National Do Not Call Registry: what it means in pay per call

National Do Not Call Registry: The FTC-run list of consumers who don't want telemarketing calls. Sellers and telemarketers must scrub against it and pay for area-code access above the first five.

How it works in pay per call

The Telemarketing Sales Rule bars most telemarketing calls to numbers on the Registry unless an exemption applies, such as an established business relationship or express written permission. Sellers must use a version of the Registry downloaded no more than 31 days before the call.

For FY2027 (from Oct 1, 2026), access costs $85 per area code per year, up to $23,425 for all area codes. The first five area codes are free. Each seller needs its own subscription, and subscriptions can't be shared across clients.

Many states keep their own DNC lists too, which is why most scrubbing vendors bundle state lists with the federal one.

Example

Example: a seller calling consumers in 12 area codes pays for 7 of them, since the first 5 are free. At the FY2027 rate of $85 per area code, that's $595 for the year.