DNC List (National Do Not Call Registry)

The National Do Not Call Registry is the free US government list where people can register phone numbers they do not want telemarketing calls on.

The FTC launched the registry in 2003. Consumers can add home or mobile numbers at donotcall.gov, and a registration does not expire. When people say "the DNC list," they usually mean this registry.

Sellers and telemarketers who call consumers must check, or scrub, their call lists against the registry. Under the rules, they must use a version of the registry obtained no more than 31 days before the call. Access is through telemarketing.donotcall.gov. The first five area codes are free, and there is an annual fee per area code after that.

There are exemptions. Common ones include:

• An established business relationship, such as a recent purchase or inquiry.
• The person's written permission to call.
• Calls that are not sales calls, such as surveys or pure informational calls, though rules vary.
• Many business-to-business calls.

Registry rules are separate from consent rules. A number that is not on the registry still needs proper consent if you use an artificial voice, including an AI voice.

Some states also keep their own do-not-call lists with their own rules. Your process should cover the national registry, any state lists that apply, and your own internal do-not-call list.

Sources

• National Do Not Call Registry for telemarketers: https://telemarketing.donotcall.gov/ (accessed October 17, 2026)
• 16 CFR Part 310 (eCFR): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-C/part-310 (accessed October 17, 2026)
• 47 CFR 64.1200 (eCFR): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-64/subpart-L/section-64.1200 (accessed October 17, 2026)

This entry is general information, not legal advice.