CRM Costs, Pricing Models and 2026 Rules
National Do Not Call List and your CRM: rules for sales calls in Canada
How the CRTC's Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules and the National DNCL affect CRM calling: registration, 31-day list downloads, internal lists, calling hours and penalties.
If your team uses a CRM to make telemarketing calls to Canadian consumers, the CRTC's Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules apply. In short: register with the National Do Not Call List (DNCL) operator and buy a subscription for the area codes you call, use a copy of the list downloaded no more than 31 days before each call, keep your own internal do-not-call list and add people who ask within 14 days, call consumers only between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. on weekdays and 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on weekends (their local time), and identify yourself on every call. Some calls are exempt from the national list, including calls to people with whom you have an existing business relationship (18 months after a purchase or contract, six months after an inquiry), but the internal list and identification rules still apply. Penalties under the Telecommunications Act can reach $1,500 per violation for an individual and $15,000 for a corporation.
This guide is general information as of October 2026, not legal advice. Email and text marketing are covered separately by CASL; see the CASL guide. It is part of the CRM costs, pricing models and 2026 rules section.
What the rules cover
The Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules have several parts, including the National DNCL rules, the telemarketing rules and rules on automatic dialing-announcing devices (ADADs, which play recorded messages). They apply to telemarketing, meaning calls or faxes for the purpose of soliciting, whether you call from a desk phone, a mobile, a CRM dialler or through a call centre you hire.
The National DNCL in practice
| Step | What it means for a CRM user |
|---|---|
| Register with the DNCL operator | Your organisation registers before telemarketing to consumers; check the CRTC guidance on whether exempt calls change this |
| Subscribe and pay fees | Fees depend on the number of area codes you download; the subscription must cover the period and area codes you call |
| Download the list | Use a version obtained no more than 31 days before the call |
| Scrub your call lists | Remove registered numbers from campaigns unless an exemption applies to that person |
| Keep records | Be able to show which list version you used and when |
People who register their number on the National DNCL can expect telemarketers to stop calling within 31 days. Consumer registrations no longer expire: the DNCL operator says a registered number stays on the list indefinitely unless it is removed, so do not assume old registrations drop off.
Exemptions, and what still applies
The Telecommunications Act (s. 41.7) exempts certain calls from the National DNCL provisions, including calls made by or for registered charities, political parties, candidates and riding associations, calls made solely to collect information for a survey, calls made solely to solicit a newspaper subscription, and calls to a person with whom you have an existing business relationship who has not asked you not to call.
An existing business relationship arises from a voluntary two-way communication and:
- a purchase of products or services in the 18 months before the call;
- an inquiry or application in the six months before the call; or
- a written contract in force or that expired in the 18 months before the call.
These windows are different from CASL's (two years and six months for email). A CRM that handles both should calculate them separately.
Even exempt callers must generally follow the rest of the telemarketing rules: keep an internal do-not-call list, respect calling hours, identify themselves and give contact information on request. Calls to businesses are treated differently: the DNCL operator states that the National DNCL Rules do not apply to telemarketing calls made to a business consumer, and business numbers are not meant to be registered on the list. That exemption covers the national list only; check the CRTC's current guidance before assuming the other telemarketing rules do not apply to a B2B campaign.
Internal do-not-call list
Every telemarketer must keep its own list of people who asked not to be called by it.
- Add a person's number within 14 days of the request.
- Keep it on the list for three years and 14 days.
- Record the date and the number so you can confirm the request if the person complains; check the CRTC's rules for any confirmation you must give.
- Share the list with any call centre or agent calling on your behalf.
In a CRM, this means a "Do not call" field that blocks the number from dialler queues, records the request date, and cannot be overwritten by a later import.
Calling hours and caller identification
- Weekdays: 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; weekends: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., in the time zone of the person you call. With customers across six time zones, a CRM dialler that respects the contact's local time is essential.
- Some provinces have their own consumer-protection rules on telemarketing and door-to-door or distance sales; check your provincial consumer-protection office if you sell to consumers by phone.
- Display a phone number that can be called back, and at the start of the call identify the person calling, on whose behalf, and the purpose.
- Provide on request a phone number, name and address where a person can reach someone about the call.
Penalties and enforcement
The CRTC investigates complaints and can issue notices of violation with administrative monetary penalties. Under section 72.01 of the Telecommunications Act, the maximum is $1,500 per violation for an individual and $15,000 per violation for a corporation. Each call can be a separate violation, so a campaign that ignores the list can generate many.
How to configure your CRM
- Import the DNCL file for your area codes at least monthly, before the 31-day limit, and record the version date.
- Store the existing-business-relationship basis and date on each contact, with automatic expiry at 18 or 6 months.
- Keep an internal do-not-call flag that blocks dialling and syncs to every calling tool.
- Use local-time rules in the dialler.
- Log call outcomes so you can show compliance if a complaint arrives.
Many CRMs integrate with diallers rather than doing this themselves; see integrations with email, accounting and phones. Check that the DNCL scrub happens in the system that actually dials.
FAQ
Do I need to register if I only call existing customers?
The CRTC's guidance indicates that telemarketers generally need to register with the DNCL operator even if they rely on exemptions for some calls, but check its current guidance for your situation.
Do these rules apply to text messages?
Commercial texts are governed mainly by CASL. Robocalls and automated messages are governed by the ADAD rules, which are stricter.
What if a call centre calls on my behalf?
Both the client and the call centre can be responsible. Your contract should require compliance and the sharing of internal do-not-call lists.
Does the list apply to calls to business numbers?
Calls to businesses are treated differently under the National DNCL rules, but other telemarketing rules may still apply. Check the CRTC's guidance before relying on this.
Sources
- Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission — Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules, telemarketer obligations, enforcement
- National Do Not Call List — registration and subscriptions for telemarketers, consumer registration
- Justice Laws Website — Telecommunications Act, ss. 41.7 and 72.01
