The State Do Not Call Lists allows Texans to register their phone numbers in a database established to stop unwanted telephone solicitations. Texas Do Not Call law proscribes telemarketers from making unsolicited sales calls to consumers who wish to stop receiving these calls. This applies to companies selling consumer goods and services over the phone. There are exemptions to these restrictions and also certain business conditions exempt companies from these restrictions. Marketers are exempted from these restrictions and can contact customers
- With whom they have existing business relationships
- If the customers request contact
- To collect debts
- If the marketers are state licensees and contact the customers through live calls and the solicited transactions must be completed with face-to-face meetings. Also, the customers must not have previously told the licensees not to call.
Non-profit, charitable, and political organizations are also exempted from the restrictions of Texas Do Not Call Lists. If you still receive robocalls and spam calls after joining the appropriate list, use a reverse phone lookup service to identify the numbers used and then block and report them.
Is Texas Do Not Call Lists Different from National Do Not Call Registry?
Yes. Texas Do Not Call Lists are different from the National Do Not Call Registry. Some fundamental differences between both lists include:
- The Texas List is administered by the state’s Public Utility Commission while the Federal Trade Commission administers the National Registry.
- Phone numbers must be on the Texas List for at least 60 days before telemarketers cannot contact them. With the National Registry, phone numbers must be registered for 31 days before telemarketers are restricted from contacting them.
- Phone numbers registered on the Texas List are automatically removed after three years on the statewide DNC List and five years on the Electric No Call List. Owners must renew the registrations of their phone numbers after the expiration dates have elapsed. Registration on the National Registry does not expire, and there is no need to re-register phone numbers added to it.
- The Texas List separates residential and personal phone numbers from business phone numbers, essentially creating two lists - Statewide DNC List and Electric No Call List. The National Registry is a single list and all registered phone numbers are in the same database.
How Do I Register on Texas Do Not Call List?
Texans may register telephone numbers with one of the Public Utilities Commission’s No Call Lists. Residents and businesses that include their details in either list do not want to receive telemarketing calls. Restricted telemarketing contacts include messages containing text and images sent by telemarketers operating in Texas.
To register on Texas Do Not Call Lists, there are two options;
- Use Texas Do Not Call online registration platform for automated instant registration.
- Download and complete the printable registration form and mail it to Texas No Call, 711 Atlantic Avenue, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 0211.
Residents who are having problems with registration can call customer services toll-free on 1 (888) 309-0600 for assistance.
What Should I Know About Texas Do Not Call List?
The Texas Telemarketing Disclosure and Privacy Act of 2001 empowered the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to implement a Statewide Do Not Call List. This list contained the details of residents that wished to stop receiving telemarketing calls. An Electric No Call List was also created to ensure customers did not receive unwanted calls regarding their retail electricity services. In 2005, both lists were merged into one that enrolled residential and wireless phone numbers under the Statewide DNC List. Business phone numbers are enrolled in the Electric NC List. Registration is free.
Consumers that enroll in the Texas PUC’s No Call Lists are automatically enrolled in the FTC National Do Not Call Registry. Also, Texas residents and businesses who enroll in the National Do Not Call Registry are automatically enrolled in the appropriate State No Call List.
The date of registration determines the date by which telephone solicitations to your phone number must cease. As such:
- For registrations done between January 1 and March 31, calls must stop by June 1.
- For registrations done between April 1 and June 30, calls must cease by September 1.
- For registrations done between July 1 and September 30, calls must stop by December 1.
- For registrations done between October 1 and December 31, calls must stop by March 1.
Including your phone number on a No Call List does not guarantee an end to all telemarketing calls but it will help reduce the number or robocalls received. The legislation that created the No-Call Lists was intended to stop unwanted calls to customers from random sales companies. If the deadline has passed for your registration and you still receive unwanted telemarketing calls, file complaints with the:
Texas Attorney General - Call the customer protection hotline at 1 (800) 621-0508 and report illegal telemarketing calls.
Public Utilities Commission - File reports with the PUC at 1 (888) 782-8477, by email, or fill the online No-Call complaint form. Residents can also file complaints with the PUC by sending written mail to PUC - Consumer Protection Division, P.O. Box 13326, Austin, TX 78711-3326.
Registrations of residential and personal wireless phone numbers on the Statewide DNC List expire after three years. Business phone numbers registered on the Electric No Call List expire after five years. Registrants are required to renew their registrations after they have expired.