August 17, 2023. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced it is increasing the fees for telemarketers to access the Do-Not-Call List.
On August 17, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced it was increasing fees for "telemarketers" accessing phone numbers on the National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry for Fiscal Year 2024, which starts on October 1, 2023. Of course, to be compliant, any person or business engaging in "telemarketing" is required to know which phone numbers are on the fee-based DNC.
For background, Congress passed the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) in 1991 in response to consumer concerns about the growing number of unsolicited telephone marketing calls to their homes and the increasing use of automated and prerecorded messages. In response, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted rules requiring anyone making a solicitation call to an individual's home to provide the solicitor's name, the name of the person or entity on whose behalf the call is being made, and a telephone number or address at which that person or entity can be contacted.
Working with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the FTC developed the DNC Registry. Commercial "telemarketers" are not allowed to call or text numbers on the DNC Registry, which includes cell phone numbers on the DNC Registry, subject to certain exceptions.
Starting on October 1, 2023, the cost of accessing the DNC Registry is:
- Free for the first 5 area codes (no change)
- $78 for each additional area code for the year (up from $75)
- $39 for a single area code for half-a-year (up from $38)
- $21,402 total max charge to any single entity for accessing all area codes nationwide (up from $20,740)
Some organizations, such as charities and political callers may be exempt and may obtain the entire list for free.
"Compliance with the TCPA and DNC Registry is important", said Adam Crowell, President & General Counsel of ComlplyNet, "as violators may be subject to fines of between $500 and $1,500 for each violation."
