State Calling Restrictions Guide
Federal TCPA baseline quiet hours are 8am–9pm at the contact’s local time. Many states adopt additional rules. Use this guide to plan campaigns with Drop Cowboy, then confirm specifics with your legal counsel.
How federal and state rules work
Federal law sets baseline quiet hours (8:00am–9:00pm) and consent requirements. Some states override these with stricter rules for weekends, holidays, or emergencies. The tables below show which states differ from federal standards.
Key laws that apply: TCPA (47 U.S.C. § 227), FCC rules (47 CFR § 64.1200), and FTC TSR (16 CFR Part 310).
Drop Cowboy automatically enforces quiet hours and processes opt‑outs. You collect and store consent records, add external opt‑outs to your scrub list, and plan around state holidays/emergencies. This resource is educational; confirm requirements with your legal counsel.
Last Updated: November 1, 2025
Calling Restrictions by Day and Time
Federal law allows businesses to make telemarketing calls between 8am and 9pm at the contact's location. This chart outlines state‑specific rules.
| State | Mon-Fri | Saturday | Sunday | Holidays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm | No Calls | No Calls |
| Connecticut | 9am - 8pm | 9am - 8pm | 9am - 8pm | 9am - 8pm |
| Florida | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm |
| Illinois | 8am - 9pm | 8am - 9pm | 8am - 9pm | - |
| Kentucky | 10am - 9pm | 10am - 9pm | 10am - 9pm | 10am - 9pm |
| Louisiana | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm | No Calls | No Calls |
| Maryland | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm |
| Massachusetts | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm |
| Michigan | 9am - 9pm | 9am - 9pm | 9am - 9pm | 9am - 9pm |
| Minnesota | 9am - 9pm | 9am - 9pm | 9am - 9pm | 9am - 9pm |
| Mississippi | 8am - 8pm CST | 8am - 8pm CST | No Calls | 8am - 8pm CST |
| Nevada | 9am - 8pm | 9am - 8pm | 9am - 8pm | 9am - 8pm |
| New Mexico | 9am - 9pm | 9am - 9pm | 9am - 9pm | 9am - 9pm |
| Oklahoma | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm |
| Pennsylvania | 8am - 9pm | 8am - 12pm | 8am - 9pm | No Calls |
| Rhode Island | 9am - 6pm | 10am - 5pm | No Calls | No Calls |
| South Dakota | 9am - 9pm | 9am - 9pm | No Calls | 9am - 9pm |
| Texas | 9am - 9pm | 9am - 9pm | 12pm - 9pm | 9am - 9pm |
| Utah | 8am - 9pm | 8am - 9pm | No Calls | No Calls |
| Washington | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm |
| Wyoming | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm | 8am - 8pm |
Maximum Call Volume Restrictions
State‑specific information about how frequently you can dial a specific number.
| Frequency Restrictions | Affected States |
|---|---|
| Maximum of 3 telemarketing calls to any consumer over a 24-hour period on the same subject matter or issue | FL, MD, OK |
Autodialer and Prerecorded Message Restrictions
Additional state‑specific requirements beyond federal TCPA compliance.
| State | Autodialer Restrictions | Prerecorded Message Restrictions | Written Consent Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Must comply with state DNC registry | Prior written consent for prerecorded calls to residential lines | Yes - for all autodialed calls |
| Connecticut | Must obtain prior express consent; state DNC compliance | Prior written consent required | Yes |
| Florida | Restricts callers from using, without prior express written consent, an automated system for the selection or dialing of telephone numbers or the playing of a recorded message | Prior express written consent required | Yes |
| Illinois | State-specific autodialer restrictions | Prior written consent for prerecorded calls | Yes |
| Maryland | Autodialer restrictions apply | Prior written consent required | Yes |
| Nevada | State autodialer law applies | Prerecorded message restrictions | Yes |
| New York | State autodialer restrictions apply | Prior written consent required for prerecorded messages | Yes |
| Oklahoma | Autodialer restrictions apply | Prior written consent required | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | State autodialer law | Prerecorded message restrictions | Yes |
| Texas | Effective Sept. 1, 2025, Texas SB140 expands autodialer liability, alters ADAD definition; consumers must give written consent for automated calls | Enhanced restrictions as of September 2025 | Yes |
| Utah | Autodialer restrictions apply | Prior written consent required | Yes |
| Virginia | State autodialer law (Va. Code § 59.1-518.2) | Prerecorded message restrictions | Yes |
| Washington | State autodialer law (Wash. Code § 80.36.400) | Prior written consent required | Yes |
| Wisconsin | State autodialer law (Wis. Stat. § 100.52(4)) | Prerecorded message restrictions | Yes |
| Wyoming | State autodialer law (Wyo. Stat. § 6-6-104) | Prior written consent required | Yes |
Holiday Call Restrictions
State‑specific information about holidays where no outbound calls may be made.
| Holiday | Date | State(s) Affected |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Jan 1 | AL, LA, PA, RI, UT |
| Martin Luther King Day | 3rd Mon. in Jan | AL, LA, PA, RI, UT |
| Inauguration Day | - | LA (Baton Rouge Only) |
| Mardi Gras Day | Feb or Mar | AL (Baldwin & Mobile counties), LA |
| President's Day | 3rd Mon. in February | AL, PA, RI, UT |
| Good Friday | Friday Before Easter | LA, PA |
| Confederate Mem. Day | Last Mon. in April | AL |
| RI Independence Day | May 4 | RI |
| Memorial Day | Last Mon. in May | AL, LA, PA, RI, UT |
| Jefferson Davis Day | 1st Mon. in June | AL |
| Flag Day | June 14 | PA |
| Juneteenth Day | June 16 | UT |
| Juneteenth Day | June 19 | AL, LA, PA, RI |
| Independence Day | July 4 | AL, LA, PA, RI, UT |
| Pioneer Day | July 24 | UT |
| Victory Day | 2nd Mon. of Aug. | RI |
| Labor Day | 1st Mon. in Sep. | AL, LA, PA, RI, UT |
| Columbus Day | 2nd Mon. in Oct. | AL, PA, RI, UT |
| Election Day | 2nd Tues. in Nov. | PA, RI |
| Veteran's Day | Nov. 11 | AL, PA, RI, UT |
| Thanksgiving Day | 4th Thurs. in Nov. | AL, LA, PA, RI, UT |
| Acadian Day | 4th Fri. in Nov. | LA |
| Rosa Parks Day | Dec. 1 | AL |
| Christmas Eve | Dec. 24 | LA* (Decided by the Governor) |
| Christmas Day | Dec. 25 | AL, LA, PA, RI, UT |
| New Year's Eve | Dec. 31 | LA |
Best Practices During States of Emergency
While there are no specific federal or state statutes prohibiting telemarketing during declared states of emergency, it is a best practice to avoid sending campaigns to areas affected by hurricanes, natural disasters, or other emergencies out of respect for affected communities.
Drop Cowboy allows you to enable or disable specific states to prevent campaigns from going out to affected areas during emergency situations.
Your Responsibility: Monitor emergency declarations and use Drop Cowboy's state blocking feature to pause campaigns to affected regions. This demonstrates good corporate citizenship and protects your brand reputation.
How Drop Cowboy Helps You Stay Compliant
Drop Cowboy provides tools to help you comply with federal and state telemarketing regulations:
- Automatic Quiet Hours Enforcement: Drop Cowboy prevents messages from being sent outside allowed calling hours based on federal 8:00am–9:00pm and stricter state windows. Off‑hour sends are queued to the next valid time.
- Built-in Opt-Out IVR: Recipients can call back and press a key to opt out automatically.
- SMS Keyword Processing: Automatic opt‑out for SMS keywords like STOP.
- Caller ID Management: Your configured callback number displays accurately on all campaigns.
Your Responsibilities:
- Obtain proper consent (PEWC required for autodialed/prerecorded telemarketing) and retain records outside Drop Cowboy.
- Add external opt‑outs (received outside Drop Cowboy) to your scrub list promptly.
- Plan around state holidays and emergencies; enable state blocking as needed.
- Consult qualified legal counsel to ensure your use of Drop Cowboy complies with all applicable federal (47 U.S.C. § 227; 16 CFR Part 310), state, and local laws.
Important: This information is provided for reference only and does not constitute legal advice. Drop Cowboy is a communications platform. Compliance with telemarketing laws is your responsibility.
State and Federal Statutes
Official legal sources for federal and state telemarketing regulations
Federal Regulations
- Telephone Consumer Protection Act (47 U.S.C. § 227) - Primary federal law governing telemarketing calls, including autodialed, prerecorded, and artificial voice calls
- 47 U.S.C. § 227(b) - Restrictions on the use of telephone equipment (autodialer and prerecorded voice)
- 47 U.S.C. § 227(c) - Protection of subscriber privacy rights (quiet hours 8:00am-9:00pm local time)
- 47 CFR § 64.1200 - FCC rules implementing TCPA requirements for telephone solicitations
- Telemarketing Sales Rule (16 CFR Part 310) - FTC regulations for telemarketing, including National Do Not Call Registry requirements
State-Specific Regulations
For detailed citations and state-specific statutes, visit the individual state pages linked in the tables above.
About This Information
We're providing this compliance guide to help you plan campaigns across all states. Think of it as a helpful starting point. Simple best practices to keep in mind as you build your outreach.
- For Your Reference: This information summarizes federal and state calling restrictions and how they apply to ringless voicemail, SMS, and voice broadcast campaigns. Always confirm specific requirements with your legal counsel.
- Timing Notes: Quiet hours may be based on state local time or your recipient's location. Drop Cowboy automatically enforces quiet hours; schedule sends to align with your plan.
- Stay Updated: Rules can change, so this guide captures the current state of regulations. Your legal counsel can help you stay current.
- Additional Considerations: Other state or federal laws might apply to your specific use case. This guide focuses on timing and consent basics.
We recommend checking with your legal counsel to ensure your campaigns align with all applicable laws. Our support team can help with platform configuration.
Questions about state compliance?
Our support team can help you plan campaign schedules and set up opt‑out flows. Drop Cowboy automatically enforces quiet hours.
State regulations FAQs
Plan timing and consent confidently