Australia's Do Not Call Register is a free list of home, personal mobile and fax numbers whose owners don't want telemarketing calls. If your business makes marketing calls, you must check, or wash, your calling list against it first. Once a number's been registered for 30 days, you can only call it with the person's consent, or if you're exempt.
The register doesn't block anything. The ACMA describes it as a do-not-disturb sign: it works because businesses check their lists against it before calling. So the legal duty sits with you, the caller.
Here's what counts as telemarketing, how washing works, and the rules that apply even when you're allowed to call.
What counts as telemarketing
The ACMA defines telemarketing as any call where the caller aims to promote or advertise goods or services. These aren't telemarketing:
- calls about collecting a debt,
- appointment reminders,
- product recall calls,
- research or survey calls, though these still have to follow the other calling rules.
One trap: a research call with a commercial purpose, even a minor one, counts as telemarketing and can't go to a registered number.
Which numbers can be registered
People can register a home phone, a personal mobile or a fax number. Business numbers can't be registered, but a phone used for both business and personal calls can go on the register if personal use is more than half of the total.
That matters for small businesses: a sole trader's mobile may well be on the register, so don't assume a list of business contacts is safe to call without washing it.
How to wash your calling list
- Apply for a washing services account with the Do Not Call Register. You need one even for the free option.
- Choose your account type. Ad hoc callers washing up to 500 numbers a year can use the free option.
- Upload your list and download the result with registered numbers flagged.
- Remove flagged numbers unless you have that person's consent to call.
- Wash again regularly. The 30-day rule means a number registered today becomes off limits to you 30 days later.
A tip from the register's own FAQs: when you export a washed list to Excel, the leading zero can be cut off, so check your numbers before you dial.
Who's exempt
Some organisations can call registered numbers, though they still follow the other rules below. The ACMA lists:
- government organisations and agencies,
- registered charities,
- educational institutions calling current or former students,
- registered political parties, members of parliament and election candidates.
Most small businesses aren't exempt, so consent is your route to calling a registered number. And people can withdraw consent at any time.
The rules every caller must follow
Even exempt callers, and calls to numbers that aren't registered, must:
- only call at permitted times,
- give their name, their employer's name and, if calling for someone else, that business's name too,
- say why they're calling,
- end the call if asked, or if the person shows they don't want to continue,
- show caller ID with a return number.
| Type of call | Monday to Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telemarketing | 9am to 8pm | 9am to 5pm | Not allowed |
| Research | 9am to 8.30pm | 9am to 5pm | 9am to 5pm |
No calls on national public holidays. If someone has consented to a call at another time, keep a note of that, because it's the exception you'll need to show if anyone questions the timing.
Consent: what it looks like in practice
Consent is your main route to calling a registered number, so make it clear. Ask in plain words whether the person is happy for your business to call them about your products or services, and record the date, the method and what they agreed to. Keep that record with the contact, not in someone's head.
Remember that people can withdraw consent whenever they like. The ACMA says so plainly, and if someone tells you to stop, treat it as final and update your list straight away so a colleague doesn't call them next week.
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Scam calls and the register
The ACMA is honest that the register is unlikely to stop scam calls, because scammers ignore the rules. If you're on the receiving end, a legitimate caller won't mind you hanging up and calling back on a number you've verified yourself, such as one from their official website. Report scam calls to Scamwatch.
The personal details you collect for calls fall under the Australian Privacy Principles.
Complaints and enforcement
People on the register can complain to the ACMA about a telemarketing call they didn't consent to, or about any broken rule, and the ACMA can investigate. If you're making calls, keep records of where each number came from, when you washed it and any consent you hold.
For email and text, see the Spam Act rules for email and SMS.
Better than cold calls
If washing, calling hours and consent records feel like a lot, they are, which is why many small businesses get better results from people who've already raised their hand. A follow-up call to someone who asked for a quote is a very different conversation. If you do call, our cold call opening lines help you open well, and our guide to cold emails that get replies covers the written route, which has its own rules under the Spam Act.
My advice: wash every list, every time, and keep the record. It's the simplest protection you have against an ACMA complaint.
Frequently asked questions
How does the Do Not Call Register work for businesses?
Businesses wash their calling lists against the register before making telemarketing calls. Once a number's been registered for 30 days, you need consent or an exemption to call it.
Can business numbers go on the Do Not Call Register?
No, but a phone used for both business and personal calls can be registered if personal use is more than half.
Is there a free way to wash a calling list?
Yes. Ad hoc callers washing up to 500 numbers a year can use the free option, but still need a washing services account.
What hours can telemarketers call in Australia?
9am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm Saturday, and not on Sundays or national public holidays.
Who is exempt from the Do Not Call Register?
Government agencies, registered charities, educational institutions calling students, and registered political parties, MPs and candidates.
Are appointment reminders telemarketing?
No. The ACMA says calls about appointment reminders, debt collection and product recalls aren't telemarketing, because they don't promote anything.
