⚠ Penalty Exposure — Ohio
Per Violation
$25,000
Willful
$25,000
AG Max/Violation
$25,000
10,000 Calls
$250,000,000
= exposure
Overview
Ohio requires telemarketer registration under ORC § 4719, including a $25,000 surety bond. The state DNC list is actively maintained by the AG. Violations carry up to $25,000 in penalties. Private right of action available with treble damages under the Consumer Sales Practices Act. The AG has been increasingly active in telemarketing enforcement.
Consent Requirements by Channel
| Channel | Consent Required | One-to-One |
|---|---|---|
| Voice Call | Prior Express | — |
| SMS | Written Consent Required | Required |
| Prerecorded | Written Consent Required | Required |
| AI Voice | Written Consent Required | Required |
| Ringless VM | Written Consent Required | Required |
| Fax | Prior Express | — |
| MMS | Written Consent Required | Required |
Key Court Decisions
State v. Hall
8/10Ohio Court of Appeals · Mar 2026
Recent Enforcement Actions
Michael D. Lansky LLC d/b/a Avid Telecom
May 2023 · telecommunications
Ohio AG Yost co-led (with AZ, IN, NC) the 49-state Avid Telecom lawsuit — first action of the Anti-Robocall Task Force. Avid transmitted 24.5 billion calls despite receiving 329 traceback notifications. Ohio pioneered the VoIP-provider-as-target enforcement model. AG Yost created dedicated Robocall Enforcement Unit — first state to share unwanted call data with FTC. Model being replicated nationwide.
John Spiller II / Jakob Mears / Rising Eagle Capital Group
$244,658,640Mar 2023 · insurance
Combined $244.66M monetary judgment against Spiller and Mears for health insurance robocall scheme. Permanent telemarketing ban. When Spiller violated the ban using aliases (Every1 Telecom, ATX Telco), faced contempt charges and ultimately $600K penalty + lifetime telecom industry ban. Ohio led the multistate coalition (with AR, IN, MI, NC, ND, TX). Message: court-ordered bans are enforced, and attempting to circumvent them triggers criminal contempt.
Aaron Michael Jones / Roy M. Cox Jr. / Stacey Yim (22 defendants)
Jul 2022 · automotive
OH AG Yost filed suit identifying 22 defendants in massive auto warranty robocall scheme generating 77 million calls PER DAY. Coordinated with FCC, which issued 8 cease-and-desist letters to VoIP providers. Generated 1,600+ complaints to Ohio AG alone. FCC simultaneously proposed $299M fine. Demonstrates Ohio's Robocall Enforcement Unit model — dedicated team combining complaint tracking, investigation, and prosecution.
Key Rules
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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 →