Telemarketing rules in Australia: calling hours, the Do Not Call Register and more

What are the telemarketing rules in Australia?

Cold calling is a legitimate way to sell in Australia, and a team that knows the rules calls with confidence. Four sets of rules matter most:

• The Do Not Call Register Act 2006 sets out which numbers you must not call without consent.
• The Telecommunications (Telemarketing and Research Calls) Industry Standard 2017 sets calling hours, what you must say and caller ID requirements.
• The Australian Consumer Law adds rules, including a cooling-off period, when you sell to consumers by phone.
• The Spam Act 2003 covers the marketing emails and SMS you send.

Facts on this page were checked October 2026 against the official sources linked below. The Federal Register of Legislation lists the 2017 Industry Standard as in force, with a sunsetting date of 1 April 2027, so expect the ACMA to remake or replace it.

What hours can you make telemarketing calls in Australia?

The public holidays are New Year's Day, Australia Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, plus any weekday holiday given in lieu of them. The Register's industry standards page lists them.

The times that count are those where the person you are calling lives, not where you sit. A 9am call from Sydney reaches Perth at 6am or 7am, depending on daylight saving, so schedule by the recipient's time zone.

One exception: if someone gives you express consent in advance to call at a particular time, such as "ring me at 7.30 tomorrow morning", you may.

Can business numbers be on the Do Not Call Register?

No. Business telephone numbers are not eligible, except numbers used only for faxes. Under the Register's eligibility rules, a number can be registered if it is used or maintained:

• primarily for private or domestic purposes
• exclusively for sending and receiving faxes
• exclusively by a government body.

Registration lasts indefinitely unless the owner removes it. The catch for B2B teams is that many sole traders and tradespeople work from a personal mobile, and if it is used mainly for private calls, it can be on the Register.

You may call a registered number only with consent or if your organisation is exempt, such as a registered charity. To check, open an account and wash your list against the Register. You may call a number that was not on the Register when you washed your list in the last 30 days. The Register's guide for callers explains consent:

• Express consent is when someone specifically agrees to receive your calls. Unless it was given for a set period or indefinitely, it expires three months after it was given.
• Inferred consent can come from a person's conduct and an existing business relationship. It ends immediately if they say they do not want your calls.

What must you say at the start of a telemarketing call?

Under the Industry Standard, at the start of the call you must give:

• your given name
• the name of your employer or business
• the name of anyone else who caused the call to be made, such as the client you are calling for
• the purpose of the call.

If asked, you must also give contact details, including an Australian number for voice calls in business hours, and how to complain. Caller ID must be on, and the number shown must take return calls for at least 30 days. End the call immediately if the person asks, or makes it clear they do not want to continue. The ACMA's telemarketing rules page summarises these requirements.

Clarity builds trust. Jenny shows how to pair it with a strong benefit in cold call openings that grab interest.

Do the telemarketing rules apply to B2B cold calls?

Mostly, yes. The Do Not Call Register rarely affects calls to a business switchboard, because business numbers cannot be registered. The Industry Standard is different. It applies to anyone who makes telemarketing calls to Australian numbers, and it does not carve out business numbers. The safest course is to apply the calling hours, identification and caller ID rules to every sales call.

Two more points catch B2B sellers out. A sole trader's private mobile may be on the Register. And under the Australian Consumer Law, a business that buys goods or services costing up to $100,000 can count as a "consumer", so do not assume a sale to a small business sits outside the consumer rules. Building good lists is covered in how to find prospects to call.

Selling by phone: unsolicited consumer agreements and cooling-off

When you phone a consumer without being invited and agree a sale, the Australian Consumer Law treats it as an unsolicited consumer agreement. The rules do not apply to agreements worth less than $100. According to the ACCC's telemarketing and door-to-door sales guidance:

• You must tell the consumer your name, the name and address of the business you represent, and why you are calling.
• You must give them a typed agreement document within 5 business days after the call, with the full terms, total cost, delivery charges and your contact details.
• The consumer has a 10 business day cooling-off period, starting the first business day after they sign or receive the agreement document.
• During the cooling-off period you generally cannot supply the goods or services or take payment, except in limited cases such as electricity, gas or emergency repairs.
• If you break these rules, the consumer may get 3 or 6 months to cancel instead.

Whatever the sale, the consumer guarantees still apply: services must be provided with due care and skill, be fit for any stated purpose and arrive within a reasonable time.

Can you email or text a prospect after a sales call?

Yes, if you follow the Spam Act 2003. The ACMA's guide to avoiding spam boils it down to three rules for marketing emails and SMS:

1. Consent. Express consent can be given on a phone call, so simply ask: "Is it all right if I email you a summary?" Consent may also be inferred from an existing relationship, or from a work address published openly, for messages relevant to the person's role, unless the listing says they do not want them.
2. Identify. Include your name or business name and correct contact details.
3. Unsubscribe. Make it easy to opt out and honour every request within 5 working days. The unsubscribe option must keep working for at least 30 days after you send.

The Spam Act also prohibits buying or using address-harvesting software and harvested email lists. Businesses covered by the Privacy Act, generally those with annual turnover above $3 million, must let people opt out of direct marketing.

For a follow-up email template that ticks these boxes, see why the telephone beats email every time.

A compliance checklist for your sales team

• Wash lists with private or mobile numbers within 30 days of calling, and record consent.
• Call within permitted hours in the recipient's time zone.
• Switch on caller ID with a number that takes return calls.
• Open every call with your name, your business and the reason for calling.
• End the call when asked, and flag the contact as do not call.
• For consumer sales, send the agreement and explain cooling-off rights.
• Ask before you email or text, and include an unsubscribe.
• Hold any outsourced call centre to the same standards.

Build these habits into your scripts and training. Jenny's telesales script writing service and her free eBook How to Make a Professional Telephone Sales Call help with clear openings that still grab interest, and how to train a telemarketer covers onboarding.