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Tennessee Telecom Compliance Guide

TN

Telecom Compliance Reference — Updated January 2023

Mini-TCPA State — High Risk

Calling Hours

8:00 AM–9:00 PM

Min Penalty

$10,000

Registration

Required

OverviewCalling HoursConsentRegistrationDNC ComplianceDNC RegistryEnforcementCase LawLegislation

Tennessee Do-Not-Call List

State DNC registry requirements for Tennessee

Tennessee Has Its Own DNC List

You must scrub against BOTH the federal National DNC Registry AND the Tennessee state DNC list before making calls in this state. Scrubbing only the federal list is not sufficient.

Tennessee Do Not Call / Do Not Text Register

Maintained ByTennessee Public Utility Commission (TPUC)
Subscription Fee$500
Scrub Frequency RequiredMust scrub against the Tennessee DNC/DNT Register AND the federal NDNC. The Tennessee register is a SEPARATE list from the federal registry. Telemarketers must update their lists each time they receive a new copy of the register.
Registration PermanentYes — once registered, stays on list

Covers

LandlinesCell PhonesText Messages
Download FormatRegister provided by the TPUC after payment of annual $500 registration fee. Available to registered solicitors.

Tennessee maintains a SEPARATE state Do Not Call / Do Not Text Register administered by the TPUC since 1999. Amended in 2023 to include text messages (T.C.A. § 65-4-401 et seq.). Annual registration fee: $500, due May 1st each year (covers July 1st forward). The law applies to all solicitation calls/texts terminating in Tennessee. Consumer registration is free for residential subscribers (business numbers excluded; personal cell phones allowed). Exemptions: consumer permission, nonprofits (member callers), transactions within past 12 months, occasional telemarketing (max 3 random calls/week), political campaigns. Penalties: up to $2,000 per incident. Autodialing-specific registration may be required. Enforcement: TPUC Consumer Services Division.

Access / Subscribe to Tennessee Do Not Call / Do Not Text Register →

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 Tennessee 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)
✓Subscribe to the Tennessee state DNC list
✓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 Tennessee: $10,000 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 FloridaFLDo-Not-Call Rules in CaliforniaCADo-Not-Call Rules in TexasTXDo-Not-Call Rules in New YorkNYDo-Not-Call Rules in IllinoisILDo-Not-Call Rules in GeorgiaGADo-Not-Call Rules in WashingtonWADo-Not-Call Rules in OklahomaOK

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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 →