Cold Calling Laws by State

Florida Cold Calling Laws

Florida Telephone Solicitation Act (s. 501.059) and Florida Telemarketing Act (ss. 501.601–501.626)

• The Telephone Solicitation Act covers sales calls to consumers about goods or services normally used for personal, family or household purposes. People can sue for $500 per violation, or up to three times that if the breach was wilful.
• The Telemarketing Act limits commercial telephone solicitation calls to 8am to 8pm in the called person's time zone, and to no more than three calls from any number in 24 hours on the same subject. Its definition also covers sales of consumer goods or services.
• Both laws are written around consumer purchases, so calls selling to businesses for business use mostly fall outside them.

Source: Florida Statutes s. 501.059 · Florida Statutes s. 501.616 · Florida Statutes s. 501.603 (definitions)

Oklahoma Cold Calling Laws

Telephone Solicitation Act of 2022 (15 O.S. 775C)

• In force since 1 November 2022. Commercial telephone solicitation calls are limited to 8am to 8pm in the called person's time zone, and to no more than three calls from any number in 24 hours on the same subject.
• Calls made with an automated dialing system or a recorded message need the called person's prior express written consent, and the caller's number must be shown.
• The B2B exemption is narrow: it applies only if the seller has operated for at least three years under the same name with at least 50% of its sales being repeat sales to existing businesses, or if the buyer will resell the goods or use them in manufacturing. Most B2B prospecting calls aren't exempt.
• People can sue for $500 per violation or their actual damages, whichever is greater, and up to three times that if the breach was wilful.

Source: Oklahoma HB 3168 (2022), enrolled text (PDF)

Maryland Cold Calling Laws

Stop the Spam Calls Act of 2023 (Commercial Law § 14-4501 and following)

• In force since 1 January 2024. No telephone solicitation between 8pm and 8am in the called party's time zone, and no more than three calls to the same person in 24 hours on the same subject, whatever numbers are used.
• Automated or prerecorded calls need prior express written consent, and altering the caller's voice to hide their identity in order to deceive or harm is banned.
• The B2B exemption is narrow: it covers sellers that have operated for at least three years under the same name with at least 50% repeat sales to existing businesses, or buyers who will resell the goods. Most B2B prospecting calls aren't exempt.
• Breaking the law counts as a violation of the Maryland Consumer Protection Act.

Source: Maryland SB 90 (2023), bill text (PDF) · Maryland SB 90 (2023), fiscal and policy note (PDF)

Washington Cold Calling Laws

RCW 80.36.390 (telephone solicitation)

• The law covers unsolicited calls by a company to a person to encourage them to buy property, goods or services. It isn't limited to residential numbers, so follow it on B2B calls too.
• Calls must be received between 8am and 8pm in the recipient's local time.
• Within the first 30 seconds, the caller must give their name, the company they're calling for and the purpose of the call. If the person wants to end the call, it must end within 10 seconds.
• Calls to numbers on the federal Do Not Call registry are banned. A person aggrieved by repeated violations can sue for at least $1,000 per violation.

Source: RCW 80.36.390

New York Cold Calling Laws

General Business Law § 399-z

• Telemarketing is allowed only between 8am and 9pm at the customer's location, unless the customer agrees to another time.
• Within the first 30 seconds, the telemarketer must give their name and the seller's name, offer to add the person to the seller's do-not-call list, say whether the call is recorded and explain its purpose.
• The law protects “customers”, defined as natural persons resident in New York, and bans calls to numbers that have been on the national Do Not Call registry for 31 days. Fines can reach $20,000 per violation.

Source: New York General Business Law § 399-z

Texas Cold Calling Laws

Business and Commerce Code chapters 301 and 302, with chapter 302 amended by SB 140 (2025)

• A seller can't make telephone solicitations from a location in Texas, or to a purchaser in Texas, without a registration certificate for each business location it calls from, unless an exemption applies.
• There's no general B2B exemption. The closest one covers businesses buying to resell or to use in manufacturing.
• Chapter 301 limits calls to consumers about consumer goods or services to 9am to 9pm Monday to Saturday and noon to 9pm on Sundays, and the caller must give their name, the business and the purpose straight away. Calls selling to businesses for business use fall outside it.
• SB 140, in force since 1 September 2025, extended the law to marketing texts and lets consumers sue under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Check with a Texas lawyer before calling into the state.

Source: Texas Business and Commerce Code s. 302.101 · Texas Business and Commerce Code s. 301.051 · Morgan Lewis: Texas telephone solicitation law now covers texts

California Cold Calling Laws

Penal Code § 632 and the California Consumer Privacy Act

• Recording a confidential call without the consent of everyone on it can be fined up to $2,500 per violation. Say at the start of every call that it's recorded.
• The California Consumer Privacy Act's exemption for business contacts ended on 1 January 2023, so a named contact at a company has the same privacy rights as any other Californian.

Source: California Penal Code § 632 · Foley & Lardner: CCPA B2B and employment exceptions ending

A Checklist for Calling Every State

If your list spans several states, following the strictest common rules keeps your calls inside the rules on this page:

1. Call between 9am and 8pm in the recipient's time zone, which fits every state on this page, and avoid Sunday mornings in Texas.
2. Make no more than three calls in 24 hours to the same person on the same subject.
3. Give your name, your company and the reason for the call within the first 30 seconds.
4. End the call quickly when asked, and put the number on your do-not-call list.
5. Say at the start of every call that it's recorded.
6. Check personal numbers against the National Do Not Call Registry.
7. Use live calls only. Automated or prerecorded calls need prior express written consent.
8. Check whether you need to register before calling into Texas.

To see whether you can call a state right now, use the legal calling hours checker. For the recording consent rules in other countries, see call recording laws by country.