FCC 64.1200 Revised as of October 1, 2014
Goto Year:2013 |
2015
§ 64.1200 Delivery restrictions.
(a) No person or entity may:
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, initiate
any telephone call (other than a call made for emergency purposes or is
made with the prior express consent of the called party) using an
automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded
voice;
(i) To any emergency telephone line, including any 911 line and any
emergency line of a hospital, medical physician or service office,
health care facility, poison control center, or fire protection or law
enforcement agency;
(ii) To the telephone line of any guest room or patient room of a
hospital, health care facility, elderly home, or similar establishment;
or
(iii) To any telephone number assigned to a paging service, cellular
telephone service, specialized mobile radio service, or other radio
common carrier service, or any service for which the called party is
charged for the call.
(iv) A person will not be liable for violating the prohibition in
paragraph (a)(1)(iii) of this section when the call is placed to a
wireless number that has been ported from wireline service and such
call is a voice call; not knowingly made to a wireless number; and made
within 15 days of the porting of the number from wireline to wireless
service, provided the number is not already on the national do-not-call
registry or caller's company-specific do-not-call list.
(2) Initiate, or cause to be initiated, any telephone call that
includes or introduces an advertisement or constitutes telemarketing,
using an automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or
prerecorded voice, to any of the lines or telephone numbers described
in paragraphs (a)(1)(i) through (iii) of this section, other than a
call made with the prior express written consent of the called party or
the prior express consent of the called party when the call is made by
or on behalf of a tax-exempt nonprofit organization, or a call that
delivers a "health care" message made by, or on behalf of, a "covered
entity" or its "business associate," as those terms are defined in the
HIPAA Privacy Rule, 45 CFR 160.103.
(3) Initiate any telephone call to any residential line using an
artificial or prerecorded voice to deliver a message without the prior
express written consent of the called party, unless the call;
(i) Is made for emergency purposes;
(ii) Is not made for a commercial purpose;
(iii) Is made for a commercial purpose but does not include or
introduce an advertisement or constitute telemarketing;
(iv) Is made by or on behalf of a tax-exempt nonprofit organization; or
(v) Delivers a "health care" message made by, or on behalf of, a
"covered entity" or its "business associate," as those terms are
defined in the HIPAA Privacy Rule, 45 CFR 160.103.
(4) Use a telephone facsimile machine, computer, or other device to
send an unsolicited advertisement to a telephone facsimile machine,
unless--
(i) The unsolicited advertisement is from a sender with an established
business relationship, as defined in paragraph (f)(6) of this section,
with the recipient; and
(ii) The sender obtained the number of the telephone facsimile machine
through--
(A) The voluntary communication of such number by the recipient
directly to the sender, within the context of such established business
relationship; or
(B) A directory, advertisement, or site on the Internet to which the
recipient voluntarily agreed to make available its facsimile number for
public distribution. If a sender obtains the facsimile number from the
recipient's own directory, advertisement, or Internet site, it will be
presumed that the number was voluntarily made available for public
distribution, unless such materials explicitly note that unsolicited
advertisements are not accepted at the specified facsimile number. If a
sender obtains the facsimile number from other sources, the sender must
take reasonable steps to verify that the recipient agreed to make the
number available for public distribution.
(C) This clause shall not apply in the case of an unsolicited
advertisement that is sent based on an established business
relationship with the recipient that was in existence before July 9,
2005 if the sender also possessed the facsimile machine number of the
recipient before July 9, 2005. There shall be a rebuttable presumption
that if a valid established business relationship was formed prior to
July 9, 2005, the sender possessed the facsimile number prior to such
date as well; and
(iii) The advertisement contains a notice that informs the recipient of
the ability and means to avoid future unsolicited advertisements. A
notice contained in an advertisement complies with the requirements
under this paragraph only if--
(A) The notice is clear and conspicuous and on the first page of the
advertisement;
(B) The notice states that the recipient may make a request to the
sender of the advertisement not to send any future advertisements to a
telephone facsimile machine or machines and that failure to comply,
within 30 days, with such a request meeting the requirements under
paragraph (a)(4)(v) of this section is unlawful;
(C) The notice sets forth the requirements for an opt-out request under
paragraph (a)(4)(v) of this section;
(D) The notice includes--
(1) A domestic contact telephone number and facsimile machine number
for the recipient to transmit such a request to the sender; and
(2) If neither the required telephone number nor facsimile machine
number is a toll-free number, a separate cost-free mechanism including
a Web site address or email address, for a recipient to transmit a
request pursuant to such notice to the sender of the advertisement. A
local telephone number also shall constitute a cost-free mechanism so
long as recipients are local and will not incur any long distance or
other separate charges for calls made to such number; and
(E) The telephone and facsimile numbers and cost-free mechanism
identified in the notice must permit an individual or business to make
an opt-out request 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
(iv) A facsimile advertisement that is sent to a recipient that has
provided prior express invitation or permission to the sender must
include an opt-out notice that complies with the requirements in
paragraph (a)(4)(iii) of this section.
(v) A request not to send future unsolicited advertisements to a
telephone facsimile machine complies with the requirements under this
subparagraph only if--
(A) The request identifies the telephone number or numbers of the
telephone facsimile machine or machines to which the request relates;
(B) The request is made to the telephone number, facsimile number, Web
site address or email address identified in the sender's facsimile
advertisement; and
(C) The person making the request has not, subsequent to such request,
provided express invitation or permission to the sender, in writing or
otherwise, to send such advertisements to such person at such telephone
facsimile machine.
(vi) A sender that receives a request not to send future unsolicited
advertisements that complies with paragraph (a)(4)(v) of this section
must honor that request within the shortest reasonable time from the
date of such request, not to exceed 30 days, and is prohibited from
sending unsolicited advertisements to the recipient unless the
recipient subsequently provides prior express invitation or permission
to the sender. The recipient's opt-out request terminates the
established business relationship exemption for purposes of sending
future unsolicited advertisements. If such requests are recorded or
maintained by a party other than the sender on whose behalf the
unsolicited advertisement is sent, the sender will be liable for any
failures to honor the opt-out request.
(vii) A facsimile broadcaster will be liable for violations of
paragraph (a)(4) of this section, including the inclusion of opt-out
notices on unsolicited advertisements, if it demonstrates a high degree
of involvement in, or actual notice of, the unlawful activity and fails
to take steps to prevent such facsimile transmissions.
(5) Use an automatic telephone dialing system in such a way that two or
more telephone lines of a multi-line business are engaged
simultaneously.
(6) Disconnect an unanswered telemarketing call prior to at least 15
seconds or four (4) rings.
(7) Abandon more than three percent of all telemarketing calls that are
answered live by a person, as measured over a 30-day period for a
single calling campaign. If a single calling campaign exceeds a 30-day
period, the abandonment rate shall be calculated separately for each
successive 30-day period or portion thereof that such calling campaign
continues. A call is "abandoned" if it is not connected to a live sales
representative within two (2) seconds of the called person's completed
greeting.
(i) Whenever a live sales representative is not available to speak with
the person answering the call, within two (2) seconds after the called
person's completed greeting, the telemarketer or the seller must
provide:
(A) A prerecorded identification and opt-out message that is limited to
disclosing that the call was for "telemarketing purposes" and states
the name of the business, entity, or individual on whose behalf the
call was placed, and a telephone number for such business, entity, or
individual that permits the called person to make a do-not-call request
during regular business hours for the duration of the telemarketing
campaign; provided, that, such telephone number may not be a 900 number
or any other number for which charges exceed local or long distance
transmission charges, and
(B) An automated, interactive voice- and/or key press-activated opt-out
mechanism that enables the called person to make a do-not-call request
prior to terminating the call, including brief explanatory instructions
on how to use such mechanism. When the called person elects to opt-out
using such mechanism, the mechanism must automatically record the
called person's number to the seller's do-not-call list and immediately
terminate the call.
(ii) A call for telemarketing purposes that delivers an artificial or
prerecorded voice message to a residential telephone line or to any of
the lines or telephone numbers described in paragraphs (a)(1)(i)
through (iii) of this section after the subscriber to such line has
granted prior express written consent for the call to be made shall not
be considered an abandoned call if the message begins within two (2)
seconds of the called person's completed greeting.
(iii) The seller or telemarketer must maintain records establishing
compliance with paragraph (a)(7) of this section.
(iv) Calls made by or on behalf of tax-exempt nonprofit organizations
are not covered by this paragraph (a)(7).
(8) Use any technology to dial any telephone number for the purpose of
determining whether the line is a facsimile or voice line.
(b) All artificial or prerecorded voice telephone messages shall:
(1) At the beginning of the message, state clearly the identity of the
business, individual, or other entity that is responsible for
initiating the call. If a business is responsible for initiating the
call, the name under which the entity is registered to conduct business
with the State Corporation Commission (or comparable regulatory
authority) must be stated;
(2) During or after the message, state clearly the telephone number
(other than that of the autodialer or prerecorded message player that
placed the call) of such business, other entity, or individual. The
telephone number provided may not be a 900 number or any other number
for which charges exceed local or long distance transmission charges.
For telemarketing messages to residential telephone subscribers, such
telephone number must permit any individual to make a do-not-call
request during regular business hours for the duration of the
telemarketing campaign; and
(3) In every case where the artificial or prerecorded voice telephone
message includes or introduces an advertisement or constitutes
telemarketing and is delivered to a residential telephone line or any
of the lines or telephone numbers described in paragraphs (a)(1)(i)
through (iii), provide an automated, interactive voice- and/or key
press-activated opt-out mechanism for the called person to make a
do-not-call request, including brief explanatory instructions on how to
use such mechanism, within two (2) seconds of providing the
identification information required in paragraph (b)(1) of this
section. When the called person elects to opt out using such mechanism,
the mechanism, must automatically record the called person's number to
the seller's do-not-call list and immediately terminate the call. When
the artificial or prerecorded voice telephone message is left on an
answering machine or a voice mail service, such message must also
provide a toll free number that enables the called person to call back
at a later time and connect directly to the automated, interactive
voice- and/or key press-activated opt-out mechanism and automatically
record the called person's number to the seller's do-not-call list.
(c) No person or entity shall initiate any telephone solicitation to:
(1) Any residential telephone subscriber before the hour of 8 a.m. or
after 9 p.m. (local time at the called party's location), or
(2) A residential telephone subscriber who has registered his or her
telephone number on the national do-not-call registry of persons who do
not wish to receive telephone solicitations that is maintained by the
Federal Government. Such do-not-call registrations must be honored
indefinitely, or until the registration is cancelled by the consumer or
the telephone number is removed by the database administrator. Any
person or entity making telephone solicitations (or on whose behalf
telephone solicitations are made) will not be liable for violating this
requirement if:
(i) It can demonstrate that the violation is the result of error and
that as part of its routine business practice, it meets the following
standards:
(A) Written procedures. It has established and implemented written
procedures to comply with the national do-not-call rules;
(B) Training of personnel. It has trained its personnel, and any entity
assisting in its compliance, in procedures established pursuant to the
national do-not-call rules;
(C) Recording. It has maintained and recorded a list of telephone
numbers that the seller may not contact;
(D) Accessing the national do-not-call database. It uses a process to
prevent telephone solicitations to any telephone number on any list
established pursuant to the do-not-call rules, employing a version of
the national do-not-call registry obtained from the administrator of
the registry no more than 31 days prior to the date any call is made,
and maintains records documenting this process.
Note to paragraph (c)(2)(i)(D): The requirement in paragraph
64.1200(c)(2)(i)(D) for persons or entities to employ a version of the
national do-not-call registry obtained from the administrator no more
than 31 days prior to the date any call is made is effective January 1,
2005. Until January 1, 2005, persons or entities must continue to
employ a version of the registry obtained from the administrator of the
registry no more than three months prior to the date any call is made.
(E) Purchasing the national do-not-call database. It uses a process to
ensure that it does not sell, rent, lease, purchase or use the national
do-not-call database, or any part thereof, for any purpose except
compliance with this section and any such state or federal law to
prevent telephone solicitations to telephone numbers registered on the
national database. It purchases access to the relevant do-not-call data
from the administrator of the national database and does not
participate in any arrangement to share the cost of accessing the
national database, including any arrangement with telemarketers who may
not divide the costs to access the national database among various
client sellers; or
(ii) It has obtained the subscriber's prior express invitation or
permission. Such permission must be evidenced by a signed, written
agreement between the consumer and seller which states that the
consumer agrees to be contacted by this seller and includes the
telephone number to which the calls may be placed; or
(iii) The telemarketer making the call has a personal relationship with
the recipient of the call.
(d) No person or entity shall initiate any call for telemarketing
purposes to a residential telephone subscriber unless such person or
entity has instituted procedures for maintaining a list of persons who
request not to receive telemarketing calls made by or on behalf of that
person or entity. The procedures instituted must meet the following
minimum standards:
(1) Written policy. Persons or entities making calls for telemarketing
purposes must have a written policy, available upon demand, for
maintaining a do-not-call list.
(2) Training of personnel engaged in telemarketing. Personnel engaged
in any aspect of telemarketing must be informed and trained in the
existence and use of the do-not-call list.
(3) Recording, disclosure of do-not-call requests. If a person or
entity making a call for telemarketing purposes (or on whose behalf
such a call is made) receives a request from a residential telephone
subscriber not to receive calls from that person or entity, the person
or entity must record the request and place the subscriber's name, if
provided, and telephone number on the do-not-call list at the time the
request is made. Persons or entities making calls for telemarketing
purposes (or on whose behalf such calls are made) must honor a
residential subscriber's do-not-call request within a reasonable time
from the date such request is made. This period may not exceed thirty
days from the date of such request. If such requests are recorded or
maintained by a party other than the person or entity on whose behalf
the telemarketing call is made, the person or entity on whose behalf
the telemarketing call is made will be liable for any failures to honor
the do-not-call request. A person or entity making a call for
telemarketing purposes must obtain a consumer's prior express
permission to share or forward the consumer's request not to be called
to a party other than the person or entity on whose behalf a
telemarketing call is made or an affiliated entity.
(4) Identification of sellers and telemarketers. A person or entity
making a call for telemarketing purposes must provide the called party
with the name of the individual caller, the name of the person or
entity on whose behalf the call is being made, and a telephone number
or address at which the person or entity may be contacted. The
telephone number provided may not be a 900 number or any other number
for which charges exceed local or long distance transmission charges.
(5) Affiliated persons or entities. In the absence of a specific
request by the subscriber to the contrary, a residential subscriber's
do-not-call request shall apply to the particular business entity
making the call (or on whose behalf a call is made), and will not apply
to affiliated entities unless the consumer reasonably would expect them
to be included given the identification of the caller and the product
being advertised.
(6) Maintenance of do-not-call lists. A person or entity making calls
for telemarketing purposes must maintain a record of a consumer's
request not to receive further telemarketing calls. A do-not-call
request must be honored for 5 years from the time the request is made.
(7) Tax-exempt nonprofit organizations are not required to comply with
64.1200(d).
(e) The rules set forth in paragraph (c) and (d) of this section are
applicable to any person or entity making telephone solicitations or
telemarketing calls to wireless telephone numbers to the extent
described in the Commission's Report and Order, CG Docket No. 02-278,
FCC 03-153, "Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer
Protection Act of 1991."
(f) As used in this section:
(1) The term advertisement means any material advertising the
commercial availability or quality of any property, goods, or services.
(2) The terms automatic telephone dialing system and autodialer mean
equipment which has the capacity to store or produce telephone numbers
to be called using a random or sequential number generator and to dial
such numbers.
(3) The term clear and conspicuous means a notice that would be
apparent to the reasonable consumer, separate and distinguishable from
the advertising copy or other disclosures. With respect to facsimiles
and for purposes of paragraph (a)(4)(iii)(A) of this section, the
notice must be placed at either the top or bottom of the facsimile.
(4) The term emergency purposes means calls made necessary in any
situation affecting the health and safety of consumers.
(5) The term established business relationship for purposes of
telephone solicitations means a prior or existing relationship formed
by a voluntary two-way communication between a person or entity and a
residential subscriber with or without an exchange of consideration, on
the basis of the subscriber's purchase or transaction with the entity
within the eighteen (18) months immediately preceding the date of the
telephone call or on the basis of the subscriber's inquiry or
application regarding products or services offered by the entity within
the three months immediately preceding the date of the call, which
relationship has not been previously terminated by either party.
(i) The subscriber's seller-specific do-not-call request, as set forth
in paragraph (d)(3) of this section, terminates an established business
relationship for purposes of telemarketing and telephone solicitation
even if the subscriber continues to do business with the seller.
(ii) The subscriber's established business relationship with a
particular business entity does not extend to affiliated entities
unless the subscriber would reasonably expect them to be included given
the nature and type of goods or services offered by the affiliate and
the identity of the affiliate.
(6) The term established business relationship for purposes of
paragraph (a)(4) of this section on the sending of facsimile
advertisements means a prior or existing relationship formed by a
voluntary two-way communication between a person or entity and a
business or residential subscriber with or without an exchange of
consideration, on the basis of an inquiry, application, purchase or
transaction by the business or residential subscriber regarding
products or services offered by such person or entity, which
relationship has not been previously terminated by either party.
(7) The term facsimile broadcaster means a person or entity that
transmits messages to telephone facsimile machines on behalf of another
person or entity for a fee.
(8) The term prior express written consent means an agreement, in
writing, bearing the signature of the person called that clearly
authorizes the seller to deliver or cause to be delivered to the person
called advertisements or telemarketing messages using an automatic
telephone dialing system or an artificial or prerecorded voice, and the
telephone number to which the signatory authorizes such advertisements
or telemarketing messages to be delivered.
(i) The written agreement shall include a clear and conspicuous
disclosure informing the person signing that:
(A) By executing the agreement, such person authorizes the seller to
deliver or cause to be delivered to the signatory telemarketing calls
using an automatic telephone dialing system or an artificial or
prerecorded voice; and
(B) The person is not required to sign the agreement (directly or
indirectly), or agree to enter into such an agreement as a condition of
purchasing any property, goods, or services.
(ii) The term "signature" shall include an electronic or digital form
of signature, to the extent that such form of signature is recognized
as a valid signature under applicable federal law or state contract
law.
(9) The term seller means the person or entity on whose behalf a
telephone call or message is initiated for the purpose of encouraging
the purchase or rental of, or investment in, property, goods, or
services, which is transmitted to any person.
(10) The term sender for purposes of paragraph (a)(4) of this section
means the person or entity on whose behalf a facsimile unsolicited
advertisement is sent or whose goods or services are advertised or
promoted in the unsolicited advertisement.
(11) The term telemarketer means the person or entity that initiates a
telephone call or message for the purpose of encouraging the purchase
or rental of, or investment in, property, goods, or services, which is
transmitted to any person.
(12) The term telemarketing means the initiation of a telephone call or
message for the purpose of encouraging the purchase or rental of, or
investment in, property, goods, or services, which is transmitted to
any person.
(13) The term telephone facsimile machine means equipment which has the
capacity to transcribe text or images, or both, from paper into an
electronic signal and to transmit that signal over a regular telephone
line, or to transcribe text or images (or both) from an electronic
signal received over a regular telephone line onto paper.
(14) The term telephone solicitation means the initiation of a
telephone call or message for the purpose of encouraging the purchase
or rental of, or investment in, property, goods, or services, which is
transmitted to any person, but such term does not include a call or
message:
(i) To any person with that person's prior express invitation or
permission;
(ii) To any person with whom the caller has an established business
relationship; or
(iii) By or on behalf of a tax-exempt nonprofit organization.
(15) The term unsolicited advertisement means any material advertising
the commercial availability or quality of any property, goods, or
services which is transmitted to any person without that person's prior
express invitation or permission, in writing or otherwise.
(16) The term personal relationship means any family member, friend, or
acquaintance of the telemarketer making the call.
(g) Beginning January 1, 2004, common carriers shall:
(1) When providing local exchange service, provide an annual notice,
via an insert in the subscriber's bill, of the right to give or revoke
a notification of an objection to receiving telephone solicitations
pursuant to the national do-not-call database maintained by the federal
government and the methods by which such rights may be exercised by the
subscriber. The notice must be clear and conspicuous and include, at a
minimum, the Internet address and toll-free number that residential
telephone subscribers may use to register on the national database.
(2) When providing service to any person or entity for the purpose of
making telephone solicitations, make a one-time notification to such
person or entity of the national do-not-call requirements, including,
at a minimum, citation to 47 CFR 64.1200 and 16 CFR 310. Failure to
receive such notification will not serve as a defense to any person or
entity making telephone solicitations from violations of this section.
(h) The administrator of the national do-not-call registry that is
maintained by the federal government shall make the telephone numbers
in the database available to the States so that a State may use the
telephone numbers that relate to such State as part of any database,
list or listing system maintained by such State for the regulation of
telephone solicitations.
[ 68 FR 44177 , July 25, 2003, as amended at 68 FR 59131 , Oct. 14, 2003;
69 FR 60316 , Oct. 8, 2004; 70 FR 19337 , Apr. 13, 2005; 71 FR 25977 , May
3, 2006; 71 FR 56893 , Sept. 28, 2006; 71 FR 75122 , Dec. 14, 2006; 73 FR 40185 , July 14, 2008; 77 FR 34246 , June 11, 2012]
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