FCC Modifies Revocation Request Rules for Informational Robocalls

The Federal Communications Commission on October 1, 2026, released a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) allowing callers to interpret a called party’s revocation request as applying only to the specific category of informational robocalls to which the revocation was directed, allowing callers to designate an exclusive means to revoke consent, and amending the exemption from the consent requirement for financial institutions to allow them to more easily alert customers to fraudulent activity on their account.

The FCC expects that the changes will ensure that consumers:

• Can revoke consent for robocalls they no longer wish to receive while continuing to receive those they still want; and
• Have clear, simple, and automated ways to revoke consent while streamlining callers’ ability to process revocations.

The new rules will go into effect on November 25, 2026.

Revocation requests may apply to specific categories of calls

The FCC made the change because it was concerned that a requirement to treat a revocation request made in response to one type of informational robocall as applicable to all future robocalls unduly restricted a consumer’s ability to receive other wanted calls. The FCC agreed with commenters that the current “revoke all” rule did not align with consumer expectations and could impede the receipt of essential information.

The FCC gave the example that, if a consumer revokes consent in response to payment reminders under the current rule, the caller must stop all future robocalls on unrelated matters such as fraud alerts, multi-factor authentication, appointment reminders, or utility outage calls, even if that was not the consumer’s intent.

Callers may designate an exclusive revocation method

The FCC also modified its rules to allow callers to designate an exclusive means by which consumers may revoke consent instead of requiring callers to honor all revocation requests made “using any reasonable method,” as currently required by the Commission’s rules.

Specifically, the FCC concluded that callers may designate any of the three methods currently described in § 64.1200(a)(10) of the Commission’s rules as the exclusive means to make revocation requests. The FCC reasoned that this approach adequately ensures that a simple, automated, easily understood method for revocation is readily available to consumers while streamlining the ability of callers to process such requests and reducing compliance burdens.

As a result, callers may designate an exclusive revocation method that requires:

1. Using an automated, interactive voice or key-press activated opt-out mechanism in response to a robocall;
2. Using specific standardized words in response to an incoming text; and/or
3. Using a website or telephone number provided by the caller to process opt-out requests.

The caller must clearly and conspicuously disclose the designated method for revoking consent on the call or in the text.

Callers that designate any of these three exclusive means to revoke consent will not be required to process revocation requests made by any other means. Any caller that does not designate one of the cited methods as the exclusive means to revoke consent must continue to process revocation requests made in any reasonable manner.

Financial institutions may use numbers obtained from reliable sources

The FCC also amended the exemption for financial institutions to initiate certain informational robocalls to wireless numbers without prior consent by modifying the condition limiting financial institutions to communicating only with those customers using a telephone number they provided directly to that financial institution.

The FCC agreed that exempted communications should be allowed when the wireless number is obtained from a reliable source, which in this context includes a telephone number:

• Supplied by a spouse or other family member who is authorized to be on the account;
• Obtained when the customer calls the institution; or
• Included in the records obtained from another financial institution.

FCC seeks comments on additional changes

In the FNPRM, the FCC seeks comments on:

• A proposal that would reduce the timeframe to honor revocation requests;
• Requiring two-way texting to facilitate revocation requests made in response to text messages;
• Requiring a “revoke all” method; and
• How revocation requests should apply to affiliates, separate lines of business, or divisions of entities of which such businesses are part.

Comments in response to the FNPRM are due November 25, and replies are due December 28.

Key takeaways for businesses

• The new rules take effect on November 25, 2026.
• Callers may designate an exclusive revocation method, but must clearly and conspicuously disclose it. Those that do not must continue to honor revocation requests made in any reasonable manner.
• Financial institutions may use wireless numbers obtained from the reliable sources described above for exempted communications.
• Additional changes remain under consideration in the FNPRM.