FTC Adjusts Do Not Call Registry Fees for 2027

You might care about this because the Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, is changing the fees for businesses that use the National Do Not Call Registry. This registry helps people avoid unwanted telemarketing calls. Businesses pay to access lists of phone numbers on the registry so they do not call those numbers. This new rule increases these fees. Starting October 1, 2026, the annual fee for each area code of data will go from $82 to $85. The most a single business will pay for accessing many area codes will also go up, from $22,626 to $23,425. If a business adds more area codes during the second half of their yearly subscription, that fee will increase from $41 to $43. These fee adjustments are not random. They are required by a specific law passed in 2007 called the Do-Not-Call Registry Fee Extension Act. This law states that the fees must be updated regularly to account for changes in the cost of living, measured by the Consumer Price Index, or CPI. The FTC looked at the CPI and found that an increase was needed for the upcoming fiscal year. These changes are part of making sure the Do Not Call Registry continues to operate and protect consumers from unwanted calls, while businesses pay a fair amount for the service. This document is particularly interesting because it shows how specific laws can create automatic adjustments. The Do-Not-Call Registry Fee Extension Act of 2007 does not just set fees once. Instead, it includes a clear formula for how the Federal Trade Commission must update these fees each year. This means the FTC does not have discretion to decide whether to raise or lower the fees. It must follow the law's instructions based on economic data. The key piece of data used is the Consumer Price Index, which tracks changes in consumer prices. If the CPI changes by more than one percent since the last fee adjustment, the fees must be updated. This approach provides a predictable and objective way to keep the registry's funding current with economic conditions. It removes political influence from the fee adjustment process and ensures the registry has the resources it needs. This kind of automatic adjustment in a legal framework is a good example of how laws can be built to adapt over time without needing new legislation for every small change. People who would be most interested in this legal document include telemarketing companies and any businesses that rely on phone calls to reach potential customers. These are the entities that must access the National Do Not Call Registry to avoid calling people who do not want to be contacted. For these businesses, the updated fees directly impact their operating costs. Consumer protection advocates and groups will also find this document relevant. It shows how the Do Not Call Registry is maintained and funded, which helps protect consumers from unwanted calls. Lawyers and legal professionals who advise businesses on telemarketing compliance or consumer protection laws would also need to be aware of these changes. Finally, anyone interested in government regulations and how federal agencies implement specific laws, especially those tied to economic indicators like the Consumer Price Index, would find this document informative. It explains the process behind these adjustments and the legal framework that guides them.