Cold calling laws differ by country on four questions: do you need prior consent or only respect a do-not-call list, are there legal calling hours, are business-to-business calls covered, and what must the caller display and say. This guide compares the 14 countries where Skipcall includes a local number in its base plan, with the official text and the regulator for each.
For one specific call, on a given date and time, the Cold Calling Compliance Checker applies these rules to your case, source by source.
Cold calling laws by country: the summary table
| Country | Calling consumers | Calling businesses | Opt-out list | Legal hours | Regulator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Opt-out | Largely exempt at federal level | National Do Not Call Registry | 8am-9pm, stricter in some states | FTC, FCC |
| Canada | Opt-out | Exempt from the DNCL, hours still apply | National DNCL | 9am-9:30pm, weekends 10am-6pm | CRTC |
| United Kingdom | Opt-out | Opt-out | TPS and CTPS | None | ICO |
| France | Prior consent since 11 August 2026 | Outside the Consumer Code, GDPR | None (Bloctel abolished) | Mon-Fri 10am-1pm, 2pm-8pm | DGCCRF, CNIL |
| Germany | Prior express consent | At least presumed consent | None | None | Bundesnetzagentur |
| Austria | Prior consent | Prior consent | None | None | Fernmeldebüro |
| Switzerland | Opt-out | Opt-out (asterisk) | Directory asterisk | None | SECO, criminal complaint |
| Netherlands | Consent, customers included since 1 July 2026 | Companies outside the text (inferred) | None (Bel-me-niet abolished) | None (industry code) | ACM |
| Belgium | Opt-out | Same regime (inferred) | Do Not Call Me | None | FPS Economy |
| Luxembourg | Prior consent | Companies outside the text | None | None | CNPD |
| Spain | Consent or strict legitimate interest | Legitimate interest presumed | Lista Robinson | Mon-Fri 9am-9pm | AEPD |
| Italy | Opt-out | Opt-out, register included | Registro pubblico delle opposizioni | None (code of conduct) | Garante privacy |
| Sweden | Opt-out | Outside s. 21 (inferred) | NIX-Telefon | None | Konsumentverket |
| Finland | Opt-out | GDPR | ASML Robinson service | None | KKV, Data Protection Ombudsman |
Hours are the called person’s local time: When to call your prospects converts them into your own time zone.
United States: TCPA, Telemarketing Sales Rule and state laws
Consumers. Opt-out: scrub against the National Do Not Call Registry, using a version no older than 31 days. Calls are allowed from 8am to 9pm, the called party’s local time, any day (47 CFR § 64.1200(c)). Several states are stricter: 8am to 8pm in Florida, Oklahoma, Maryland and Washington, 9am to 8pm in Connecticut, noon to 9pm on Sundays in Texas, and 3 calls per 24 hours on the same subject in Florida, Oklahoma and Maryland.
B2B. Calls to businesses are exempt from the Telemarketing Sales Rule (except misrepresentation) and business numbers are not on the national registry. Maryland’s hours and call cap appear to cover B2B calls too. A mobile used for both work and personal life is a grey area: see cold calling cell phones.
Internal list, caller ID, recording. A do-not-call request must be honored within 10 business days and kept for 5 years. Caller ID must be transmitted (47 CFR § 64.1601(e)), and the caller must give their name, the company and a contact number or address (§ 64.1200(d)). Federal law allows one-party consent recording, but around a dozen states require all parties to agree: see call recording laws for businesses.
Regulators and penalties. FTC and FCC. In a private action, $500 per call, up to $1,500 if the violation is willful (47 U.S.C. § 227(c)(5)).
Sources: 47 CFR § 64.1200, 16 CFR part 310. The full B2B picture is in Is cold calling legal?, and the latest changes in TCPA rule changes, November 2026.
Canada: the National DNCL and CRTC hours
Consumers. Opt-out: check the National DNCL, using a version no older than 31 days. Calls from 9am to 9:30pm on weekdays and 10am to 6pm at weekends, in the called person’s time zone.
B2B. Exempt from the national list rules, but calling hours, your internal do-not-call list and registration with the DNCL operator still apply.
Internal list and identification. A do-not-call request is added within 14 days and kept for 3 years and 14 days. Identify yourself at the start of the call and display a number that can be called back.
Regulator. The CRTC, which can impose administrative monetary penalties. Recording: tell the person, under the federal privacy law (PIPEDA).
Sources: CRTC Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules, National DNCL FAQ.
United Kingdom: TPS and CTPS
Regime. Opt-out: do not call a number registered with the TPS (individuals and sole traders) or the CTPS (companies), or anyone who asked you to stop (PECR 2003, reg. 21). A registration applies 28 days after it is made. Since 5 February 2026, an unanswered attempt counts as a call.
Caller ID and hours. Show a number you can be called back on and give your name (reg. 21 and 24). No legal calling hours.
Regulator and penalties. The ICO. Since the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 took effect on 5 February 2026, the maximum PECR fine has risen from £500,000 to £17.5 million or 4% of worldwide turnover. Recording: UK GDPR, tell the person.
Sources: PECR reg. 21, PECR reg. 24.
France: prior consent for consumers since 11 August 2026
Consumers. Calling a consumer who has not consented beforehand is prohibited (Consumer Code, art. L. 223-1, rewritten by Law No. 2025-594). Consent lasts one year at most and its proof is kept three years. Exceptions: an ongoing contract with a call about it, and press subscriptions. The Bloctel opt-out list disappeared with the reform.
Hours and frequency. Monday to Friday, 10am to 1pm and 2pm to 8pm, never on a public holiday, at most 4 attempts per 30 days, unanswered calls included (art. D. 223-9).
B2B. These rules protect consumers. Between businesses, the GDPR applies: legitimate interest, informing the person, honoring their objection. A sole trader called on a personal mobile is protected like a consumer.
Identification and penalties. State your identity and the commercial nature of the call at the start (art. L. 221-16 ff.). Administrative fines up to €75,000 for an individual and €375,000 for a company (art. L. 242-16), and any resulting contract is void.
Sources: Consumer Code, art. L. 223-1, Decree No. 2026-662.
Germany: express consent, presumed consent in B2B
Consumers. A sales call to a consumer requires prior express consent (UWG s. 7(2) no. 1), recorded and kept for 5 years (UWG s. 7a).
B2B. At least presumed consent (mutmaßliche Einwilligung) is required: you need concrete signs that the business is interested in your offer.
Caller ID, hours, recording. Never withhold your number (TDDDG s. 15(2)). No text sets calling hours or a maximum number of calls. Recording someone’s non-public words without their agreement is a criminal offence (StGB s. 201): ask before you record.
Regulator and penalties. The Bundesnetzagentur. Fines up to €300,000 (UWG s. 20).
Austria: prior consent, businesses included
Regime. Advertising calls without the user’s prior consent are prohibited (TKG 2021, s. 174(1)). The text does not separate consumers and businesses: this is the strictest B2B regime of the 14 countries. According to the Austrian Economic Chamber (WKO), the ban also covers a call made only to set up a first contact.
Caller ID. The caller must not suppress or falsify the displayed number (s. 174(2)).
Regulator and penalties. No legal calling hours. The Fernmeldebüro, through administrative penal proceedings. Up to €100,000 for an advertising call without consent (s. 188(6) no. 9) and up to €50,000 for a suppressed or falsified number (s. 188(4) no. 27). Recording: GDPR, tell the person at the start.
Sources: TKG 2021, s. 174 (RIS), Fernmeldebüro.
Switzerland: the directory asterisk and the displayed number
Regime. Cold calling is allowed in principle. Ignoring the asterisk by which a subscriber refuses advertising in the phone directory is unfair competition (Unfair Competition Act, UCA, art. 3(1)(u)). Since 1 January 2021, numbers not listed in the directory get the same protection.
Caller ID and B2B. A sales call must display a number listed in the directory that the caller is entitled to use (art. 3(1)(v)). The asterisk rule covers any directory entry, businesses included (inferred reading). No legal calling hours.
Recording and penalties. Recording a non-public conversation without the agreement of all participants is in principle a criminal offence (Criminal Code, art. 179ter), with a narrow exception for evidence of business transactions (art. 179quinquies). An intentional UCA breach is punishable, on complaint, by up to three years’ custodial sentence or a fine (art. 23). A call center must check for the asterisk (Federal Supreme Court, BGE 149 IV 1).
Sources: UCA (SR 241), SECO, unwanted advertising calls (in French), Swiss Criminal Code.
Netherlands: consent, your own customers included since 1 July 2026
Consumers. Since 1 July 2021, calling an individual for sales requires prior consent; since 1 July 2026, the exception for current and former customers is gone (Telecommunications Act, art. 11.7). The Bel-me-niet register was abolished in 2021.
B2B. A company (BV, NV) is not covered by the text (inferred reading); a sole trader, as an individual, is.
Hours and caller ID. No hours in law. The industry code, which is not law, sets 9am to 10pm on weekdays and 10am to 4pm on Saturdays. Withheld numbers are prohibited.
Regulator and penalties. The ACM, whose maximum fine has been €900,000, or 1% of turnover if higher, since 1 July 2016. Recording: GDPR.
Sources: Telecommunications Act, art. 11.7, ACM telemarketing rules (in Dutch).
Belgium: the Do Not Call Me list
Regime. Opt-out: you may call as long as the person has not clearly objected and the number is not on the “Do Not Call Me” list (Code of Economic Law, art. VI.110 and VI.112). Check it before each campaign.
B2B. The text covers “the subscriber or user” without separating consumers and businesses: apply the same check (inferred reading).
Hours and penalties. No text in force sets calling hours. A bill to move to opt-in was rejected in committee on 30 April 2026. Breaches of art. VI.110 to VI.115 carry a level 2 criminal sanction (Code of Economic Law, art. XV.85/1). Recording: GDPR, overseen by the Data Protection Authority.
Sources: Code of Economic Law, art. VI.110 and VI.112, FPS Economy (in French).
Luxembourg: prior consent from individuals
Regime. Unsolicited direct marketing by phone is only allowed with the subscriber’s or user’s prior consent (Act of 30 May 2005 on privacy in electronic communications, art. 11(3)). Art. 11(5) limits this to subscribers who are natural persons: a company is not covered, a sole trader is.
Hours and list. No opt-out list and no legal calling hours found.
Recording. Allowed in lawful business practice to prove a commercial transaction, if the parties are told beforehand that calls may be recorded, why, and for how long at most (art. 4(3)(d)).
Regulator and penalties. The CNPD. Eight days to one year in prison and a fine of €251 to €125,000, or either penalty (art. 11(6)).
Source: Act of 30 May 2005, Legilux (in French).
Spain: consent or legitimate interest, and the Lista Robinson
Consumers. Since 29 June 2023, calling a consumer requires consent or another GDPR basis (General Telecommunications Act 11/2022, art. 66.1.b). Without consent, check the Lista Robinson before any campaign (LOPDGDD, art. 23.4).
Hours. For consumers: Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm, never at weekends or on public holidays (Consumer Act, art. 96.2).
B2B. For a contact reached on business details about their business, the law presumes legitimate interest (LOPDGDD, art. 19). Calling hours only protect consumers.
Caller ID and regulator. Since 17 October 2026, large consumer-facing companies must call from a 400 number. Regulator: the AEPD. Recording: GDPR.
Sources: Act 11/2022, LOPDGDD, Resolution of 14 April 2026 (in Spanish).
Italy: the Registro pubblico delle opposizioni
Regime. Opt-out: you may call a number unless it is on the Registro pubblico delle opposizioni (Privacy Code, art. 130(3-bis); Law 5/2018). A check is valid for 15 days for phone calls (Presidential Decree 26/2022, art. 8). Registration revokes earlier consents, except for a contract in progress or ended less than 30 days ago.
B2B. The register also covers business numbers.
During the call. State where the data came from and how to join the register. Since 2025, AGCOM resolution 106/25/CONS has operators block calls from abroad that show a spoofed Italian number.
Hours and regulator. None in law; the telemarketing code of conduct, binding on members only, sets 9am to 8pm on weekdays and 10am to 7pm on Saturdays. Regulator: the Garante per la protezione dei dati personali. Recording: GDPR.
Sources: Privacy Code, art. 130, Presidential Decree 26/2022 (in Italian).
Sweden: NIX-Telefon and written acceptance
Regime. Phone marketing is allowed unless the individual has clearly objected (Marketing Act 2008:486, s. 21). The collective way to object is the NIX-Telefon register, which the Swedish Consumer Agency tells companies to check.
Contracts. Since 1 September 2018, when a business calls a consumer on its own initiative, the contract is only valid if the consumer accepts the offer in writing after the call (Distance Contracts Act, ch. 2, s. 3a).
B2B, identification, regulator. Section 21 covers individuals: a company is not concerned (inferred reading). Give your name, the company and the purpose of the call at the start. Regulator: Konsumentverket; a serious breach can lead to a market disruption fee. No legal calling hours. Recording: GDPR.
Sources: Marketing Act, Konsumentverket, telemarketing rules for companies, SOU 2021:79.
Finland: opt-out and a written offer after the call
Regime. Telemarketing is allowed until the person uses their right to object, which they can do during the call. The Finnish customer marketing association ASML runs a paid, time-limited Robinson service as self-regulation.
Contracts. Since 1 January 2023, after a sales call the business must send its offer to the consumer in writing; unless the consumer accepts it, the offer does not bind them (Consumer Protection Act, ch. 6). Electronic communications subscriptions follow separate rules.
B2B, hours, regulators. Business contacts fall under the GDPR. No legal calling hours found. Regulators: the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (KKV) and the Data Protection Ombudsman. Recording: GDPR.
Sources: Consumer Protection Act (Finlex), KKV.
How to cold call across several countries
1. Segment your list by country and contact type. Company, sole trader or consumer: that changes the rule more often than the country does.
2. Check the right list at the right frequency, and keep the date of each check: every 15 days in Italy, every 31 days in the US and Canada, before each campaign in Belgium and Spain.
3. Display a local number people can call back. Skipcall includes a local number in each of these 14 countries in its base plan; outside the US and Canada, a company document is required before activation (documents by country).
4. Keep records. Log every call and, if you record, announce it at the start: Skipcall’s call recording and transcription pairs with the call recording notice generator.
What to remember
- Prior consent to call consumers in France, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Luxembourg; opt-out elsewhere.
- B2B stays open almost everywhere, except Austria (consent for everyone) and Germany (presumed consent you must justify).
- Legal calling hours in only 4 countries: the US, Canada, France and Spain.
- Display your number, say who you are, honor every opt-out: the three rules common to all 14 countries.
- Check your own case with the Cold Calling Compliance Checker before every campaign in a new country.
