What is the penalty per violation for calling a number listed on the federal Do Not Call List?

• A. $10,000 per call
• B. $40,000 per call
• C. $1,000 per call
• D. Warning only

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is that this federal rule imposes a civil penalty for each phone call made to a number on the Do Not Call Registry. The Do Not Call protections are strict: calling a listed number is a violation, and each separate call counts as its own violation. The amount specified per violation is a substantial deterrent, set at forty thousand dollars per call. This means even a single unsolicited call to someone who has registered their number can result in a very large penalty.

Enforcement is nationwide and can apply regardless of how the call is made (live or automated). There are exemptions and nuances (such as certain business relationships or consumer consent), but the baseline is that each violation carries a hefty per-call penalty to encourage strict compliance.