National Do Not Call Registry

Information for Business

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) amended the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) to give consumers a choice about whether they want to receive most telemarketing calls. As of October 1, 2003, it is illegal for most telemarketers or sellers to call a number listed on the National Do Not Call Registry.

Who May or May Not Call?
How Does It Work?
FTC information and documents
Definitions (Organizations, Authorized Representative, Certification, Subscriptions, EIN/SSN, Area Codes)
Subscription Renewal Information
Passwords
Email Addresses
Assistance / Help Desk
Limits on use
Accessing telephone numbers and downloading files
File formats (Flat text, XML tagged)
Browsers
Exempt Organizations
Paying by Direct Debit/Electronic Funds Transfer
Subscribing to Area Codes

Who May or May Not Call?

Who is covered by the National Do Not Call Registry?

The National Do Not Call Registry applies to any plan, program, or campaign to sell goods or services through interstate phone calls. This includes telemarketers who solicit consumers, often on behalf of third party sellers. It also includes sellers who provide, offer to provide, or arrange to provide goods or services to consumers in exchange for payment.

The National Do Not Call Registry does not limit calls by political organizations, charities, or telephone surveyors.

For more information, please see FTC INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS below.

What about an established business relationship?

A telemarketer or seller may call a consumer with whom it has an established business relationship for up to 18 months after the consumer's last purchase, delivery, or payment - even if the consumer's number is on the National Do Not Call Registry. In addition, a company may call a consumer for up to three months after the consumer makes an inquiry or submits an application to the company. And if a consumer has given a company written permission, the company may call even if the consumer's number is on the National Do Not Call Registry.

One caveat: if a consumer asks a company not to call, the company may not call, even if there is an established business relationship. Indeed, a company may not call a consumer - regardless of whether the consumer's number is on the registry - if the consumer has asked to be put on the company's own do not call list.

For more information, please see FTC INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS below.

How Does it Work?

How will I access the National Do Not Call Registry?

Online at www.telemarketing.donotcall.gov

How will the National Do Not Call Registry work?

Starting January 1, 2005, telemarketers and sellers will be required to search the registry at least once every 31 days and drop from their call lists the phone numbers of consumers who have registered. Through December 31, 2004, telemarketers will have to update their lists every three months. The dedicated, fully automated and secure Web site at www.telemarketing.donotcall.gov will provide this information to telemarketers and sellers.

When an organization accesses the system for the first time, it will have to create a profile and provide some identifying information, such as organization name and address, authorized representative, and the representative's telephone number and email address. If an organization is accessing the registry on behalf of a client-seller, the organization may need to identify the client (or clients).

The only consumer information organizations will be able to access from the national registry is a registrant's telephone number. Consumers' phone numbers will be sorted and available by area code. Each organization accessing the registry data will be required to pay an annual fee based on the number of area codes the company accesses.

On subsequent visits to www.telemarketing.donotcall.gov, organizations will be able to download either a complete updated list of numbers from their selected area codes or a more limited list that shows additions or deletions since the last download.

A consumer who receives a telemarketing call despite being on the registry will be able to file a complaint with the FTC, either online or by calling a toll-free number. Violators could be fined up to $11,000 per incident.

FTC information and documents

Q&A for Telemarketers and Sellers about the Do Not Call Provisions of the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule

Information on the FTC's Rulemaking for the Final Amended Telemarketing Sales Rule

Business Guidance

Definitions

Definitions Of Organizations That May Use This Web Site And Pay For Access

Seller – includes any person or business who, in connection with a telemarketing transaction, provides, offers to provide, or arranges for others to provide goods or services to the customer in exchange for consideration. A Seller also may be a Telemarketer, if it is calling on its own behalf. Or a Seller may retain one or more Telemarketers to place calls for it. In either case, you should register as a "Seller".

Every Seller should subscribe, pay the appropriate fee, and agree to the certification requirements to receive a Subscription Account Number (SAN) with the National Do Not Call Registry. A Seller may direct a Telemarketer to complete the online subscription process for it, but the Seller must have its own subscription and SAN, separate from the Telemarketer's subscription and SAN.

Telemarketer ("TM") – includes any person or business who, in connection with telemarketing, initiates or receives telephone calls to or from a customer. If you are a Telemarketer, you may register as a "Telemarketer working for a Seller/Client" or as a "Telemarketer with Independent Access".

If a Telemarketer is working on behalf of its client – a Seller – the Seller must have a subscription with the Registry. The Telemarketer may access the Registry on behalf of the seller at no additional charge if the Telemarketer is authorized by the Seller to use the Seller's SAN. Any applicable fees should be paid by the Seller, or by the Telemarketer on that Seller's behalf. The Telemarketer may use the data it downloads only for that Seller. Telemarketers should understand that every Seller must have its own subscription to the Registry. At the direction of a Seller, a Telemarketer may complete the online subscription process and obtain a SAN for the Seller.
If a Telemarketer wishes to gain Independent Access to the Registry, it may obtain its own SAN by paying its own access fee and agreeing to the certification requirements. However, a Telemarketer with Independent Access may not use Registry data to place calls on behalf of Sellers unless each Seller has a SAN. That is, a Telemarketer cannot purchase the list once and then provide the data to all of its clients who have not paid the appropriate fees to access the Registry.

Service Provider ("SP") – includes any person or business that provides assistance to sellers or telemarketers to engage in telemarketing, such as list brokers and service bureaus.

If a Service Provider is working on behalf of its client – a Seller – the Seller must have a subscription with the Registry. The Service Provider may access the Registry on behalf of the seller at no additional charge if the Service Provider is authorized by the Seller to use the Seller's SAN. Any applicable fees should be paid by the Seller, or by the Service Provider on that Seller's behalf. The Service Provider may use the data it downloads only for that Seller. Service Providers should understand that every Seller must have its own subscription to the Registry. At the direction of a Seller, a Service Provider may complete the online subscription process and obtain a SAN for the Seller.
If a Service Provider wishes to gain Independent Access to the Registry, it may obtain its own SAN by paying its own access fee and agreeing to the certification requirements. However, a Service Provider with Independent Access may not use Registry data to place calls on behalf of Sellers unless each Seller has a SAN. That is, a Service Provider cannot purchase the list once and then provide the data to all of its clients who have not paid the appropriate fees to access the Registry.

Exempt Organizations ("EO") – includes any person or business that is exempt from both the FTC's and FCC's requirements to access the National Registry, but voluntarily chooses to access the information solely for the purpose of preventing telephone calls to telephone numbers in the National Registry. Exempt Organizations include charities or certain non-profit organizations, organizations engaged in political solicitations or surveys, or Sellers or Telemarketers that call ONLY consumers with whom they have an established business relationship or from whom they have obtained the express written agreement to call. See 16 CFR § 310.4(b)(1)(iii)(B)(i) and (ii). Entities that have been granted tax exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code are not necessarily Exempt Organizations for purposes of the National Do Not Call Registry. See, e.g., FTC v. National Consumer Council, Inc., and FTC v. Debt Management Foundation Services, Inc., at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2005/03/creditcouncel.htm. There, the FTC successfully challenged the status of a purported nonprofit organization whose role in fact was simply to generate leads for other firms which then charged consumers thousands of dollars in fees for their services. Exempt Organizations must wait three business days following the submission of their request to access registered telephone numbers before they may be given access to such numbers. For more information see EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS, below.

The following chart provides additional information for each type of organization:

Type of Organization	Who Must Pay?	Who Must Complete the Certification?	Who May Download the Information?	Who Owns the Subscription Account Number (SAN)?	May the Organization Transfer the SAN?
Seller who engages in its own telemarketing	Seller	Seller	Seller	Seller	Yes to one or more TM/SP
Seller who uses Telemarketer (TM) or Service Provider (SP)	Either Seller or TM/SP on behalf of Seller	Either Seller or TM/SP on behalf of Seller	Either Seller or TM/SP on behalf of Seller	Seller	Yes, to one or more TM/SP
Telemarketer or Service Provider on behalf of Seller/Client	TM/SP on behalf of Seller/Client or no one (if using existing SAN)	TM/SP on behalf of Seller/Client AND for themselves	TM/SP on behalf of Seller/Client	Seller/Client	No - Seller/Client owns the SAN
Telemarketer or Service Provider with "independent access"	TM/SP	TM/SP	TM/SP	TM/SP	NO
Exempt Organizations (EO)	No payment required or TM/SP if engaging in non-exempt telemarketing activities on behalf of EO	EO or TM/SP on behalf of EO	EO or TM/SP on behalf of EO	EO	Yes to one or more TM/SP
A Covered Seller is subject to the Federal Trade Commission's amended Telemarketing Sales Rule.

What is an EIN? What is an SSN?

An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a number assigned by the Internal Revenue Service to companies and organizations. You are required to enter your organization's EIN to create a profile, unless you are the sole owner or proprietor of the company or organization. An EIN has the format nn-nnnnnnn.

A Social Security Number (SSN) is a number assigned to an individual by the Social Security Administration. If you do not have an Employer Identification Number (EIN) because you are the organization's sole owner or proprietor, then you must enter your Social Security Number to create a profile. The SSN has the format nnn-nn-nnnn.

What area codes are in the National Registry?

The area codes in the National Do Not Call Registry cover the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, North Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and toll-free numbers (500, 800, 866, 877, 880, 881, 882, and 888).

Subscription Renewal Information

What is the process for renewing my subscription?

The National Registry began accepting subscription renewals on September 1, 2004. Organizations are notified of their expiration dates when they log on to the system. An organization may renew its subscription no earlier than one month before its subscription expires. Subscriptions are also renewable after they expire. The new 12-month subscription period will run from the first day of the month in which an organization renews. Or, if the organization renews during the month before its expiration, the new 12-month subscription will run from the first day of the next month - starting immediately after the old subscription ends.

When does my subscription expire?

Your subscription will expire twelve months after your subscription start date. Visit the Manage/Renew Subscription page to see your expiration date and renewal options.

Can I renew early?

You may be eligible to renew one month early. If you do, your new subscription will start when your current one expires. There is no overlap.

If you add new area codes to your upcoming subscription, you may not download them until your new subscription becomes active. As always, you may continue to download area codes in your current subscription.

Visit the Manage/Renew Subscription page to see your renewal options on the Manage/Renew Subscription page:

If you are eligible for early renewal, you will see an upcoming and a current option:
- Order Area Codes for your Upcoming Subscription
- Order Area Codes for your Current Subscription (Expires: dd mmm yyyy)
If you are not yet eligible for early renewal, you will only see the current subscription option:
- Order Area Codes for your Current Subscription (Expires: dd mmm yyyy)
If you purchase any area codes, they will be added to your existing subscription period, and will expire on the date shown.
If your subscription has expired or if you have no subscription, you will also see the current subscription option, but no expiration date:
- Order Area Codes for your Current Subscription
If you subscribe now, you will start a new subscription with a new twelve-month expiration date.

What happens if I don't renew early?

You may renew at any time, but if your current subscription expires, you will not be able to download area codes until you renew.

What is the easiest way to renew my area codes?

Use the Select from Last Subscription button on the Order Area Codes – Step 2 page to automatically select all area codes from your last subscription.

To use this feature select the third option, Area Code by Area Code Number, on the Step 1 page:

All Area Codes in the US
Area Codes by State
Area Codes by Area Code Number

Then, on the Step 2 page press the Select from Last Subscription button to select all your old area codes as a starting point. You may add or remove area codes before continuing.

How can I see the area codes in my upcoming, current or previous subscriptions?

Several pages let you view subscriptions (or clients) in the following time periods:

Previous subscription: Your expired subscription, as long as it is no more than a year old.
Current subscription: Your currently active subscription. This is the only subscription you can download area codes from.
Upcoming subscription: Your future subscription, created in the early renewal period.

Only one subscription is active at a time. When your current subscription expires, it becomes your previous subscription, and your upcoming subscription becomes your current subscription.

Why do I get a new SAN with my new subscription?

Your SAN (Subscription Account Number) is the key to your annual subscription. You must distribute your new SAN to any Telemarketers or Service Providers that work on your behalf if you want them to continue working for you.

To help you manage SANs, your new SAN will have the subscription start year appended to the end. For example, 1234-567890 -04 is a SAN that starts in 2004.

How do I manage my client's SANs?

Contact your current clients to get their new SANs, and add them on the Manage Clients page.

If you are a telemarketer that fully manages your client's profile, you must:

Log in using your client's ID and password (received when you initially created their profile);
Create their new subscription;
Log back in using your organization ID;
Add their new SAN as your client.

Do I need a new ID and password for my new SAN?

Your current ID and passwords are still good. Only your SAN changes when you create a new subscription. However, your passwords will expire after one year and you must then change them when you log in. You may also change your password at any time before it expires.

Passwords

Why are two passwords necessary?

The registry provides an organization with two passwords - one for the Authorized Representative, which allows access to all functions on this site, and a more limited download password, which only allows access to the Download, Contact Help Desk and View Area Codes functions. This affords the organization maximum flexibility. You may want more than one person in your organization to know how to access the National Registry, so that you are able to access the information whenever you need it. Once you receive your passwords, you should print and save them in a secure location.

What are the two passwords?

The password for Authorized Representative grants access to all functions on this Web site: Create Profile, Review/Update Profile, Subscribe and Pay, Manage Clients, Download Phone Numbers and Contact Help Desk.

The password for Download grants access to ONLY the Download Phone Numbers, Contact Help Desk and View Area Code functions.

What should I do when a password has been entered incorrectly too many times?

Wait 30 minutes, and then try to log in again. Make sure the Caps Lock is turned off and be careful when typing upper and lower case letters.

For security reasons, a password is temporarily deactivated when it has been entered incorrectly three times in 15 minutes. This is to prevent one method for automated attacks against the system. After 30 minutes, the password is reactivated.

If you still have trouble with the password, your Authorized Representative may get a new password by following the steps below (Forgot My Password). This creates a completely new password that is generated automatically. When you get a new password, use it immediately, because the previous password is invalid.

I forgot our Representative or our Download password. How do I get a new password?

Follow these steps:

Go to https://telemarketing.donotcall.gov/Login/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fReset%2fRequestReset.aspx
When the Forgot My Password page is displayed,
- enter your Organization ID
- enter your Authorized Representative email address
- select either Representative or Downloader
- click Submit.
An email will be sent to the Authorized Representative.
When the email comes, open it and click on the link.
At the prompt, enter your Organization ID, and then click Submit.
A page is displayed with the new password. Print this page for your reference.
Go to the Web site telemarketing.donotcall.gov.
Login with your Organization ID and the new password.

How do I change our Representative or Download password?

Start at the login screen. Click Change My Password. When the Change My Password screen appears, follow these steps:

Enter your Organization ID and the Representative Password.
Select either Representative or Download.
Enter the New Password twice.
Click Submit.

The screen will confirm that the password has been changed.

What are the rules for passwords?

A password must be at least eight characters. The characters must contain a combination of lower and upper case letters, numbers (digits 0 – 9), and either punctuation or symbols (such as a comma “,” or an asterisk “*”). For example: KljYYu=59.

You are allowed only three attempts to log in. If you do not correctly enter your Organization ID and the Representative or Download Password after three attempts in 15 minutes, your access will be temporarily deactivated.

Only the Authorized Representative for an organization may change passwords or request a new password for a forgotten one. Passwords must be changed at least once a year. A password may not be reused for two years.

How do I request the Organization ID or change the authorized representative email address?

Telemarketers requesting the Organization ID or changing the authorized representative email address will have to provide the following to the FTC Do Not Call Registry Help Desk:

The name of the Authorized Representative on the profile.
The last four digits of the company’s EIN or SSN.
The company’s phone number.
The email address of the new authorized representative.

Email Addresses

Why are two email addresses necessary?

The National Registry requires organizations to provide two email addresses in order to correctly email either the Authorized Representative or the person responsible for downloads. Both addresses may be the same, if the organization desires.

When you create or update your profile, the system automatically sends an email to both the Representative and to the Download addresses, to help ensure that the email addresses are correct. When you receive the email, you must open it and click on the link to confirm your email address.

What are the two email addresses?

The email address for Authorized Representative is the email address of the person identified as the organization's Authorized Representative. The National Do Not Call Registry sends email to this address in response to requests to reset forgotten passwords and to requests for assistance from the Help Desk. The Authorized Representative may also request a change list for downloading; the National Registry will send an email when the download is ready.

The email address for download is the email address to which the National Registry sends an email when a requested change list is ready for downloading.

Assistance/Help Desk

Help Desk Hours

The Help Desk's operational hours are 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except for Federal government holidays.

Federal Holidays

New Year's Day
Martin Luther King's Birthday
President's Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Columbus Day
Veteran's Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day

Help Desk Responses

During operational hours, the Help Desk will respond to requests for assistance within two hours of receipt. Otherwise, the Help Desk will respond within two hours of the start of normal business hours.

Email from the Help Desk

The Help Desk responds only via email. There is no phone number by which to contact the Help Desk. Lockheed Martin provides both Tier 1 and Tier 2 level support. Tier 1 elevates selected problems to Tier 2 or the FTC for guidance and resolution as needed.

Requesting Assistance

The Help Desk provides assistance only to those Telemarketers, Sellers and Exempt Organizations registered on the telemarketing web site. The Help Desk does not provide assistance to consumers or those with questions concerning the consumer do not call web site. The Help Desk can provide only technical assistance, not legal opinion. For legal advice, you may need to consult with an attorney.

In order to receive information from the Help Desk, a trouble ticket is created by filling in the form located on the Contact Help Desk page of the telemarketing web site (https://telemarketing.donotcall.gov/Login/Login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fhelp%2fhelpdesk.aspx) The system assigns a problem case number to the reported problem for tracking purposes. The organization's authorized representative and downloader, if applicable, will be sent an email response.

There may be cases when the Help Desk cannot be reached using the Telemarketing web site. In these rare cases an email can be sent directly to the Lockheed Martin Help Desk address (rm-FTChelp@lmbps.com). Please note that the Lockheed Martin Help Desk cannot assign a problem case number for tracking purposes or access database information to research problems.

Limits on Use

After 1 hour of no activity, your Web site session is automatically logged out. In order to continue using the Web site, you must log in again.

For downloads of full or change lists, each organization is limited to one download per file per day.

For the Interactive Phone Search, you may check for telephone numbers in the area code(s) you have subscribed to.

Accessing Telephone Numbers and Downloading Files

When are Full lists updated and available?

Full area code lists are updated every day and are usually available for download after 8:00 am ET each day.

What ways can I access telephone numbers?

A Full List Download is a download that contains all the registered telephone numbers within the area codes that are part of your organization's subscription. Downloads of multiple area codes or states have to be done by file. Each area code or state list is a discrete file. A download of the entire National Registry is one discrete file.

A Change List Download is a download that contains telephone numbers added to or deleted from the National Registry since the last time your organization downloaded its subscription. You will be notified by email when the change list download is ready, which may take up to 24 hours.

Interactive Phone Search allows you to enter an area code and up to 10 telephone numbers in that area code. For each telephone number entered, the system displays whether the number is Registered or Not Registered.

What kinds of files are downloaded?

A Flat Text File is a comma-delimited flat text file (for the full list) containing one area code and telephone number per line, separated by a comma. A comma-delimited text file (for the change list) has several data items per record, separated by commas.

A XML Tagged File is an XML tagged file containing both data and markers ("tags") with information in angle brackets that indicate the nature of the data.

The download files are compressed. What software can I use to uncompress a file?

Download files are compressed or zipped to make downloads faster and more secure.

Use any standard software for uncompressing or unzipping downloaded files. If you do not have this software installed on your computer, you can download it from one of the Web sites that offer such software:

www.pkware.com for PKZIP
www.winzip.com for WinZip

Note: The Federal Trade Commission and the National Do Not Call Registry do not endorse any Web sites, vendors or software products. This list is provided simply for your convenience.

How do I uncompress a file?

Generally, you will need to rename the downloaded file to conform to the conventions required by the decompression software you are using. For example, you may need to rename the file so it has a .ZIP file extension. After you rename the file, then click on it to launch the decompression software. For details, you should consult the documentation for your decompression software.

How large are the download files? How much disk space do they take?

The full list will grow larger as more telephone numbers are entered into the National Registry. The size of a change list depends on how long ago you downloaded a list and how many telephone numbers were added and deleted during that time.

The following table provides estimates of typical file sizes for the full list, but the sizes of the files you download may be different. The estimates are based on 70 million registered telephone numbers:

File Name	Uncompressed Size On Disk (Meg)	Compressed Download Size (Meg)
Global File (All States)	1796	335
California	211	39
Other Large States (TX,FL,NY)	117	21
Average States	28	6

Large Area Code	18	4
Average Area Code	5.7	1.2

How long will it take to download a file?

The time to download a file depends on the connection speed, Internet traffic and other conditions. The following table is based on the typical file sizes described above:

File Name	Download Speed in Minutes (56Kbps Dial Up)	Download Speed in Minutes(1Mbps DSL)
Global File (All States)	1045	59
California	121	6
Other Large States (TX,FL,NY)	65	4
Average States	18	2

Large Area Code	12	0.6
Average Area Code	3	0.2

How does downloading work?

Downloads work in different ways, depending on your list selection. Remember that before you can download registered telephone numbers, you must agree to the certification requirements of the National Registry.

If you choose to download a full list, you will see a list of the files for your subscription. For example, if you registered for 5 area codes, you will see each one listed; if you registered for 2 states, you will see each state listed; if you registered for all area codes, you will see a single file. Click on the file indicator, and then answer the dialog questions to save it to disk. If you have multiple files to download, repeat this process for each file. Be sure you have enough disk space to hold the downloaded files. Once the files are downloaded, you must uncompress them.

If you choose to download a change list, the National Registry will prepare a custom list of telephone numbers added to and deleted from the National Registry since your last download. When your change list is ready, you will receive an email at your download email address. This should be within 24 hours after you submit your request. Open the email and click on the link to start the download. Answer the dialog questions to save it to disk. Be sure you have enough disk space to hold the downloaded files. Once the change list is downloaded, you must uncompress it.

For change lists, you may also choose to set up a SOAP-based web service to automate downloads of the files. The compressed XML payload is similar to that of the XML change files. You must contact the Help Desk to obtain specific technical details and the WSDL specification for this service.

My download failed. What do I do?

Click on the Download Phone Numbers button again and follow the instructions to retry. If the problem persists, click on the Contact Help Desk button and fill out the form to report this to the Help Desk.

File Formats

The download files come in two different formats: Flat Text Files or XML Tagged Files . The sections below describe the contents of these file formats for full lists and for change lists. A full list in Flat Text file format looks different from a change list in Flat Text file format.

Flat Text File – Full List

The full list in a flat text file has one three-digit area code and seven-digit telephone number per line, with a linefeed at the end of each line:

123,4567890
123,4567890
123,4567890

Flat Text File – Change List

The change list in a flat text file has one record per line, with a linefeed at the end of each line. Each record has a 10-digit telephone number, a date and time stamp, and the transaction type (the letter A if the phone number was added or the letter D if the phone number was deleted).

1234567890,yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ss,A
1234567890,yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ss,A
1234567890,yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ss,D
9876543210,yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ss,A
9876543210,yyyy-mm-ddThh:mm:ss,D

XML Tagged File – Full List

When you receive the full list as an XML tagged file, an element indicates what level and value of data are contained in the file.

For the complete national list, the level is "all" and the value is null (Example 1)
For a state list, the level is "state" and the value is a 2 character state abbreviation, such as NY for New York (Example 2)
For an area code list, the level is "ac" and the value is the area code, such as 716 (Example 3)

Note: The XML files will not contain the extra white space shown below for formatting.

Example 1: National List

Example 2: State List

Example 3: Single Area Code List

XML Tagged File – Change List

The change list XML file has a 7-digit telephone number, a date and time stamp, and the transaction type (the letter A if the phone number was added or the letter D if the phone number was deleted.)

Note: The XML files will not contain the extra white space shown above for formatting.

Browsers

What browsers work best with the National Do Not Call Registry Web site?

This Web site has been tested with a variety of systems and web browsers. The most commonly used browsers are Internet Explorer (IE) and Netscape.

Note: The Federal Trade Commission and the National Do Not Call Registry do not endorse any of the following Web sites, vendors, or software products. This list is provided simply for your convenience.

For Internet Explorer, versions 6.0, 5.5, and 5.0 all work. If you need 6.0 or 5.5 service pack 2, visit the Web site http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.asp.

For Netscape, versions 7.x and 6.2 are supported. There are known problems with Netscape versions 6.0, 6.1 and 4.75. If you are using one of those versions, please upgrade to Netscape version 7.0; the Web site is http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jsp.

Note: The Browser cipher strength has to be set to 128-bit.

Exempt Organizations

What is an Exempt Organization?

See DEFINITIONS, for a definition of Exempt Organization.

In general, your organization is not required to access the National Do Not Call Registry, and thus may access as an Exempt Organization, if one or more of the following is true:

Your organization is not subject to either the FTC's or the FCC's jurisdiction. For example, a non-profit charitable organization may be an Exempt Organization, assuming, of course, that it is truly a non-profit. Entities that have been granted tax exempt status under the Internal Revenue Code are not necessarily Exempt Organizations for purposes of the National Do Not Call Registry. See, e.g., FTC v. National Consumer Council, Inc., and FTC v. Debt Management Foundation Services, Inc., at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2005/03/creditcouncel.htm
Your organization does not engage in any "telemarketing" or "telephone solicitation" activities, as defined by the FTC and FCC, respectively. For example, survey calls and political polling calls are not covered by the definition of "telemarketing" or "telephone solicitations." An organization that places ONLY these types of calls may be an Exempt Organization.
Your organization qualifies for one or more of the specific exemptions contained in the FTC's and FCC's rules, such as:
1. you only call to solicit charitable contributions; or
2. you only call consumers with whom you have an established business relationship; or
3. you only call consumers from whom you have received written permission to call; or
4. you only make business-to-business calls.

If you are a for-profit telemarketer, you are NOT an Exempt Organization, even if you call consumers on behalf of an Exempt Organization, such as a non-profit. See, e.g., National Federation of The Blind v. FTC, 420 F.3d 331 (4th Cir. 2005).

Additionally, you must be accessing the National Registry solely to prevent telephone calls to telephone numbers on the National Registry.

Whether your organization is exempt is a decision that requires an understanding of the FTC's and FCC's requirements, as well as your specific business practices. Therefore, whether you should subscribe as an Exempt Organization is a decision you must make. In making this decision, you may wish to consult with an attorney.

If you are not an Exempt Organization and you have nevertheless subscribed to the Registry as an Exempt Organization, you may be subject to civil and/or criminal penalties. If you subscribed as an Exempt Organization by mistake, and wish to withdraw your subscription, please contact the HELPDESK.

You may wish to consider the following materials when deciding whether to subscribe to the National Do Not Call Registry as an Exempt Organization:

The FTC Act at 15 U.S.C. §§ 41-58 and related case law.
The Communications Act at 47 U.S.C. §§ 151-757 and related case law.
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) at 47 USC §227 and related case law.
The Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud Abuse Prevention Act at 15 U.S.C. §§ 6101-6108 and related case law.
The Do Not Call Implementation Act at P.L.108-10, 117 Stat. 557, and related case law.
The Telemarketing Sales Rule at 16 C.F.R. § 310 and related Agency statements and case law.
The FCC's rules implementing the TCPA at 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200 and related Agency statements and case law.

NOTE: You may also want to review the requirements in those states in which you plan to do business and/or to which you plan to place calls. Many states prohibit calls to telephone numbers listed on the National Do Not Call Registry.

For more information, please see FTC INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS above.

Will the FTC tell me whether my organization is exempt?

No. It is up to you to ensure that you are complying with the rules, and whether you should subscribe as an Exempt Organization is a decision you must make. In making this decision, you may wish to consult with an attorney. The FTC does not provide legal advice.

How long will I have to wait before I can access the Registry?

Exempt organizations that apply to the National Do Not Call Registry must wait three business days before beginning to download the telephone numbers to which they have subscribed.

The chart below outlines how the waiting period works. The timing of the waiting periods depends on when you create your profile. The waiting period will begin on the NEXT business day after you complete your profile.

This chart is based on the normal, non-holiday schedule. For federal holidays, adjust the schedule accordingly. Click here to see a list of federal holidays.

EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS If you Create Your Profile on...	Check Your Status for Activation on...
Monday	Friday
Tuesday	Monday
Wednesday	Tuesday
Thursday	Wednesday
Friday	Thursday
Saturday or Sunday	Thursday

Will I be contacted?

Not necessarily. However if you are contacted and you do not respond adequately, you will be blocked from accessing the Registry. Whether you are contacted or not, it is up to you to ensure that you are complying with the rules.

If I am not contacted, does that mean that my organization’s access to the Registry as an Exempt Organization has been approved by the FTC?

No. It is up to you to ensure that you are complying with the rules. Your access to the Registry as an Exempt Organization is not approved by the FTC.

What if I am not an Exempt Organization?

If you are not an Exempt Organization and you have nevertheless subscribed to the Registry as an Exempt Organization, you may be subject to civil and/or criminal penalties. If you subscribed as an Exempt Organization by mistake and wish to withdraw your subscription, please contact the HELP DESK.

What if I have more questions?

For technical assistance, please contact the HELP DESK.

The Help Desk can provide only technical assistance, not legal opinion. For legal advice, you may need to consult with an attorney.

Paying by Direct Debit/Electronic Funds Transfer

If your organization pays for its subscription using direct debit from a bank account (also known as electronic funds transfer by entering the bank ACH number at the Pay.Gov Web site), you must wait until after your payment clears before you can begin downloading from the Registry. Generally, payments take between three to five full business days to clear. However, it is possible for payments to take longer before they will clear.

Please note that the length of time you must wait before your payment clears will depend on when you submit your payment for processing. Keep in mind:

if you submit your payment before 8 PM EST, then your payment will begin processing the next full business day;
if you submit your payment after 8 PM EST, then your payment will begin processing the second full business day; and,
waiting periods do NOT include weekends or holidays.

For example, if you submit your payment on a Monday, BEFORE 8 PM EST, and there are no holidays during that week, then your payment will generally clear by close-of-business on Thursday, and you will be able to begin downloading data from the registry on Friday. Alternatively, if you submit your payment on a Monday, AFTER 8 PM EST, and there are no holidays during that week, then your payment will generally clear by close-of-business on Friday, and you will be able to begin downloading data from the registry on the following Monday.

Subscribing to Area Codes

Do I need to pay for area codes that change (Split)?

Occasionally, area codes will be "split" into other area codes to provide more numbers to a densely populated area. For example, area code 909 may be divided into 909 and 951. When this occurs, telemarketers who want those numbers will be required to subscribe to the new area code (assuming they have not already) and pay the appropriate amount if the new area code exceeds their limit of five "no-cost" area codes. If the purchase is made after a six-month period of having a Subscription Account Number (SAN) the amount will be reduced. If you have subscribed to all area codes (the Global list) you will not be required to purchase the new area code.