Indiana list the same way you register a landline. Cell phones also have separate federal TCPA protections under 47 USC 227 that apply to autodialed calls and texts regardless of DNC registration, so mobile numbers actually have two layers of legal protection.
What is the penalty for calling an Indiana Do Not Call registered number?
Up to $10,000 per violation under Indiana Code 24-4.7-6-1. Each unauthorized call counts as a separate violation. The Indiana Attorney General enforces these penalties and can also seek injunctions. A caller who makes repeated calls to registered numbers faces cumulative exposure that can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Do telemarketers need to subscribe to Indiana's list separately from the federal registry?
Yes. The Indiana Attorney General's office operates the state list independently of the FTC. Telemarketers must purchase access to the Indiana list and scrub against it separately from their federal registry subscription. Scrubbing only the federal registry does not satisfy Indiana's state law requirement, even if the same number appears on both.
Are there calls that are exempt from the Indiana Do Not Call list?
Yes. Calls with prior express written consent, calls to existing customers within 18 months of a transaction, calls from nonprofits, calls that are not commercial in nature (political, survey, informational), and calls to business numbers are all exempt under IC 24-4.7. These exemptions mirror but do not identically match the federal TCPA exemptions, so you need to verify compliance under each framework separately.
Can I sue a telemarketer who calls my Indiana number after I registered?
Not directly under Indiana's state DNC statute, which is enforced by the Attorney General rather than private consumers. However, if the same call also violates the federal TCPA (for example, it used an autodialer or prerecorded message), you can sue in federal court under 47 USC 227(c)(5) for $500 to $1,500 per call. Many consumer protection attorneys handle these cases on contingency.
How do I file a complaint about unwanted telemarketing calls in Indiana?
File with the Indiana Attorney General at 1-800-382-5516 or online at the AG's consumer protection portal. Also file with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and, for autodialed or prerecorded calls, with the FCC at consumercomplaints.fcc.gov. Document the caller's number, date, time, and what was offered. The more detail you provide, the more useful the complaint is for investigators.
Does registering on the Indiana list stop all unwanted calls?
No. The Indiana list and the federal registry stop commercial telemarketing calls from covered sellers. They do not stop political calls, charitable solicitations, surveys, or calls from businesses you have an existing relationship with. Scammers ignore DNC lists entirely. For persistent illegal robocalls, your best option is to report them and, if the calls meet TCPA requirements, consult an attorney about a private claim.
Does the Indiana Do Not Call law apply to text messages?
The Indiana statute was written around voice calls and does not explicitly address commercial texts. Federal TCPA protections under 47 USC 227(b) do cover autodialed commercial texts to cell phones without consent, independent of DNC status. If you receive unwanted texts from a marketer, the federal TCPA route is likely stronger than an Indiana DNC complaint.
How often must telemarketers scrub their lists against the Indiana registry?
Indiana does not mandate a specific scrub frequency in the statute, but the best practice, which matches the federal rules, is to scrub no more than 31 days before any call. New numbers are added to the registry continuously. A scrub done months ago will miss recently registered numbers, exposing the caller to liability. Most compliance teams build a monthly scrub cadence into their workflow.
Is there a fee for consumers to register on Indiana's Do Not Call list?
No. Registration is completely free for consumers. The fees apply only to telemarketers who purchase access to the list for scrubbing. The same is true for the federal registry: free for consumers to register at donotcall.gov, fee-based for businesses to access the data.
How does the 2024 FCC consent order affect calling Indiana numbers?
The FCC's 2024 one-to-one consent order requires each consumer's consent to specifically name the company contacting them, not a general category of sellers. If you bought leads from a lead generator using a broad consent form covering multiple companies, that consent likely does not satisfy the new standard for Indiana calls or anywhere else. Updated consent language naming your company specifically is now required.
Sources
- Indiana Attorney General, Do Not Call Program: Indiana AG administers the state DNC list under IC 24-4.7; consumers can register online or at 1-888-834-9969; penalty up to $10,000 per violation
- FTC, National Do Not Call Registry: Federal DNC registry registration at donotcall.gov or 1-888-382-1222; telemarketers have 31 days to honor new registrations; federal access fee $79 per area code per year with first five free
- Congress.gov, Do-Not-Call Registry Fee Extension Act of 2007: Federal DNC registrations do not expire under the 2007 extension act
- Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law, 47 USC 227: TCPA private right of action: $500 per violation, $1,500 for willful; covers autodialed calls, prerecorded messages, texts to cell phones without prior express written consent; DNC private right of action under 47 USC 227(c)(5)
- FTC, Telemarketing Sales Rule, 16 CFR Part 310: Calling hours 8am-9pm consumer's local time; internal DNC requests must be honored within 30 days; established business relationship: 18 months after transaction, 3 months after inquiry
- FTC, ReportFraud.ftc.gov: Consumers file DNC complaints with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov; data is used to identify enforcement targets
- FCC, Consumer Complaint Center: FCC accepts consumer complaints about TCPA violations including autodialed calls and unsolicited texts
- National Conference of State Legislatures, State Do Not Call Laws: Approximately 40 states maintain their own DNC lists or statutes supplementing federal law
- Florida AG, Florida Do Not Call Act, Section 501.059 Florida Statutes: Florida DNC violations carry civil penalties up to $10,000 per call
- Pennsylvania AG, Do Not Call Registry, 73 P.S. Section 2241: Pennsylvania DNC violations carry civil penalty up to $1,000 per violation plus injunctive relief