Rules explainer · Updated October 2026
Pennsylvania's New Call and Text Rules for Realtors (October 18, 2026)
From October 18, 2026, Pennsylvania's telemarketing law covers texts and voicemails as well as calls. Sales calls and texts to Pennsylvania numbers are allowed only from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., never on Sundays or legal holidays, unless the person gave written consent or you did business with them in the last 12 months.
What changes on October 18, 2026
Senate Bill 992, signed July 20, 2026, shortens the hours, bans Sundays and brings texts into the law.
The Attorney General enforces it as a consumer protection violation, with fines of up to $1,000 per willful violation, or $3,000 when the person contacted is 60 or older.
| Rule | Before | From October 18, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Calling hours | 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. | 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
| Sundays | Allowed | Not allowed |
| Legal holidays | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Texts and voicemails | A gray area | Covered, including ringless voicemail |
| Consent | An express request from the person | Prior express written consent |
| Opt-out words to honor | None listed in state law | STOP, QUIT, END, REVOKE, OPT OUT, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE |
Does it apply to real estate agents?
Yes, for prospecting. Being licensed can excuse you from registering as a telemarketer, but not from the calling and texting rules.
The law does not cover every message. Texts about a deal already under contract, and messages to people who gave you written consent or did business with you in the last 12 months, fall outside it.
Cold calls and texts to expired listings, FSBOs, old leads and past clients from years ago fall inside it.
| Who you're contacting | Pennsylvania's new rules apply? |
|---|---|
| A buyer or seller you're under contract with, about the deal | No |
| Someone who signed written consent to hear from you | No |
| A client you worked with in the last 12 months | No |
| A past client from three years ago | Likely yes |
| An expired listing or FSBO you've never spoken to | Yes |
| An open house visitor who didn't sign consent | Likely yes |
The Sunday open house problem
Sunday is open house day, and from October 18 a same-day follow-up text to a Pennsylvania visitor may be a violation unless they signed consent.
Two fixes: add a consent line to your sign-in sheet or digital sign-in, or wait and text Monday after 9 a.m. Here is a plain-English line to start from. Have your broker or attorney approve the final wording.
What to change before October 18
Most of the work is settings and forms: your texting hours, your sign-ins and your opt-out handling.
- 01Set calling and texting tools to 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Saturday, for Pennsylvania numbers, and skip legal holidays.
- 02Move Sunday prospecting sessions to Saturday or Monday.
- 03Add a written consent line to website forms and open house sign-ins, and keep the records.
- 04Treat any of the seven opt-out words as a stop. Federal rules already count them as opt-outs.
- 05Keep checking the National Do Not Call Registry. Federal rules still apply on top of these.
- 06Ask your CRM or texting app whether it can follow Pennsylvania's hours, or set the window yourself.
Other states with tight hours
Pennsylvania joins a group of states with hours stricter than the federal 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Florida, Maryland, Oklahoma and Washington: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Connecticut: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Texas: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and from noon on Sundays.
- Louisiana and Alabama: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with no Sunday or holiday calls.
- Rhode Island: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, no Sundays or holidays.
- Mississippi: no Sunday calls. Utah: no Sunday or legal holiday calls without consent.
Where Sifta fits
Sifta never texts a client on its own: it drafts the message, and you decide when it goes.
Sifta is a personal AI assistant for realtors. It runs the busywork of your business, so you can spend your time with clients.
Every follow-up waits for your approval, so you stay quick with clients and in charge of when each message is sent.
Sources
6 sources
Every source was checked on October 6, 2026. This is a plain-English summary, not legal advice.
- Kelley Drye, State telemarketing update: changes coming in Pennsylvania
- Henson Legal, Pennsylvania telemarketing law: what changes Oct. 18, 2026
- Mac Murray & Shuster, Pennsylvania overhauls its telemarketing law
- Bubeck Law, Pennsylvania expands telemarketing law
- DNC.com, Pennsylvania SB 992 takes effect October 18
- Pennsylvania General Assembly, Senate Bill 992
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Pennsylvania's new telemarketing law take effect?
October 18, 2026. Senate Bill 992 was signed on July 20, 2026.
What hours can realtors call or text in Pennsylvania?
From October 18, 2026, sales calls and texts are allowed from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Saturday, and never on legal holidays, unless the person gave written consent or did business with you in the last 12 months.
Can I text open house leads on Sunday in Pennsylvania?
Only if they signed written consent or are a client from the last 12 months. Otherwise wait until Monday after 9 a.m.
Does Pennsylvania's law cover text messages?
Yes. From October 18, 2026, calls, voicemails, ringless voicemails and texts all count as telephone solicitations.
Are real estate agents exempt from Pennsylvania's telemarketing law?
Licensed agents can be exempt from registering as telemarketers, but not from the hours, consent and opt-out rules when they prospect.
What is the fine for breaking Pennsylvania's telemarketing law?
Up to $1,000 per violation, or $3,000 when the person contacted is 60 or older, enforced through the state's consumer protection law.
Related reading
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