TCPA Compliance Solutions

The Intelligence Behind Compliant Calling™

Every month, RealPhoneValidation analyzes millions of phone numbers to measure the percentage that appear as Telephone Consumer Protection Act compliant after a National DNC check but are still identified as compliance risks through additional screening.

August 2026 RealPhoneValidation Compliance Risk Index™ is:

That means approximately 1 in every 46 phone numbers screened contains an additional compliance risk identified through state DNC lists, DMA lists, or known litigator screening.

Calculate Your Risk

Test DNC Lookup

Calculate Your TCPA Compliance Risk

How the RealPhoneValidation Compliance Risk Index™ is Calculated

Every month, RealPhoneValidation analyzes all DNC lookups processed through our platform. The Compliance Risk Index™ measures the percentage of phone numbers that:

Are NOT on the National Do Not Call Registry, but
ARE identified as a compliance risk because they appear on:
A State Do Not Call list,
A DMA Do Not Call list, or
The RealPhoneValidation Known Litigator database.

Formula = (State DNC Only + DMA DNC Only + Known Litigator) ÷ Total Phone Numbers Screened not on the National DNC Registry

Why It Matters

Most businesses know they should check the National Do Not Call Registry.

Fewer realize that additional compliance risks may still exist after a phone number passes a National DNC check.

RealPhoneValidation goes further by screening against:

State Do Not Call registries

DMA Do Not Call list

Known litigators

Complete TCPA Compliance solutions don’t stop at the National Registry – that’s why we created the RealPhoneValidation Compliance Risk Index™.

“At RealPhoneValidation, we believe the greatest TCPA compliance risks aren’t the ones everyone knows about—they’re the ones that remain after a National DNC check.” – Nick Spiridellis, founder, RealValidation

DNC Checker

"*" indicates required fields

RealPhoneValidation – The Intelligence Behind Compliant Calling™

TCPA Compliance Checklist

The 6 Layers of a Compliant Calling Program

A TCPA compliant phone call is built—not assumed. It requires multiple layers of protection working together to help reduce compliance risk. This illustration shows the essential layers of a compliant calling program and where RealPhoneValidation provides the intelligence to strengthen your compliance efforts.

1. Consent and calling rules

Verify appropriate consent, follow calling time restrictions, and comply with all state-specific telemarketing laws.

– Caller’s Responsibility

2. Internal DNC compliance

Maintain and honor your internal do-not-call list to ensure you do not contact people who have asked not to be called.

– Caller Maintained

3. National, State, and DMA Checks

Screen against the National Do Not Call Registry, State DNC lists, and the DMA DNC list.

– Covered in DNC Lookup or DNC Plus

4. Known Litigator Screening

Identify unknown litigators to help reduce the risk of costly legal claims

– Covered in DNC Lookup or DNC Plus

5. Phone Type Identification

Determine if the number is wireless, landline, or VoIP to support TCP compliance decisions.

– Covered in DNC Lookup or DNC Plus

6. Documentation and Audit Trail

Maintain records of all compliance checks and consent to support audits, investigations, and internal policies

– Covered in RealPhoneValidation 4-year retention

Every phone number is compared against the official National Do Not Call Registry, State Do Not Call lists, Direct Marketing Association Telephone Preference Service (DMA TPS), and RealPhoneValidation’s known litigator database.

TCPA Compliance Solutions FAQ’s

Do Not Call List Lookup Service questions:

What is the TCPA, and who does it apply to?

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) is a federal law that regulates certain telephone calls and text messages, particularly those made for marketing purposes. Its rules cover areas such as automated dialing, artificial or prerecorded voice messages, telemarketing calls and texts, Do Not Call requirements, and consumer consent.

The TCPA can apply to businesses that make calls or send text messages, as well as businesses that have calls or messages made on their behalf. The specific requirements depend on factors such as the purpose of the communication, the type of phone number being contacted, the technology being used, whether the recipient has provided consent, and whether the number is protected by Do Not Call rules.

Because TCPA compliance depends on how and why you are contacting someone, there is no single rule that makes every call or text compliant. Businesses should evaluate the requirements that apply to each type of outreach they conduct.

Do I need consent before calling or texting someone?

Not always. Whether consent is required depends on the type of communication, the purpose of the call or text, the technology being used, and the type of phone number being contacted.

Under the TCPA, certain calls made using an automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice require prior express consent. When those calls contain advertising or telemarketing, prior express written consent may be required. Prerecorded telemarketing calls to residential lines also generally require prior express written consent.

Consent is only one part of TCPA compliance. A business may also need to consider Do Not Call restrictions, previous opt-out requests, applicable state laws, calling hours, and other requirements before contacting a number.

Because the rules vary based on how the communication is being made and its purpose, businesses should determine which requirements apply to each calling or texting campaign rather than assuming that having a phone number automatically gives permission to contact it.

What qualifies as prior express written consent?

Prior express written consent is a written agreement in which a consumer clearly authorizes a specific seller to contact them with advertising or telemarketing calls or messages using an automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice. The agreement must include the telephone number that the consumer has authorized the seller to use to contact them.

The consent disclosure must be clear and conspicuous and explain that the consumer is authorizing these communications. It must also state that providing consent is not a condition of purchasing any goods or services. The consumer must sign the agreement, although an electronic or digital signature can satisfy the signature requirement.

For businesses collecting consent online, this means the consent language should be clearly presented as part of the sign-up process rather than buried in general terms and conditions. Just as importantly, businesses should maintain records showing what the consumer agreed to, the phone number provided, when consent was obtained, and the consent language presented at that time.

Prior express written consent is not permanent permission to contact someone. Consumers can revoke their consent, so businesses also need a reliable process to recognize and honor those requests.

Does the TCPA apply to text messages as well as phone calls?

Yes. TCPA requirements can apply to text messages as well as voice calls. FCC regulations specifically address text messages in several TCPA provisions, including rules governing consent, telemarketing, Do Not Call protections, and requests to stop receiving future messages.

Businesses using SMS for marketing should not assume that texting a number is automatically permissible simply because they are not placing a voice call. The same underlying compliance questions still matter: Why are you contacting the person? What type of number are you messaging? Do you have the required consent? Has the person opted out? Are there applicable Do Not Call or state-specific restrictions?

Text messaging also creates its own compliance considerations. For example, consumers can revoke consent by replying with words such as “STOP,” “QUIT,” “END,” “REVOKE,” “OPT OUT,” “CANCEL,” or “UNSUBSCRIBE.” Businesses must also recognize other language when a reasonable person would understand it as a request to stop receiving messages.

The safest approach is to treat calls and texts as separate communication channels, each of which must be evaluated for compliance with the TCPA and other applicable federal and state requirements before a campaign begins.

Do TCPA and Do Not Call rules apply to B2B calls?

Business-to-business calls are treated differently from calls to consumers, but B2B calling is not automatically exempt from every TCPA, Do Not Call, or telemarketing requirement.
Most calls made to a business for the purpose of selling goods or services to that business are exempt from the federal National Do Not Call Registry requirements. However, that exemption should not be interpreted to mean that any call made for a business purpose is automatically compliant. (ftc.gov)

For example, calling an employee at work to sell that individual a product or service for personal use is not considered a B2B solicitation simply because the call was placed to a business number. The type of number being called also matters. A business contact may provide a personal or wireless number rather than a traditional business landline, which can introduce additional TCPA considerations depending on how the call is made.

Businesses must also consider state telemarketing and Do Not Call laws. Federal exemptions do not override state requirements, and some states impose restrictions that can apply to B2B calling. (ftc.gov)

The practical takeaway is simple: “B2B” should not be treated as a blanket exemption. Businesses should evaluate who they are calling, the type of number being contacted, how the call is placed, its purpose, and the applicable federal and state rules before launching a campaign.

Is checking the National Do Not Call Registry enough to be TCPA compliant?

No. Checking the National Do Not Call Registry is an important part of telemarketing compliance, but it is only one part of a broader compliance process. (see TCPA compliance checklist)

Businesses may also need to account for state-specific Do Not Call requirements and maintain their own internal, company-specific Do Not Call list. In fact, a consumer can ask a particular company to stop calling even if their number is not registered on the National Do Not Call Registry. The FTC requires sellers and telemarketers subject to its rules to maintain and honor these company-specific requests.

State requirements are another important consideration. The federal Telemarketing Sales Rule does not preempt state law, meaning businesses conducting telemarketing across multiple states must determine which additional state requirements apply to their campaigns.

Do Not Call screening also does not address every TCPA requirement. Depending on the campaign, businesses may still need to consider consent, the technology being used to place the call or send the message, the type of phone number being contacted, calling hours, previous opt-out requests, and other federal or state restrictions.

A number coming back “not on the National DNC Registry” should not be interpreted as “safe to call.” It simply means that one important compliance check has been completed.

What happens when someone asks me to stop calling or texting?

Businesses must take requests to stop calls or text messages seriously. A consumer can revoke prior express consent using any reasonable method that clearly communicates that they no longer want to receive covered calls or messages. Businesses cannot require consumers to use one specific method to revoke consent.

For text messages, replies such as “STOP,” “QUIT,” “END,” “REVOKE,” “OPT OUT,” “CANCEL,” or “UNSUBSCRIBE” are specifically recognized as valid revocation requests. Other wording can also qualify if a reasonable person would understand the message to mean that the recipient wants the communications to stop.

Businesses making telemarketing calls must also maintain a company-specific Do Not Call list. When a consumer asks not to receive further telemarketing calls from a business, the request must be recorded and honored even if the consumer continues to do business with the company.

Under current FCC rules, covered consent revocations and company-specific Do Not Call requests must be honored within a reasonable period, not to exceed 10 business days. From a practical compliance standpoint, businesses should suppress the number as quickly as possible and ensure the request reaches all systems, employees, and vendors responsible for future communications.

Having consent yesterday does not override an opt-out received today. Maintaining an accurate internal Do Not Call list and making sure it is consistently applied is an essential part of an effective compliance program.

What times of day can businesses legally call consumers?

Under federal TCPA rules, telephone solicitations generally cannot be made to residential subscribers before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m., based on the local time at the called party’s location.

For businesses that call across multiple time zones, determining the called party’s location can pose a practical challenge. A phone number’s area code may indicate location, but it does not necessarily reflect where the person currently lives or is physically located. Mobile numbers can be retained when consumers move or travel to another time zone.

Businesses should use the best available location information when establishing permissible calling times and should also consider applicable state laws, which may impose narrower calling windows or additional restrictions.

What happens if a phone number has been reassigned to someone else?

Prior express written consent is tied to the telephone number the consumer authorized the business to use to contact them. If that number changes hands, the original consent does not automatically authorize calls or texts to the new subscriber.

For example, if a customer gives a business consent to contact them at a particular mobile number and later gives up that number, the carrier may eventually reassign it to someone else. The new subscriber never provided consent to that business, even though the number may still appear in the company’s CRM under the original customer’s name.

The reverse is also important. If the original customer gets a new phone number, consent previously provided for the old number does not automatically authorize covered telemarketing calls or texts to the new number. When prior express written consent is required, the business should obtain consent covering the new telephone number.

The FCC established the Reassigned Numbers Database (RND) to help businesses identify this risk. It allows a caller to determine whether a telephone number has been permanently disconnected since the date consent was obtained. Under certain circumstances, businesses that properly use the RND and receive an incorrect response may qualify for a TCPA safe harbor.

Businesses that rely on previously obtained consent should therefore have a process for identifying number changes and reassignments, particularly when significant time has passed since consent was originally collected. (check the Reassigned Numbers Database)

What are the penalties for violating the TCPA?

TCPA violations can become expensive quickly because statutory damages may be assessed on a per-violation basis.

For certain TCPA violations, a consumer may bring a private action seeking actual monetary loss or $500 in statutory damages for each violation, whichever is greater. If a court determines that the violation was willful or knowing, it has discretion to increase the damages up to three times that amount, or up to $1,500 per violation.

The potential exposure becomes significant when the same compliance problem affects a large calling or texting campaign. What appears to be a small mistake involving one number can become much more serious when it is repeated across hundreds or thousands of communications.

TCPA litigation can also bring costs beyond statutory damages, including legal expenses, settlements, operational disruption, and reputational risk. Businesses may also face separate federal or state enforcement actions or claims under state telemarketing laws, depending on the circumstances.

The potential cost of TCPA violations is one reason businesses should focus on preventing noncompliant calls and messages before they are made and maintain records demonstrating the compliance steps they took.

Looking for TCPA Compliance Solutions?

Start Using DNC Lookup Today

DNC Scrubbing is easy, and the first 100 lookups are on us. There’s no contract and no credit card required to get started.

"*" indicates required fields

National DNC:	{national_dnc}
State DNC:	{state_dnc}
DMA:	{dma}
Litigator:	{litigator}
Phone Type:	{linetype}

TCPA Compliance Solutions

The Intelligence Behind Compliant Calling™

August 2026 RealPhoneValidation Compliance Risk Index™ is:

Calculate Your TCPA Compliance Risk

How Many Additional Compliance Risks Could Be in Your Calling List?

How the RealPhoneValidation Compliance Risk Index™ is Calculated

Why It Matters

DNC Checker

Try Do Not Call Lookup

DNC Lookup Results

Phone Number: {phone number}

RealPhoneValidation – The Intelligence Behind Compliant Calling™

TCPA Compliance Checklist

The 6 Layers of a Compliant Calling Program

1. Consent and calling rules

2. Internal DNC compliance

3. National, State, and DMA Checks

4. Known Litigator Screening

5. Phone Type Identification

6. Documentation and Audit Trail

Every phone number is compared against the official National Do Not Call Registry, State Do Not Call lists, Direct Marketing Association Telephone Preference Service (DMA TPS), and RealPhoneValidation’s known litigator database.

TCPA Compliance Solutions FAQ’s

Do Not Call List Lookup Service questions:

What is the TCPA, and who does it apply to?

Do I need consent before calling or texting someone?

What qualifies as prior express written consent?

Does the TCPA apply to text messages as well as phone calls?

Do TCPA and Do Not Call rules apply to B2B calls?

Is checking the National Do Not Call Registry enough to be TCPA compliant?

What happens when someone asks me to stop calling or texting?

What times of day can businesses legally call consumers?

What happens if a phone number has been reassigned to someone else?

What are the penalties for violating the TCPA?

Looking for TCPA Compliance Solutions?

Start Using DNC Lookup Today

DNC Scrubbing is easy, and the first 100 lookups are on us. There’s no contract and no credit card required to get started.