Reg F call-frequency and calling-window checker

Frequently asked questions

How many times can a debt collector call you in a week?

Under Regulation F, a debt collector is presumed to violate the law if it places more than seven calls within seven consecutive days about a particular debt (12 CFR 1006.14(b)(2)). The presumption can be rebutted, and some states set lower limits.

What time can debt collectors call?

Unless the collector knows otherwise, calls before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. in the consumer's local time are presumed inconvenient (12 CFR 1006.6(b)(1)(i)). If the consumer may be in more than one time zone, the call has to be convenient in all of them.

Can a debt collector call again after talking to me?

After a telephone conversation about a debt, a collector is presumed to violate Reg F if it calls about that debt again within seven consecutive days. The day of the conversation counts as day one.

Do unanswered calls and voicemails count toward the 7-in-7 limit?

Yes. The limit counts call attempts, including calls that go unanswered or to voicemail. Calls the consumer gave prior consent to within the past seven days, and attempts that never connect because of a technical problem, don't count.

Does the 7-in-7 rule apply per debt or per consumer?

Per debt. A collector handling several debts for one consumer applies the limit to each debt, and a call about more than one debt counts toward each of them. Student loans serviced together have a combined rule.