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California Telecom Compliance Guide

Telecom Compliance Reference — Updated January 2025

Mini-TCPA State — High Risk

Calling Hours

8:00 AM–9:00 PM

Min Penalty

$5,000

Registration

Required

Overview Calling Hours Consent Registration DNC Compliance DNC Registry Enforcement Case Law Legislation

California Do-Not-Call List

State DNC registry requirements for California

No State DNC List — Federal Only

California does not maintain a separate state DNC list. Scrubbing the federal National DNC Registry at donotcall.gov is sufficient for state compliance.

National Do Not Call Registry (California uses federal list)

Maintained ByFederal Trade Commission (FTC)

Scrub Frequency RequiredMust scrub against National DNC Registry at least every 31 days per FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule. California statute (B&P § 17592) prohibits calling any number on the "then current" DNC list — scrubbing before each campaign is the safe practice.

Registration PermanentYes — once registered, stays on list

Covers

LandlinesCell Phones

Download FormatDownloaded through FTC DNC portal (telemarketing.donotcall.gov) in area code-based flat file format

California previously maintained a separate state Do Not Call list but merged it into the federal National DNC Registry. There is NO separate California state DNC list to scrub against — the federal list is the only list. B&P Code § 17592 provides state enforcement authority for calls to DNC-registered numbers, meaning the AG can pursue violations under state law even though the list is federally maintained. The federal safe harbor provision (31-day scrub cycle) applies. First 5 area codes are free for telemarketers to access; additional area codes cost $75/year each through the FTC portal.

Access / Subscribe to National Do Not Call Registry (California uses federal list) →

Federal National DNC Registry (Always Required)

Registry URLtelemarketing.donotcall.gov

Scrub FrequencyEvery 31 days (minimum)

Free AccessUp to 5 area codes

Full Access$75 / 5 area codes / year

You must scrub the federal list regardless of whether California has its own list. There is no opt-out from federal DNC compliance.

DNC Scrub Checklist

✓Subscribe to the National DNC Registry (telemarketing.donotcall.gov)

—California has no state DNC list — federal only

✓Scrub your call list against both registries before each campaign

✓Re-scrub every 31 days (federal requirement) — more often if state requires

✓Maintain your own internal DNC list for opt-outs

✓Honor internal opt-out requests within 30 days

✓Document all scrub dates and list versions used

Calling a DNC-registered number in California: $5,000 per call. The consumer can sue you directly — no AG required.

Compare Do-Not-Call Rules across states

Federal TCPA is the floor. Each state can — and many do — go further.

Do-Not-Call Rules in FloridaFL Do-Not-Call Rules in TexasTX Do-Not-Call Rules in New YorkNY Do-Not-Call Rules in IllinoisIL Do-Not-Call Rules in GeorgiaGA Do-Not-Call Rules in WashingtonWA Do-Not-Call Rules in OklahomaOK Do-Not-Call Rules in OhioOH

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This is a compliance reference tool, not legal advice. Data compiled from public statutes, LegiScan, CourtListener, state AG offices, and AI-assisted analysis. Verify all information with qualified counsel before relying on it. Full terms & data sources →