Do Not Call Registry for Business (2026): Cost, 31-Day Scrubs, Exemptions and Fines
Do Not Call Registry for business, in short: if you make sales calls to consumers, you must subscribe to the National Do Not Call Registry at telemarketing.ftc.gov and remove registered numbers from your lists at least every 31 days. From 1 October 2026 the first 5 area codes are free, each extra area code costs $85 a year, and all area codes cost $23,425. Most calls to businesses are exempt.
More on this topic: Calls, SMS and AI voice agents, every guide in one place.
The registry trips up small businesses in two ways: some assume it doesn't apply to them because they are small, and others pay for a nationwide list they don't need because they only call businesses. This guide covers who has to use it, what it costs, how to access and scrub it, the exemptions, and the penalties.
Key takeaways
- Who: sellers and telemarketers making sales calls to consumers, whatever their size.
- Cost (FY 2027): first 5 area codes free, then $85 per area code a year, capped at $23,425 for all.
- Scrub at least every 31 days, and keep your own company do-not-call list as well.
- B2B calls are mostly exempt from the registry, but not from your internal list.
- Exemptions: an established business relationship (18 months after a purchase, 3 months after an inquiry) or signed written permission.
- Penalties: FTC fines up to $53,088 per violation; consumers can sue for up to $500 per call.
Does the Do Not Call Registry apply to my business?
It applies if you, or anyone calling for you, make telephone sales calls to consumers. The FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule covers sellers and telemarketers regardless of size, and each seller needs its own subscription even if an agency or call centre makes the calls.
| Call | Registry scrub needed? |
|---|---|
| Sales call to a consumer's home or mobile number | Yes, unless an exemption applies |
| Sales call to a business, for the business's own use | Usually no; the FTC says most calls to businesses are exempt |
| Call to an employee at work selling them something for personal use | Yes; that is a consumer sale |
| Call to a customer who bought from you in the last 18 months | No, under the established business relationship exemption, unless they asked you to stop |
| Purely informational call with no sales pitch | No, but other TCPA rules may still apply |
If you sell to sole traders, be careful: their “business” number is often a personal mobile. When you can't tell, scrub it. Our cold calling guide covers B2B calling in more detail.
How much does Do Not Call Registry access cost?
From 1 October 2026 (the FTC's fiscal year 2027), access costs $85 per area code for a year after the first five, which are free, with a cap of $23,425 for every area code nationwide. Subscriptions run for a year and must be renewed annually.
| Access | FY 2026 (to 30 Sept 2026) | FY 2027 (from 1 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| First 5 area codes | Free | Free |
| Each additional area code, per year | $82 | $85 |
| Each additional area code, second half of the year | $41 | $43 |
| All area codes (maximum per entity) | $22,626 | $23,425 |
| Exempt organisations (some charities, political callers) | Free | Free |
Fees checked on the FTC's 26 August 2026 press release announcing FY 2027 fees; rules checked on the FTC's Q&A for telemarketers and sellers about the Do Not Call provisions, and 47 U.S.C. 227(c)(5) on law.cornell.edu, all on 26 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
A local business that calls in a handful of area codes can usually stay inside the five free ones. Only national calling programmes need the full list.
How do you access and scrub the registry?
- Register your organisation at telemarketing.ftc.gov and receive a Subscription Account Number (SAN). A telemarketer calling for you can use your SAN for your campaigns, but the seller must have its own.
- Choose area codes that match the numbers you call, and pay for any beyond the first five.
- Download the numbers (full list or changes since your last download).
- Scrub your call lists against the registry and your internal do-not-call list before every campaign.
- Repeat at least every 31 days. The FTC requires you to sync with an updated registry within that window.
- Keep records of each download and scrub; they support the safe harbour below.
Many dialers and CRMs can store do-not-call flags on contacts and suppress them automatically, which is safer than manual list cleaning.
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What are the exemptions?
You can call a number on the registry if one of these applies, and the person hasn't asked you to stop:
| Exemption | How long it lasts | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Established business relationship: purchase | 18 months from the last purchase, payment or delivery | Ends if they ask you not to call |
| Established business relationship: inquiry | 3 months from the inquiry or application | An enquiry form or quote request counts |
| Written permission | Until withdrawn | Must include the number you may call and the consumer's signature |
| Business-to-business calls | Ongoing | Most calls to businesses; not sales to employees for personal use |
Exemptions cover the national registry, not a person's request to you. If anyone asks not to be called again, add them to your company-specific list and honour it, even if they are an existing customer or a business.
What are the penalties for calling numbers on the registry?
The FTC says violators may face fines of up to $53,088 per violation, and each call can be a separate violation. Separately, under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, a person who receives more than one sales call in a 12-month period from or for the same company in violation of the do-not-call rules can sue for actual loss or up to $500 per violation, which a court can triple for wilful or knowing violations.
Both the FTC rule and the TCPA offer a defence to companies that can show reasonable procedures. The FTC's safe harbour expects written do-not-call procedures, staff training, monitoring and enforcement, a company-specific do-not-call list, registry access no more than 31 days before calling, and that any violating call was an error.
| Safe harbour element | What to have on file |
|---|---|
| Written procedures | A one-page do-not-call policy |
| Training | A record of who was trained and when |
| Monitoring | Spot checks of call logs against the lists |
| Company do-not-call list | Every opt-out, dated, with the number |
| Registry within 31 days | Download dates and scrub logs |
What other calling rules apply?
The registry is one rule among several. Sales calls to consumers must also be made within allowed hours (8 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time federally, stricter in some states), calls using artificial or AI voices need prior consent, and some states run their own do-not-call lists or add rules of their own. See TCPA calling hours by state and the TCPA rules for AI voice calls. Keeping complaints down also keeps your numbers from being labelled Spam Likely.
How Scalry handles this
Scalry's voice agent campaigns apply do-not-call suppression, calling windows and a limit on calls to the same number per day, and log each call on the contact record. Subscribing to the national registry, downloading it and deciding which exemptions apply remain your responsibility. Calling and texting need a paid plan and your own number.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to access the Do Not Call Registry?
From 1 October 2026, the first 5 area codes are free, each additional area code is $85 a year ($43 for the second half of the year), and all area codes cost $23,425.
How often do businesses have to check the Do Not Call list?
At least every 31 days. The FTC requires sellers and telemarketers to sync their call lists with an updated version of the registry within that window.
Does the Do Not Call Registry apply to B2B calls?
Mostly not. The FTC says most calls to businesses are exempt. Calls to employees selling them something for personal use are not, and your internal do-not-call list applies to everyone.
Can I call my existing customers if they are on the registry?
Yes, for 18 months after their last purchase or payment, or 3 months after an inquiry, unless they have asked you not to call.
What is the fine for calling someone on the Do Not Call list?
Up to $53,088 per violation from the FTC, and consumers can sue under the TCPA for up to $500 per call, tripled if wilful.
Do small businesses have to use the Do Not Call Registry?
Yes, if they make sales calls to consumers. There is no size exemption, though calls within the five free area codes cost nothing to scrub.
How Scalry suppresses do-not-call numbers and applies calling windows is described on the AI voice agents page.
Check which area codes you really call, subscribe for those, and put the 31-day scrub on the calendar. You can rebuild one real campaign inside Scalry before moving anything else.
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