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Tennessee

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

Overview Calling Hours Consent Registration DNC Enforcement Case Law Legislation

REI Wholesaling Telemarketing Compliance in Tennessee

Real estate investor cold calling and SMS compliance in Tennessee

Guide last reviewed: January 2025

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Mini-TCPA State — Tenn. Code § 47-18-1501 et seq. (Tennessee Telephone Solicitation Act)

Tennessee imposes stricter consent and calling requirements than federal TCPA.REI Wholesaling companies operating here face $10,000 per-violation penalties.

Tennessee REI Wholesaling Overview

Tennessee has teeth for telemarketing enforcement. The $2,000 registration bond, private right of action under the Consumer Protection Act with potential treble damages, and criminal misdemeanor penalties make non-compliance expensive. For REI wholesalers: register, bond, scrub DNC, manual dial cold prospects. The licensed real estate agent exemption from registration does NOT apply to most wholesalers. Automated outreach requires federal TCPA-level written consent.

Penalty/Violation

$10,000

Willful

$10,000

Calling Hours

8:00 AM–9:00 PM

Private Suit

Allowed

Compliance Checklist

✓Register with Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs as a telemarketer ($2,000 surety bond required) BEFORE making any solicitation calls,Scrub all call lists against federal National DNC Registry and TN DNC list,Manual (human) dialing is permitted for cold calling with DNC compliance,Call only between 8:00 AM and 9:00 PM local time of the called party,Identify yourself, your company, and purpose within 30 seconds,Obtain prior express written consent before any ATDS or prerecorded calls to cell phones under federal TCPA,Send written confirmation of any sale made by phone within 3 business days,Honor opt-out requests immediately,Existing business relationship exemption covers past sellers for state-law purposes — manual calls only recommended,Monitor TN Consumer Protection Act litigation — private right of action available with potential treble damages

What Gets Companies Sued

✗Common violations for REI wholesalers in TN: (1) Failing to register with Division of Consumer Affairs before making calls; (2) Not posting the $2,000 surety bond; (3) Using auto-dialers or ringless voicemail without written consent; (4) Calling DNC-listed numbers; (5) Not sending written confirmation of phone sales within 3 days; (6) Continuing to call after opt-out request — potential criminal harassment charges.

Special Exemptions

Licensed real estate agents may have limited registration exemption under TN law for calls within their licensed activity. REI wholesalers without a real estate license do NOT qualify for this exemption. EBR exemption covers past transaction partners for state-level requirements.

Key State Rules

Mini-TCPAYes

RegistrationRequired

Class ActionsNot specified

Consent Requirements→Registration Details→DNC List→

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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 →