Consumer FAQs

The National Do Not Call List (DNCL) gives consumers a choice about whether to receive telemarketing calls. The National DNCL Rules set out responsibilities for Canada’s telemarketers and clients of telemarketers.

As a consumer, you can choose to reduce the number of telemarketing calls you receive by registering your personal telephone number, including landline, wireless, fax or VoIP on the National DNCL.

No, the registration is free.

When you register on the National DNCL, you will receive fewer telemarketing calls, but there are some exceptions including:

• Canadian registered charities
• political parties and candidates
• opinion polling firms or market research firms conducting surveys
• newspapers of general circulation calling to sell a subscription
• organizations that have a business relationship with you, for example:
  • you’ve done business with the organization in the last 18 months
  • you’ve inquired about the organization's products or services in the last 6 months

For more information on exemptions, check Who Can Still Call You.

Whether or not you're registered on the National DNCL, you can reduce the number of telemarketing calls by adding your number to individual telemarketers’ do not call lists.

All telemarketers must keep their own internal do not call lists. When you receive a call, you can ask to have your number added to their do not call list, or you can contact the organization directly to have your number placed on their list.

Keep in mind that calls made by market research or polling firms are not considered telemarketing calls because they are not selling, leasing or renting products or services. Similarly, debt collection calls are not considered telemarketing calls. As such, these organizations do not have to keep internal do not call lists.

Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton Consulting Inc. was contracted by the CRTC to act as the National DNCL Operator. The Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules (the Rules) are enforced by the CRTC.

Please see the Privacy Statement for more information. If you have further questions, please contact the National DNCL Privacy Officer or the CRTC Access and Privacy Officer.

You can register online or by phone.

Online:

• Select "Register your number " from the "For Consumers" tab and follow the instructions.
• The "Registration Results" page confirms that your phone number has been added to the National DNCL.

By phone, you must call from the phone number you want to register:

• Call 1-866-580-DNCL (1-866-580-3625); or
• Call 1-888-DNCL-TTY (1-888-362-5889) only if you are calling from a TTY device.

You’ll hear a message confirming that your phone number has been added to the National DNCL.

You can register your fax number on the National Do Not Call List online or by fax.

Online:

• Select "Register your number " from the "For Consumers" tab and follow the instructions.
• The "Registration Results" page confirms that your fax number has been added to the National DNCL.

By fax, you must send the fax from the fax machine you want to register:

• Send a fax to 1-888-DNCL-Fax (888-362-5329)
• Write the number you want to register (the number you’re faxing from) and the instruction: Please Register

When you register, your phone number is immediately added to the National DNCL. Telemarketers have 31 days to update their own lists, and you may receive calls within those first 31 days.

Once you register your number, it stays on the National DNCL permanently, and there is no need to re-register.

You can verify your registration online or by phone.

Online:

• Select "Check your registration " from the "For Consumers" tab and follow the instructions

By phone, you must call from the phone number you want to check your registration:

• Call toll-free 1-866-580-DNCL (1-866-580-3625) or
• Call toll-free 1-888-DNCL-TTY (1-888-362-5889) only if you are calling from a TTY device

Yes. If you are changing your residential, wireless, fax or VoIP number (for example, if you are moving), or if you wish to remove your number from the National DNCL for any other reason, you may do so by contacting the National DNCL Service Line from the number you wish to remove at:

1-866-580-DNCL (1-866-580-3625).

If you are calling from a TTY device, call:

1-888-DNCL-TTY (1-888-362-5889).

Your number will be removed within 24 hours.

No. The National DNCL is only for personal telephone numbers.

Your telephone number will be stored on the National DNCL. Telemarketers must access the National DNCL, at a minimum, every 31 days while making telemarketing calls and remove registered numbers from their calling lists.

Your telephone number will be accessible to the National DNCL Operator and telemarketers. If you make a complaint about a telemarketer, your number may also be used by the CRTC to investigate your complaint.

You can make a complaint if you have received a telemarketing call that you believe is in violation of any of the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules.

The full set of Rules can be found on the Telemarketing information page in the Consumers section of the CRTC website. . You can also read a condensed version of the Rules in the National Do Not Call List and Telemarketing Rules.

You can make a complaint online or by phone.

Online:

• Select "File a Complaint " from the "For Consumers" tab and follow the instructions

By phone (Agents are available to take your call Monday to Friday between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm.):

• Call toll-free 1-866-580-DNCL (1-866-580-3625) or
• Call 1-888-DNCL-TTY (1-888-362-5889) only if you are calling from a TTY device.

When filing a complaint, you must provide the following information:

• name and/or number of the telemarketer
• date of the telemarketing call
• nature of the complaint
• contact information, such as name, address, and telephone number

Things you should know before filing a complaint:

Your Contact Information is collected by the CRTC so that your complaint can be investigated thoroughly and to allow the CRTC to enforce the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules. If additional information is required, the CRTC will contact you to obtain further information about the nature and details of your complaint. For further information regarding the use and disclosure of personal information, please see the National Do Not Call List Privacy Statement.

If your complaint is about receiving a telemarketing call after you have been registered on the National DNCL for at least 31 days, note that the following calls are still allowed under the National DNCL rules:

• Canadian registered charities;
• A telemarketer with whom you are considered to have an existing business relationship. An existing business relationship occurs when you:
  • Purchase, lease, or rent a product or service in the last eighteen (18) months from the telemarketer;
  • Have a written contract with the telemarketer for a service that is still in effect or expired within the last eighteen (18) months; or
  • Ask a telemarketer about a product or service within the last six (6) months.
• Political parties, candidates (including those in federal, provincial and municipal elections), and associations of members of a political party;
• Persons collecting information for a market research or public opinion polls;
• Newspapers of general circulation for the purpose of soliciting subscriptions; or
• Persons or entities to whom you have provided express consent to be called.

You should also note that business-to-business calls are also exempt from the National DNCL Rules.

Learn more about Who can still call you.

Please note that the Telemarketing Rules and the Automated Dialing-Announcing Device Rules apply to telemarketing calls made to personal and business numbers..

Read more about how the CRTC handles complaints about telemarketing calls.

Keep a copy of the fax. You can file your complaint online or by phone. After completing this process, you will receive a Complaint ID number.

Clearly print this Complaint ID number on the fax you received, then send this fax (with the Complaint ID number printed on it) to 1-888-DNCL-Fax (888-362-5329).

You’ll receive a fax confirmation that your original fax was successfully received.

If you do not receive this confirmation, it means that the National DNCL Operator did not receive your fax. Please try again, making sure that the Fax ID number is clearly printed on the page you are faxing.

The CRTC will investigate your complaint to determine whether a violation occurred. They may contact you for further information relating to your complaint.

If a telemarketing company has broken any of the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules, the CRTC may impose a penalty of up $1,500 per violation for individuals and up to $15,000 per violation for corporations. For more information, see How the CRTC handles telemarketing complaints.

If you feel that an organization’s handling of your personal information breaks applicable privacy laws, contact that organization directly. You can also contact the Privacy Commissioner of Canada or your provincial privacy commissioner if you have questions.

Examples of privacy laws are the federal Privacy Act or the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

No. The National DNCL is a free service to all Canadians, and only you can register your phone number. The phone call you received may have been fraudulent. Contact The Canadian Anti Fraud Center (1-888-495-8501) to let them know about the call.

You may withdraw your complaint at any time by contacting the CRTC. The withdrawal of consent for a filed complaint may not result in abandonment of the complaint's investigation. The CRTC can be contacted at:

• Toll-free: 1-877-249-2782
• Local number: 819-997-0313
• Toll-free TTY device: 1-877-909-2782