United States

DNC Registry & Opt-Out Management Guide

How to manage the National DNC Registry, internal DNC lists, and opt-out compliance for outbound calling campaigns.
Last updated: June 25, 2026

Key Rule

Call centres must scrub contact lists against the National DNC Registry within 31 days of each campaign launch. Internal opt-out requests must be honoured within 30 days.

Overview

The National Do Not Call Registry, maintained by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), lists consumer telephone numbers that have requested no telemarketing contact. As of 2026, over 244 million numbers are registered. Call centres that dial registered numbers without an applicable exemption face fines of up to $51,744 per call. Effective DNC management requires automated registry scrubbing, internal DNC list maintenance, and real-time opt-out processing.

In-Depth Guidance

Compliance Checklist

  • Subscribe to National DNC Registry via an FTC-licensed data provider Required
  • Scrub all contact lists within 31 days before every campaign launch Required
  • Maintain a separate internal company-level DNC list Required
  • Process agent-recorded opt-out requests within 30 days (immediate is best practice) Required
  • Propagate opt-outs across all active campaigns, not just the one where the request was made Required
  • Verify EBR exceptions — confirm purchase date or inquiry date is within applicable window
  • Scrub against applicable state DNC lists in addition to National Registry
  • Retain DNC scrub records and opt-out logs for a minimum of 5 years
  • Train agents to correctly record and escalate opt-out requests in real time

Penalties & Fines

Calling a National DNC-registered number

FTC civil penalties — per-call basis

Up to $51,744 per call

Failing to maintain an internal DNC list

Applies to any call placed to a person who previously opted out

Up to $51,744 per call

Delayed opt-out processing (beyond 30 days)

Each subsequent call after the 30-day window is a separate violation

Up to $51,744 per call

Automated DNC Scrubbing & Real-Time Opt-Out

Klozer.io automatically scrubs contact lists against the National DNC Registry and propagates opt-out requests across all active campaigns in real time.