Legal calling hours by time zone
Federal rules allow sales calls from 8 AM to 9 PM in the time zone of the person you’re calling. The table below turns that window into your own time, and the notes cover the states that set tighter limits.
The 8 AM to 9 PM window, from where you are
Rows are the time zone you’re calling into. Columns are the time zone you’re calling from. Times update for daylight saving automatically.
| Calling into | Eastern | Central | Mountain | Arizona | Pacific |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern | 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM | 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM | 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM | 5:00 AM to 6:00 PM | 5:00 AM to 6:00 PM |
| Central | 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM | 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM | 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM | 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM | 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM |
| Mountain | 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM | 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM | 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM | 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM | 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM |
| Arizona | 11:00 AM to 12:00 AM | 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM | 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM | 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM | 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM |
| Pacific | 11:00 AM to 12:00 AM | 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM | 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM | 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM | 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM |
| Alaska | 12:00 PM to 1:00 AM | 11:00 AM to 12:00 AM | 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM | 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM | 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM |
| Hawaii | 2:00 PM to 3:00 AM | 1:00 PM to 2:00 AM | 12:00 PM to 1:00 AM | 11:00 AM to 12:00 AM | 11:00 AM to 12:00 AM |
The federal rule
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act and the FCC rules under it (47 CFR 64.1200) bar telephone solicitations to a residence before 8 AM or after 9 PM, measured at the called party’s location. The rule applies to calls made to sell goods or services, and it sits alongside the National Do Not Call Registry and the rules on autodialed and prerecorded calls.
Stricter states
Twenty states set tighter rules for sales calls than the federal window. Some start later or end earlier, some ban calls on Sundays or holidays, and three cap how many calls one person can get in a day. The hours are in the called person’s local time, like the federal rule.
| State | Sales calls allowed |
|---|---|
| Alabama Ala. Admin. Code r. 770-X-5-.17 | Mon–Sat 8 AM–8 PM No Sundays or holidays |
| Connecticut Conn. Gen. Stat. § 42-288a | 9 AM–8 PM |
| Florida Fla. Stat. § 501.616 | 8 AM–8 PM No more than 3 calls to the same person in 24 hours |
| Kentucky KRS 367.46955 | 10 AM–9 PM |
| Louisiana La. R.S. 45:811 | Mon–Sat 8 AM–8 PM No Sundays or holidays |
| Maryland Md. Code, Com. Law § 14-4502 | 8 AM–8 PM No more than 3 calls to the same person in 24 hours |
| Massachusetts M.G.L. c. 159C § 3 | 8 AM–8 PM |
| Michigan MCL 750.540e | 9 AM–9 PM |
| Minnesota Minn. Stat. § 325E.30 | 9 AM–9 PM |
| Mississippi Miss. Code § 77-3-723 | Mon–Sat 8 AM–8 PM No Sundays |
| Nevada NRS 598.0918 | 9 AM–8 PM |
| New Mexico NMSA § 57-12-22 | 9 AM–9 PM |
| Oklahoma 15 O.S. § 775C.4 | 8 AM–8 PM No more than 3 calls to the same person in 24 hours |
| Pennsylvania 73 P.S. § 2245 | 8 AM–9 PM through Oct 17, 2026 From Oct 18, 2026: Mon–Sat 9 AM–7 PM (Act 47 of 2026) No legal holidays, and no Sundays from Oct 18 |
| Rhode Island R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 5-61-2, 5-61-3.6 | Mon–Fri 9 AM–6 PM Sat 10 AM–5 PM No Sundays or state or federal holidays |
| South Dakota SDCL 37-30A-3 | Mon–Sat 9 AM–9 PM No Sundays |
| Texas Tex. Bus. & Com. Code § 301.051 | Mon–Sat 9 AM–9 PM Sun noon–9 PM |
| Utah Utah Code § 13-25a-103 | Mon–Sat 8 AM–9 PM No Sundays or holidays |
| Washington RCW 80.36.390 | 8 AM–8 PM |
| Wyoming Wyo. Stat. § 40-12-302 | 8 AM–8 PM |
Every other state, DC and the territories use the federal 8 AM to 9 PM window. That includes Illinois, New Jersey and North Dakota, which some tables online list as stricter. We checked each statute above on September 26, 2026, but state rules change often, so check the current statute for every state on your list.
Parse applies these rules for you. Each US number in your CRM or dialer gets a ✓ when a sales call is allowed right now and a ✗ when it isn’t, based on the federal window or the state’s own hours. It also tells you when that changes, and which rule it used.
Area codes and moved numbers
An area code tells you where a number was first assigned. People keep their mobile numbers when they move, so a 212 number may belong to someone in Denver, and a few area codes cross a time zone line. When you have a ZIP code or a street address, use it to confirm the time zone before calling. Our area code pages mark the codes that cross a line, and the bulk lookup resolves ZIP codes as well as numbers.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Pea isn’t a law firm.
Questions
What are the legal hours for sales calls in the US?
Under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, telephone solicitations are allowed between 8 AM and 9 PM in the called person’s local time. Several states set narrower windows.
Whose time zone counts, mine or theirs?
Theirs. The rule is written around the local time at the called party’s location, so a 9 AM call from New York to Los Angeles lands at 6 AM and breaks it.
Do the hours apply to every call?
They apply to telephone solicitations, meaning calls that encourage someone to buy goods or services. Calls to existing customers, informational calls and calls with prior express invitation can fall under different rules, so check with counsel for your case.
Check the time before every call
Parse puts the called party’s local time beside each number in your CRM or dialer, so the window is visible before you dial.