In an effort to address a growing number of telephone marketing calls, Congress enacted in 1991 the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). The TCPA restricts the making of telemarketing calls and the use of automatic telephone dialing systems and artificial or prerecorded voice messages. The rules apply to common carriers as well as to other marketers. In 1992, the Commission adopted rules to implement the TCPA, including the requirement that entities making telephone solicitations institute procedures for maintaining company-specific do-not-call lists.
On July 3, 2003, the FCC revised its TCPA rules to establish, in coordination with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), a national Do-Not-Call registry. The national registry is nationwide in scope, covers all telemarketers (with the exception of certain nonprofit organizations), and applies to both interstate and intrastate calls. The registry went into effect on October 1, 2003, and is administered by the FTC. To reduce the number of hang-up and dead air calls consumers experience, the Commissions telemarketing rules also contain restrictions on the use of autodialers and requirements for transmitting caller ID information.
For more details about the Commission's telemarketing rules, including the do-not-call provisions, click on the link on this page for the July 3, 2003 Order. For details about registering with or accessing the do-not-call registry, click on the link to our Do-Not-Call Registry page. For ease of reference, the TCPA is available by clicking on TCPA; the Commission's telemarketing rules are available by clicking on Rules.
Guide: Unwanted Telephone Marketing Calls
Guide: Truth About Cell Phones
Major Telemarketing Orders and Notices
1/22/10
FCC Proposes Tougher Restrictions on "Robocalls".
NPRM:
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News Release (1/20/10):
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Genachowski Statement:
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Copps Statement:
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McDowell Statement:
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Clyburn Statement:
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Baker Statement:
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1/20/10
FCC Proposes Tougher Restrictions on "Robocalls".
NPRM (1/22/10):
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News Release:
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Genachowski Statement:
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Copps Statement:
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McDowell Statement:
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Clyburn Statement:
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Baker Statement:
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9/17/09
No Truth to Rumor that Cell Phone Numbers Will be Made Available to
Telemarketers.
News Release:
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07/11/2008
Annual Report on the National Do-Not-Call Registry (Fiscal Years 2006 and 2007).
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6/17/08
Rules Amended to Require Telemarketers to Honor Do-Not-Call List Registrations
Indefinitely.
News Release:
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Order:
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Martin Statement:
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Copps Statement:
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Adelstein Statement:
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Tate Statement:
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McDowell Statement:
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01/04/08
Request of ACA International for Clarification and Declaratory Ruling.
Declaratory Ruling:
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12/04/07
FCC Proposes Extending the 5-Year Registration Period for the National
Do-Not-Call Registry.
NPRM:
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News Release (11/27/07):
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Martin Statement:
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Copps Statement:
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Adelstein Statement:
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Tate Statement:
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McDowell Statement:
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11/27/07
FCC Proposes Extending the 5-Year Registration Period for the National
Do-Not-Call Registry.
News Release:
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NPRM:
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Martin Statement:
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Copps Statement:
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Adelstein Statement:
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Tate Statement:
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McDowell Statement:
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01/26/07
Annual Report on the National Do-Not-Call Registry
Report:
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04/05/06
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Seeks Comment on ACA International's
Petition for an Expedited Clarification and Declaratory Ruling Concerning the
Telephone Consumer Protections Act (TCPA) Rules.
Public Notice:
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09/16/2005
Annual Report on the National Do-Not-Call Registry.
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08/17/2005
Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of
1991.
Granted the Request for Clarification and Declaratory Ruling filed by State Farm
Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
Declaratory Ruling:
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6/15/2005
National Automobile Dealers Association
Declaratory Ruling:
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5/13/2005
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Seeks Comment on Petition For Declaratory
Ruling on Preemption of California Telemarketing Rules.
Public Notice:
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5/13/2005
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Seeks Comment on Petition For Declaratory
Ruling Relating to Commission's Jurisdiction Over Interstate Telemarketing.
Public Notice:
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5/13/2005
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Reopens Public Comment Period For
Petitions For Declaratory Ruling Relating to Preemption of State Telemarketing
Laws.
Public Notice:
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2/18/2005
Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991
2nd Order on Reconsideration:
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Powell Statement:
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12/15/2004
Annual Report to Congress on the National Do-Not-Call Registry. Word
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12/07/2004
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Seeks Comment on Consumer Bankers
Association Petition for Declaratory Ruling on Preemption of Indiana
Telemarketing Rules
Public Notice:
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12/07/2004
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Seeks Comment on Consumer Bankers
Association Petition for Declaratory Ruling on Preemption of Wisconsin
Telemarketing Rules
Public Notice:
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12/07/2004
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Seeks Comment on National City Mortgage
Co. Petition for Expedited Declaratory Ruling on Preemption Of Florida
Telemarketing Rules
Public Notice:
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11/16/2004
CGB releases order granting Express Consolidation's motion to withdraw their
petition for declaratory ruling.
Order:
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9/21/2004
The Commission establishes a limited safe harbor period for autodialed or
prerecorded message calls to recently ported wireless numbers and amends the
National Do-not-call registry safe harbor rules
Order:
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09/20/2004
The Commission's Order Establishing Rules Implementing the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003
Published in the Federal Register
News Release:
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10/01/2003
FCC Issues Consumer Advisory on FCC Do-Not-Call Rules
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Consumer Advisory:
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9/29/2003
FCC's Telemarketing Rules Approved by OMB
Public Notice:
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9/09/2003
Report on Regulatory Coordination, a Report to Congress Containing an Analysis
of the Telemarketing Rules, DA No. 03-2855
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9/08/2003
Public Notice: Petitions for Reconsideration and Clarification of Action in
Rulemaking Proceeding
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7/28/2003
News Release, The Commission's Report and Order Revising the Rules on
Telemarketing Under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 Published in
the Federal Register
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7/03/2003
Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of
1991.
Report & Order:
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Powell Statement:
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Abernathy Statement:
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Copps Statement:
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Adelstein Statement:
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6/26/2003
FCC Authorizes Nationwide Do-Not-Call Registry
News Release:
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Powell Statement:
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Abernathy Statement:
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Copps Statement:
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Adelstein Statement:
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3/25/2003
Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of
1991, Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Dkt No. 02-278
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1/31/2003
Statement by K. Dane Snowden, Chief, CGB, on the Commission's Review of its
Telemarketing Rules
News Release:
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09/18/2002
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone
Consumer Protection Act of 1991, FCC 02-250
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10/16/1992
Report and Order, Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer
Protection Act of 1991, FCC 92-443
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Pages 26 to 43
