Pennsylvania Do Not Call Registry
Pennsylvania relies on the federal National DNC Registry. Here's how to register and what it actually does — 2026.
Pennsylvania does not maintain a separate state Do Not Call list. The federal National DNC Registry at donotcall.gov is the registry that covers Pennsylvania residents.
Federal registration is free and permanent. Telemarketers must scrub against the federal list every 31 days under FTC rules.
How to register your number
Federal National DNC Registry
donotcall.gov
Administered by the Federal Trade Commission. Free, permanent, covers landlines and cell phones in every state.
How long it takes effect
Federal: 31 days for telemarketers to scrub against your number. State registries vary — most align with the federal 31-day window. Reputable telemarketers stop calling within a week. Bad actors keep calling and rack up violations.
What the registry covers
Landlines
Yes
Cell phones
Yes
Text messages
Restricted under TCPA
What it blocks: Telemarketing sales calls and texts. Calls trying to sell you something.
What it does NOT block: Political calls, charitable solicitations, calls from companies you have a current business relationship with (within 18 months of last purchase / 3 months of inquiry), debt collectors, surveys, and informational calls.
Robocalls and AI voice: Already restricted by TCPA regardless of registration. Adding your number to the DNC list adds an extra layer of liability for callers.
Federal National DNC Registry — what you need to know
Because Pennsylvania does not run a separate state list, the federal registry is your one-stop registration. Add your number once, leave it there, and any telemarketer calling you in violation is exposed to TCPA damages plus FTC penalties.
What to do when telemarketers call after you registered
- Tell the caller to put you on their internal do-not-call list. That triggers a separate 30-day cure obligation under federal law. If they call again after 30 days, that is an independent violation.
- File a federal complaint at donotcall.gov/report. The FTC tracks these and pursues serial offenders.
- Document the call. Date, time, number that called, company name, what they were selling. Screenshot or save voicemails. This is the evidence you need if you sue or file a state complaint.
- Sue the telemarketer in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania has a private right of action — you can recover $1,000 per call without proving actual damages. Federal TCPA adds another $500–$1,500 per call. File a complaint here →
Recent Pennsylvania DNC enforcement actions
American Automotive Alliance LLC / AM Protection Inc. / Mammoth Marketing Group LLC
automotive
Oct 2023
$90,000 settlement
Three companies settled for ~$90K combined for calling PA DNC-listed consumers. None were registered as telemarketers with PA AG. Used caller ID spoofing to display local numbers despite calling from out of state. Auto warranty and Medicare pitches targeting seniors. PA requires $50K surety bond + registration — operating without it is a standalone violation regardless of what you say on the call. Spoofing local numbers = deceptive practices under PA UTP/CPL.
Source →Michael D. Lansky LLC d/b/a Avid Telecom
telecommunications
May 2023
PA AG Henry joined 49-state Avid Telecom lawsuit days after settling with Fluent LLC. PA enforcement model targets both supply (lead generators like Fluent) and infrastructure (VoIP providers like Avid). PA's Telemarketer Registration Act provides additional state-law hooks: operating without registration is a per-violation penalty even before considering the robocall itself.
Source →Fluent LLC and subsidiaries
financial_services
May 2023
$250,000 settlement
Settlement required Fluent to pay $250K and stop contacting consumers on PA DNC List without express written consent that clearly discloses the specific requesting party (with hyperlink or popup). This consent transparency requirement goes beyond federal standards — PA now requires consumers to see EXACTLY who will call them before consenting. Lead generators can no longer hide behind "one of our partners may contact you" language.
Source →Fluent Inc. and subsidiaries
financial_services
Nov 2022
PA AG Shapiro sued Fluent Inc. — a lead generator that harvested 4.2 million PA consumers' data through promotional websites and sold their info as "leads" to telemarketers. Key innovation: targeting the lead supply chain, not just the callers. Fluent allegedly provided "substantial assistance or support" to telemarketers in violation of the TSR. Established that deceptive consent collection by lead generators creates liability up the entire chain.
Source →Running a telemarketing operation?
This page is for consumers and Pennsylvania residents. If you operate outbound calls into Pennsylvania, the compliance scrub workflow is documented separately.
Pennsylvania DNC compliance for telemarketers →Compare DNC Registry across states
Federal TCPA is the floor. Each state can — and many do — go further.
Stay Current
Weekly digest: what changed this week
New enforcement actions, statute updates, and rule changes in Pennsylvania — delivered once a week.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Powered by Brevo.
Telemarketers — need automated DNC scrubbing?
Catalyst Partners sets up automated DNC scrubbing across every state you operate in. Federal list, state lists, internal lists, on a schedule that keeps you legal.
Book a Compliance Call →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 →