TCPA

The TCPA, or Telephone Consumer Protection Act, is the 1991 US federal law that limits telemarketing calls, autodialed calls, artificial or prerecorded voice calls, and many text messages.

Congress passed the TCPA in 1991, and the FCC writes and enforces the detailed rules under it, found at 47 CFR 64.1200. The law is codified at 47 U.S.C. 227.

Key parts that affect sales teams:

• Calls using an artificial or prerecorded voice, or certain autodialers, to cell phones need prior express consent. For telemarketing, that consent must be written.
• Telemarketing calls to residential numbers are limited to between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in the called party's local time.
• Sellers must honor the National Do Not Call Registry and keep their own internal do-not-call list.
• Callers must identify themselves and give a way to opt out.

In February 2024, the FCC confirmed that AI-generated voices count as artificial voices under the TCPA. That means AI calling tools fall under the same consent rules as prerecorded messages.

The TCPA allows private lawsuits. A person can recover $500 per violating call, and a court can raise that to $1,500 if the violation was willful or knowing. Because damages are per call, class actions over large campaigns can be very costly. State laws, sometimes called mini-TCPAs, can add stricter rules. This glossary entry is general information, not legal advice. Talk to a lawyer about your specific program.

Sources

• 47 U.S.C. 227 (Cornell LII): https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/47/227 (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)
• FCC, AI voices under the TCPA (Feb 2024): https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-confirms-tcpa-applies-ai-technologies-generate-human-voices (accessed October 17, 2026)

This entry is general information, not legal advice.