The National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry is a U.S. federal list of phone numbers of people who have said they do not want most telemarketing sales calls. It is created under the Telemarketing Sales Rule and is operated and managed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Consumers can add a home or mobile number for free by going to DoNotCall.gov or by calling 1‑888‑382‑1222 (TTY 1‑866‑290‑4236) from the phone they want to register. Registration does not expire. To remove a number, the FTC instructs consumers to call 1‑888‑382‑1222 from that phone; the number is removed from the Registry by the next day, and telemarketers must update their lists within 31 days.
A "complaint" in this context is any report a consumer files with the FTC about an unwanted or potentially illegal call, usually via DoNotCall.gov or ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The report typically includes the consumer’s number, the caller ID number, when the call occurred, and what the call was about (for example, a sales pitch, robocall, or imposter scam).
The FTC aggregates complaint and Registry data to spot patterns (such as repeat caller IDs, topics, or originating carriers) and uses that information to identify targets for investigations and lawsuits. It also shares a daily list of Do Not Call and robocall complaints, including caller ID numbers and timestamps, with telecom providers and analytics companies to improve call‑blocking and labeling tools, and publishes annual Data Books and biennial reports that guide enforcement strategy and coordination with other agencies.
Yes. Being on the DNC Registry only blocks most telemarketing sales calls. Under FTC rules, the following types of calls are generally exempt: political calls, calls directly from charities or other non‑profits (though telemarketers calling on a charity’s behalf must honor the Registry), debt‑collection calls, purely informational calls (like flight changes or appointment reminders), and surveys—as long as they do not include a sales pitch. Companies may also call if you have an existing business relationship or have given written permission, until you tell them to stop.
Violating the Do Not Call rules is a violation of the FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule. The FTC (often via the Department of Justice) can seek civil penalties of up to $50,120 per illegal call, court orders that ban companies and individuals from telemarketing, and orders requiring restitution or disgorgement of ill‑gotten gains. Past enforcement cases have resulted in multimillion‑dollar judgments and permanent bans on telemarketing for companies that made unlawful calls to numbers on the Registry or placed illegal robocalls.