Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) establishes federal restrictions on certain telephone calls and text messages, with requirements depending on how a message is sent, its purpose, and the recipient. The Federal Communications Commission administers important implementing rules, including consent standards for covered autodialed or prerecorded communications. Some telemarketing situations require prior express written consent, while other categories have different rules.

Businesses conducting call or SMS campaigns must examine the actual technology, message purpose, consent record, opt-out handling, and the laws applicable to each recipient. Consent for an ordinary service update should not automatically be treated as permission for unrelated promotional outreach. State laws, do-not-call rules, and carrier policies can impose additional obligations.

This term describes a statutory framework, not a guarantee that a particular CRM or text-message provider is compliant. Because court decisions and agency rules can alter interpretation, legal claims about a specific marketing program require current review rather than a generic checklist.