No Call Lists
Consumers now have both state and national sources for reducing the number of telemarketers that call them at their home or place of business.
Texas "No Call Lists"
Texans may register a telephone number with either of the Public Utility Commission-sponsored "No Call Lists" (Statewide "Do Not Call" List or "Electric No Call" List). By placing your name, address, and telephone number on a list, you identify yourself as someone who does not want to receive telemarketing calls, thus limiting telephone solicitations, including text, graphic, and image messages, from all telemarketers operating in Texas.
- Statewide "Do Not Call" List
- The Statewide "Do Not Call" list is for registering any residential or wireless phone number and applies to any Texas telephone marketer, including Retail Electric Providers (REP) and telemarketers calling on their behalf. Business telephone numbers are NOT eligible for this list.
- "Electric No Call" List
- The "Electric No Call" list is for registering any business phone number and applies to Retail Electric Providers (REP) and telemarketers calling on their behalf. Residential or wireless telephone numbers are NOT eligible for this list but receive protection from REPs or electric calls under the Statewide "Do Not Call" List.
Exemptions to the Texas "No Call Lists":
Telemarketers may contact customers:
- With whom they have an established business relationship within the last 12 months
- If the customer requested to be contacted
- To collect a debt
- On behalf of a non-profit organization or charity, if the call does not meet the definition of a "telephone solicitation" by attempting to make a sale or gather information that will lead to a sale
- If the telemarketer is a state licensee (for example insurance or real estate agent, etc.) and
- The call is not made by an automated device
- The solicited transaction is complete with face-to-face presentation to finalize a sales transaction and make payment
- The consumer has not previously told the licensee that the consumer does not wish to be called
How do I sign up for the Texas "No Call Lists"?
A consumer can place their residential, wireless, or business number on the appropriate list via internet, phone, or mail. Online registration at www.texasnocall.com is free. If you register via the phone at 1-866-896-6225 or mail in your application, there is a registration charge of $2.25 for each residential or wireless phone number and $2.55 for each business phone number. Telephone registrations must be paid by MasterCard or Visa. Mailed applications may be paid by personal check, money order, or credit card. Please make checks out to "Texas No Call."
To request an application in writing:
TEXAS NO CALL
PO Box 313
E. Walpole, MA 02032
When will these calls stop?
The Statewide "Do Not Call" and "Electric No Call" lists are updated and published for telemarketers on a quarterly basis to include new numbers. Within 60 days of the date your number appears on the published list, you should stop receiving telemarketing calls. If you continue to receive telemarketing calls after the 60th day, make note of who called, their number, and date of call(s) then contact the Office of the Attorney General's Customer Protection Hotline at 1-800-621-0508 or the Public Utility Commission at 1-888-782-8477 (TTY 1-800-735-2988).
| Date Registered |
Calls Stop By |
| Jan 1 - Mar 31 |
June 1 |
| Apr 1 - June 30 |
Sept 1 |
| Jul 1 - Sept 30 |
Dec 1 |
| Oct 1 - Dec 31 |
Mar 1 |
Texas "No Call" FAQs
Texas "No Call Lists" Violations
For violations, you may contact the Office of the Attorney General's Customer Protection Hotline at 1-800-621-0508, the Better Business Bureau in your community, a small claims court, or the Public Utility Commission at 1-888-782-8477 (TTY 1-800-735-2988).
To file a complaint with the Public Utility Commission, please fill out the online No-Call Complaint Form or call
1-888-782-8477 (TTY 1-800-735-2988).
Texas "No Call Lists" Legislation
Texas Business & Commerce Code Annotated §304
PUC Substantive Rule §26.37
National Do Not Call Registry
The National Do Not Call Registry is another option for removing your phone number from telemarketing lists. Residential and wireless numbers placed on the registry will remain on it permanently due to the Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 2007, which became law in February 2008. The National Do Not Call Registry is managed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the nation's consumer protection agency, and enforced by both the FCC and state law enforcement officials.
How do I sign up for National Do Not Call Registry?
To register your phone number, go to www.donotcall.gov.
As of January 1, 2005, telemarketers and sellers are required to search the National Do Not Call Registry at least once every 31 days and drop from their call lists the phone numbers of consumers who have registered. Visit www.telemarketing.donotcall.gov for more information.