Q&A: The National Do Not Call Registry

Federal Trade Commission Bureau of Consumer Protection Division of Consumer & Business Education

1

Tell Me More About the National Do Not Call Registry

 1. Why would I register my phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry?

The National Do Not Call Registry gives you an opportunity to limit the telemarketing calls you 

receive. Once you register your phone number, telemarketers covered by the National Do Not 

Call Registry have up to 31 days from the date you register to stop calling you. 

 2. Who manages the National Do Not Call Registry?

The National Do Not Call Registry is managed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the 

nation’s consumer protection agency. It is enforced by the FTC, the Federal Communications 

Commission (FCC), and state law enforcement officials. 

 3. Why was the National Do Not Call Registry created?

The registry was created to offer consumers a choice regarding telemarketing calls. The FTC’s 

decision to create the National Do Not Call Registry was the culmination of a comprehensive, 

three-year review of the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), as well as the Commission’s extensive 

experience enforcing the TSR over seven years. The FTC held numerous workshops, meetings, 

and briefings to solicit feedback from interested parties and considered over 64,000 public 

comments, most of which favored creating the registry. You can review the entire record of the 

Rule review at www.ftc.gov/bcp/rulemaking/tsr/tsrrulemaking/index.htm. 

How Does Registration Work?

 4. How soon after I register will I notice a reduction in calls?

Telemarketers covered by the National Do Not Call Registry have up to 31 days from the date 

you register to stop calling you. 

 5. When I register my phone number, how long until it shows up on the National Do 

Not Call Registry?

After you register, your phone number will show up on the registry by the next day. 

Telemarketers have up to 31 days to get your phone number and remove it from their call lists.

 6. What if I change my mind? Can I take my number off the National Do Not Call 

Registry?

You can delete your phone number only by calling toll-free 1-888-382-1222 from the telephone 

number you want to delete. After you contact the registry to delete it, it will be removed from the 
2

National Do Not Call Registry by the next day. But telemarketers have up to 31 days to access 

information about your deletion and add your number back to their call lists, if they choose to.

7.	 If I registered by phone, will I receive a confirmation?

No, but you can verify that your number is on the registry online at www.donotcall.gov or by 

calling the registry’s toll-free number (1-888-382-1222) and following the prompts for verifying 

that your number is on the registry. 

 8. I received a phone call from someone offering to put my name on the National Do 

Not Call Registry. Should I let them?

No. The FTC does not allow private companies or other such third parties to register consumers 

for the National Do Not Call Registry. Websites or phone solicitations that claim they can or will 

register a consumer’s name or phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry — especially 

those that charge a fee — are almost certainly a scam. Consumers may register directly, or 

through some state governments, but never through private companies. For consumers, the 

National Do Not Call Registry is a free service of the federal government. 

What About the Privacy of My Information?

 9. If I choose to register my phone number, how will my information be used and 

disclosed?

We collect your phone number and store it in the National Do Not Call Registry so that 

telemarketers and sellers covered by the FTC’s rules can remove your phone number from their 

call lists. Telemarketers are required to search the registry every 31 days and delete from their 

call lists phone numbers that are in the registry. Phone numbers in the registry also may be 

shared with law enforcement to assure compliance with federal and state law. 

If you contact us via the Internet, we also collect your email address to confirm your registration 

request. We will store your email address in a secure manner, separate from your telephone 

number. We will not share your email address with telemarketers. 

For more information about the privacy of your information, please see our privacy policy at 

www.ftc.gov/ftc/privacy. 

What Phone Numbers Can I Register?

10. Can I register my cell phone on the National Do Not Call Registry?

Yes, you may place your personal cell phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry. The 

registry has accepted cell phone numbers since it opened for registrations in June 2003. There is 

no deadline to register a home or cell phone number on the Registry. 

You may have received an email telling you that your cell phone is about to be assaulted by 

telemarketing calls as a result of a new cell phone number database; however, that is not the case. 
3

FCC regulations prohibit telemarketers from using automated dialers to call cell phone numbers. 

Automated dialers are standard in the industry, so most telemarketers don’t call consumers on 

their cell phones without their consent. 

11. Can I register all my family and friends?

You should register only your own telephone numbers.

12. I have more than three personal telephone numbers. How can I register all of those 

numbers?

You may register up to three telephone numbers at one time on the National Do Not Call 

Registry website. You will receive a separate confirmation email for each number you wish 

to register online. You must open each email and click on the link in each one to complete the 

registration process. If you have more than three personal telephone numbers, you will have to 

go through the registration process more than once to register all of your numbers. There is a 

limit on the number of phone numbers you can register in this manner. 

You can register only one phone number each time you call the National Do Not Call Registry, 

and you must call from the phone number you wish to register. 

13. What happens if I register more than one number at a time online?

You will get an email for each number you register online. You need to open each email and 

click on the link in each email within 72 hours to register those numbers.

14. Can I register my business phone number or a fax number?

The National Do Not Call Registry is only for personal phone numbers. Business-to-business 

calls and faxes are not covered by the National Do Not Call Registry.

Will My Registration Expire?

15. How long does my phone number stay registered?

Telephone numbers on the registry will only be removed when they are disconnected and 

reassigned, or when the consumer chooses to remove a number from the registry.

What If I Move or My Phone Is Disconnected?

16. I moved and got a new phone number. Do I need to register the new number?

Yes.

17. Do I need to take my old phone number off the list when I get a new number?

No. You can if you would like to, but the system will automatically remove most numbers that 

are disconnected and reassigned.
4

18. What happens if my phone number is disconnected and then reconnected?

If your number is disconnected and then reconnected, you may need to re-register. In addition, 

there are actions that you or your telephone company might take that could cause your registered 

phone number to become unregistered — even if your service has not been interrupted (such as 

changing calling plans or other services, or changing the billing name on the account.) To verify 

that your number is in the Registry, go to www.donotcall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222 

(TTY: 1-866-290-4236). Each time you re-register, telemarketers will have 31 days to take your 

number off their call lists. 

What If My Area Code “Splits”?

19. If my area code changes, do I need to re-register?

If the phone companies change the three-digit area code for your home or mobile phone number, 

you do not have to re-register it with the National Do Not Call Registry. The number with the 

new area code will be registered for you during the 90-day period when both the old and new 

area codes work. This is known as the Permissive Dialing Period. 

20. Do I need to delete registration of my number with the old area code?

No. You do not need to delete the registration of your phone number with the old area code. An 

automated process will remove it after 90-day Permissive Dialing Period.

Registration and My Email Address 

21. Why do you need my email address?

When you use the registry’s website to put a phone number on the National Do Not Call 

Registry, we collect your email address to confirm your request. We will send you an email 

and you will need to click on the link in the email within 72 hours to finalize your registration. 

We also collect your email address when you request to verify your registration online so that 

we can email you a response to your verification request. We will store your email address in a 

secure manner, separate from your telephone number. We will not share your email address with 

telemarketers. 

22. Can I register online if I do not have an active email address?

No. The online registration process requires an active email address. If you register online, we 

will send you an email message with a link in it. You need to click on the link in the email within 

72 hours to finalize your registration. If you do not have an email address, you can register by 

phone (1-888-382-1222).

23. Can I reply to the email I got when I was registering?

No. The email address is a one-way mail service. It cannot accept incoming emails. You must 

click on the link within the email within 72 hours to finalize your registration.
5

24. What if my email address changes after I register? Will I still be able to verify my 

registration on the national registry?

Yes, you will be able to use your new email address to verify your phone number online.

I’m Having Problems With Registration

25. I called to register my phone number, but the message said my phone number 

could not be verified. Why not?

When you call to register a phone number, you are asked to enter the number you are calling 

from. The system tries to match the number you enter to “Automatic Number Identification” or 

ANI, which is like Caller ID for the telephone network. A small percentage of U.S. phones do 

not have ANI. If your phone doesn’t, the system will have trouble locating your phone number. 

You can register your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry website at 

www.donotcall.gov.

26. I called to register my phone number, but the message said that the phone number I 

was calling from did not match the phone number I entered. What happened?

To register, you must call from the phone you want to register. For example, you cannot register 

your home phone number by calling from work. 

Also, people in certain communities — such as senior living centers or university residences 

— have phone numbers that are hidden by a PBX (private branch exchange) telephone system and 

cannot be matched by the National Do Not Call system. If you live in such a community, you can 

register your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry website at www.donotcall.gov.

27. I received an email from Register@donotcall.gov, but I don’t get a “Registration 

Complete” message when I try to click on the link. What should I do? 

You may not be able to click on the link in your email from Register@donotcall.gov, or it may 

take you to a page that says “Registration Incomplete.” You can complete your registration by 

using the “cut” and “paste” functions to insert the link in the email into the “address” line on 

your Web browser. You must cut and paste the entire link. It is very long — possibly more than 

one line of text. You cannot re-type the link.

Will All Telemarketing Calls Stop If I Register?

28. If I register my number on the National Do Not Call Registry, will it stop all 

telemarketing calls?

No. Placing your number on the National Do Not Call Registry will stop most telemarketing 

calls, but not all. Because of limitations in the jurisdiction of the FTC and FCC, calls from or on 

behalf of political organizations, charities, and telephone surveyors would still be permitted, as 

would calls from companies with which you have an existing business relationship, or those to 

whom you’ve provided express agreement in writing to receive their calls. However, if you ask a 

company with which you have an existing business relationship to place your number on its own 
6

do-not-call list, it must honor your request. You should keep a record of the date you make the 

request.

29. Are calls from political organizations or calls soliciting for charities covered?

Political solicitations are not covered by the TSR at all, since they are not included in its 

definition of “telemarketing.” Charities are not covered by the requirements of the national 

registry. However, if a third-party telemarketer is calling on behalf of a charity, a consumer 

may ask not to receive any more calls from, or on behalf of, that specific charity. If a third-party 

telemarketer calls again on behalf of that charity, the telemarketer may be subject to a fine of up 

to $16,000.

30. What about telephone surveys?

If the call is really for the sole purpose of conducting a survey, it is not covered. Only 

telemarketing calls are covered — that is, calls that solicit sales of goods or services. Callers 

purporting to take a survey, but also offering to sell goods or services, must comply with the 

National Do Not Call Registry.

31. My number is on the National Do Not Call Registry. After I bought something from 

a company, a telemarketer representing that organization called me. Is this a 

violation?

No. By purchasing something from the company, you established a business relationship with the 

company. As a result, even if you put your number on the National Do Not Call Registry, that 

company may call you for up to 18 months after your last purchase or delivery from it, or your 

last payment to it, unless you ask the company not to call again. In that case, the company must 

honor your request not to call. If they subsequently call you again, they may be subject to a fine 

of up to $16,000.

An established business relationship with a company also will be created if you make an inquiry 

to the company, or submit an application to it. This kind of established business relationship 

exists for three months after the inquiry or application. During this time, the company can 

call you. 

If you make a specific request to that company not to call you, however, then the company may 

not call you, even if you have an established business relationship with that company. You should 

keep a record of the date you make the request.

32. Are telemarketing calls from overseas covered?

Yes. Any telemarketers calling U.S. consumers are covered, regardless of where they are calling 

from. If a company within the U.S. solicits sales through an overseas professional telemarketer, 

that U.S. company may be liable for any violations by the telemarketer. The FTC can initiate 

enforcement actions against such companies.
7

Other Ways To Limit Telemarketing Calls

33. I’m happy to have the choice to limit telemarketing contacts, but there are some 

telemarketing calls I don’t mind receiving. Is there a way to allow only certain 

companies to call?

Yes. If you give a company your written permission to call you, they may do so even if you have 

placed your number on the National Do Not Call Registry. 

34. If I don’t want to put my number on the National Do Not Call Registry, can I still stop 

telemarketers from calling?

Yes. Even if you do not register with the National Do Not Call Registry, you can still prohibit 

individual telemarketers from calling by asking them to put you on their company’s do not call 

list.

35. What is the relationship between the state do not call lists and the National Do Not 

Call Registry in terms of coverage?

The National Do Not Call Registry requirements are at least as stringent as most state laws. Most 

unwanted telemarketing calls will be covered by the National Do Not Call Registry. States also 

can continue to enforce their laws, which will not be limited by the FTC. However, the FCC’s 

requirements impact some state laws. For information on the FCC’s rule, visit www.fcc.gov.

Filing a Do Not Call Complaint

36.	 When can I file a do not call complaint?

If your number has been on the National Do Not Call Registry for at least 31 days and you 

receive a call from a telemarketer that you believe is covered by the National Do Not Call 

Registry, you can file a complaint at the registry’s website at www.dontocall.gov or by calling 

the registry’s toll-free number at 1-888-382-1222 (TTY: 1-866-290-4236). You may also file a 

complaint if you received a call that used a recorded message instead of a live person (whether or 

not your number was on the Registry). 

37.	 How do I file a do not call complaint? What do I need to file a complaint?

You can file your complaint on the registry’s website, www.donotcall.gov, using the File a 

Complaint page. You must provide the date that the company called you and the number that was 

called and respond to a question asking if the call was a prerecorded message. You may provide 

your name and address, but this information is not required for you to submit a complaint. You 

also may call the registry’s toll-free number 1-888-382-2222 (TTY: 1-866-290-4236). 

38. What happens to my complaint?

Do not call complaints will be entered into the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel system, a secure online 

database available to more than 1,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies. While the 

FTC does not resolve individual consumer problems, your complaint will help us investigate the 

company and could lead to law enforcement action.
39. Where can I get more information?

If you have questions or complaints regarding the Do Not Call Registry, please contact the FTC 

by email at dncconsumerinquiry2@ftc.gov, or by mail at:

National Do Not Call Registry

Attn: DNC Program Manager

Federal Trade Commission

600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington, DC 20580

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices 

in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. The 

FTC manages the National Do Not Call Registry, which gives consumers a choice about getting 

telemarketing calls at home. To register a number, log on to donotcall.gov, or call toll-free, 

1-888-382-1222 (TTY: 1-866-290-4236).

1-877-FTC-HELP FOR THE CONSUMER

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION ftc.gov

September 2009

Federal Trade Commission

Bureau of Consumer Protection

Division of Consumer and Business Education