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
Some states set a narrower window for sales calls. Florida, under the Florida Telephone Solicitation Act, and Oklahoma, under its Telephone Solicitation Act, both end the window at 8 PM. Other states limit calls on Sundays or legal holidays, or cap how many times a number can be called in a day. State rules change often, so check the current statute for every state on your list.
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 Labs 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.