TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act)

The TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act), enacted in 1991, is the primary US regulation governing phone-based marketing. It's critical for pay-per-call operators, especially those in outbound calling or lead capture.

Key TCPA rules:

**Prior Written Consent**: Before calling a consumer for telemarketing or lead generation, you must have written consent. This consent can be implicit (the consumer filled out a form on your website requesting a call) or explicit (they checked a box agreeing to be called).

**Do-Not-Call Registry**: You must maintain and query the National Do-Not-Call Registry. Do not call any number on the registry (with limited exceptions for established business relationships).

**Caller ID Requirements**: Caller ID must display accurate information (your company name and phone number). Spoofed or false caller IDs are prohibited.

**Autodialed Calls**: Calls made using an autodialer (including callbacks from IVR systems) have stricter rules. You need written consent and must allow easy opt-out.

**Time Restrictions**: No calls before 8am or after 9pm in the recipient's timezone.

**Opt-Out**: Consumers must be able to opt out from future calls. You must maintain an internal do-not-call list and honor opt-out requests.

**Damages**: Violating TCPA can result in $500-$1,500 per call in statutory damages. A single bad campaign (10,000 non-compliant calls) can cost $5M-$15M.

For inbound pay-per-call (consumers calling you), TCPA is less restrictive. Inbound calls are typically compliant if the consumer initiated the call. But outbound callbacks (lead capture forms → auto-outbound calling) must comply with TCPA.

CallMatrix's lead capture forms and callback features include TCPA compliance tools: consent capture, opt-out management, caller ID accuracy, and time-based routing (no calls before 8am).