Pennsylvania's New Do Not Call Rules: What Agents Must Change

Pennsylvania amended its Telemarketer Registration Act this summer, and the changes reach every agent who prospects by phone or text. Governor Shapiro signed Senate Bill 992 on July 20, 2026. The new rules take effect on or about October 18, 2026. The biggest practical changes are a shorter calling window, a Sunday ban, and texts now counting as solicitations.

Does Pennsylvania’s Do Not Call law apply to real estate agents?

Yes. The Pennsylvania Association of Realtors (August 2026) answers directly: “this law applies to real estate brokers and agents, and it has since 2002.”

There is no general exemption for licensees calling about listings. If you call or text a stranger to ask for their business, treat it as a telephone solicitation.

What changes on or about October 18, 2026?

Here is the before-and-after for the rules agents use most.

Rule	Before SB 992	On or about Oct. 18, 2026
Calling window (PA consumers)	8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (federal rule)	9 a.m. to 7 p.m., consumer’s local time
Sundays	Allowed	No calls, texts or marketing voicemails
Legal holidays	Already barred in PA	Still barred
Text messages	Not expressly covered	Count as telephone solicitations
Ringless voicemail	Not expressly covered	Counts as a telephone solicitation
Robocalls (prerecorded/artificial voice)	Express request carve-out	Prior express written consent required
Fines	Up to $1,000; $3,000 if 60+	Unchanged

Sources: Kelley Drye (August 2026), PAR (August 2026), TCPAWorld (July 2026).

What are the new calling hours in Pennsylvania?

Calls and texts to Pennsylvania consumers are limited to 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. PAR notes the window is “measured by the consumer’s location,” not yours.

That is stricter than federal law. The FCC and FTC rules allow solicitations from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (47 CFR 64.1200(c)(1)). When the two conflict, follow the stricter rule.

Many agents block evening hours for prospecting because homeowners are home. In Pennsylvania, 7 p.m. is now the hard stop.

Can agents call or text on Sundays or holidays?

No. PAR’s summary is blunt: “you cannot call, text or leave a marketing voicemail on Sundays or legal holidays. Period.”

Kelley Drye notes Pennsylvania already barred solicitations on holidays, and SB 992 adds Sundays. Your prospecting calendar now runs Monday through Saturday, excluding legal holidays.

Do text messages count now?

Yes. SB 992 changes the definition of “telephone solicitation” to include individual text messages. TCPAWorld reports it also reaches voicemails and ringless voicemails.

That means a prospecting text to a stranger follows the same rules as a call. It must fall inside the calling window, it cannot go to a number on the Do Not Call list, and the recipient must be able to opt out.

Consumer Financial Services Law Monitor (September 2026) lists the opt-out keywords the law recognizes, including “stop,” “quit,” “cancel” and “unsubscribe.” Honor any of them.

What does Pennsylvania require for robocalls and AI voices?

Prerecorded or artificial-voice calls placed through an automated system now require prior express written consent. Verbal consent and implied consent no longer qualify, per Kelley Drye and CFS Law Monitor.

The amended law also bans using synthetic or computer-generated messages to mislead people. If you are testing an AI voice dialer, talk to counsel before you dial a single Pennsylvania number.

What are the penalties?

The Attorney General can seek civil penalties of up to $1,000 per violation, or up to $3,000 if the consumer is 60 or older (PA Attorney General FAQ). Those amounts did not change.

CFS Law Monitor reports that violations also violate Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law. That law gives consumers a private right of action for actual damages or $100, whichever is greater.

TCPAWorld reports the statute “extends liability to the company that hired the telemarketer, not just the one dialing.” If you hire an ISA or a calling service, its compliance becomes your problem.

Federal penalties stack on top. A Do Not Call violation can also bring a private suit under the TCPA.

How do I scrub against Pennsylvania’s list?

Pennsylvania keeps its own Do Not Call list, separate from the National Registry. The Attorney General’s FAQ says:

• The list costs $495 a year.
• It updates quarterly, on January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1.
• Telemarketers have 30 days to remove newly listed numbers.
• Telemarketers must buy the list even if they are exempt from registration.

You also need the National Registry. The FCC’s safe harbor expects registry data no more than 31 days old at the time of the call (47 CFR 64.1200(c)(2)). A Pennsylvania number can be on one list, both, or neither, so check both.

What should agents change this week?

A short checklist covers most of the risk.

1. Reset your dialer and CRM calling windows for Pennsylvania numbers to 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
2. Turn off Sunday and legal holiday call and text campaigns for Pennsylvania contacts.
3. Treat every prospecting text like a call: scrub it, time it, honor opt-outs.
4. Confirm you have a current Pennsylvania list and a current National Registry download.
5. Keep a written internal Do Not Call policy and train anyone who calls for you.
6. Ask any ISA, VA or calling vendor how they comply, in writing.

CFS Law Monitor notes the law offers a safe harbor for sellers and telemarketers with written opt-out procedures, trained staff and do-not-contact lists, when a later contact results from an error. Document your procedures.

How does Casventa handle the new rules?

Casventa’s Reclaim team calls expired and FSBO sellers by manual dial. The team scrubs the federal and state Do Not Call lists, discloses recording on every call, and runs Pennsylvania calls inside the new 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. window, Monday through Saturday, excluding legal holidays. Questions about how a specific rule applies to your own calling should go to the PAR Legal Hotline or your attorney.