Bill collectors cannot call you on Sunday under federal law

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) sets the hours when debt collectors can contact you by phone. They are prohibited from calling before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. in your time zone. The law does not ban Sunday calls outright — it bans calls outside those hours on any day of the week, including Sunday. A collector can legally call you on Sunday at 10 a.m., but not at 7 a.m. or 10 p.m.

The restriction applies to all forms of contact: phone calls, text messages, and emails. If a collector calls you outside the permitted window, that call violates federal law regardless of which day it is. You have the right to tell a collector in writing to stop calling you, and after receiving that written request, they can only call to confirm they have stopped or to notify you of a specific action like a lawsuit.

Key Takeaways

  • Bill collectors can call on Sunday between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in your local time zone, but not outside those hours on any day.
  • If a collector calls before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., that call breaks federal law even if it happens on a weekday.
  • You can send a written request asking collectors to stop calling, and they must honor it except for calls about lawsuits or payment confirmation.
  • State laws may impose stricter limits than federal law, so your state might ban Sunday calls entirely or limit hours further.
  • Documenting the date, time, and caller ID of any illegal call gives you evidence if you need to file a complaint or pursue damages.

What the FDCPA actually says about calling times

The FDCPA is a federal law that governs how third-party debt collectors — companies hired to collect debts on behalf of creditors — can contact you. It does not cover creditors collecting their own debts directly, though some states have laws that do. The law requires collectors to respect your time zone, so a collector in New York cannot call you in California at 8 a.m. New York time if it is 5 a.m. in California.

The 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. window applies seven days a week. This means a collector can legally call you on Sunday, Monday, or any other day within those hours. However, many collectors avoid calling on weekends as a business practice, even though the law permits it. If you work nights or sleep during the day, the law still requires them to call only during the 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. window — they cannot adjust for your personal schedule.

How to stop collectors from calling you

You have a legal right to request that a debt collector stop contacting you. The request must be in writing — a phone call is not enough. Send a letter or email to the collection agency stating that you are requesting they cease all contact. Keep a copy of what you send and note the date you sent it. Once the collector receives your written request, they must stop calling, texting, and emailing you, with two exceptions: they can call to confirm they have stopped contacting you, or to notify you that they are taking a specific action like filing a lawsuit.

If a collector continues calling after receiving your written request, that is a violation of the FDCPA. Document each illegal call with the date, time, and caller ID. You can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) at consumerfinance.gov, or with your state's attorney general. You may also have the right to sue the collector for damages, including actual harm and statutory damages up to $1,000 per violation, plus attorney fees.

State laws that go beyond federal rules

Some states have stricter rules than the FDCPA. A handful of states ban debt collection calls on Sundays entirely, or limit calling hours more narrowly than federal law allows. For example, some states require collectors to call only between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m., or prohibit calls before 9 a.m. or after 8 p.m. A few states ban calls on both Saturday and Sunday. When state law is stricter than federal law, the stricter rule applies to you.

To find out what your state allows, contact your state attorney general's office or search your state's debt collection laws online. If you live in a state with stricter rules, a collector who calls outside your state's permitted hours is breaking the law even if the call would be legal under the FDCPA. Documenting violations of your state's rules is just as important as documenting federal violations.

What counts as a violation and what does not

A call at 9:15 p.m. on a Sunday is legal under federal law. A call at 9:15 p.m. on a Tuesday is also legal. A call at 7:45 a.m. on a Sunday is illegal. A call at 7:45 a.m. on a Tuesday is also illegal. The day of the week does not matter — only the time of day matters under the FDCPA, unless your state has a separate rule about which days collectors can call.

Repeated calls within the permitted window, even if they annoy you, are not automatically illegal under the FDCPA. However, if calls are so frequent that they amount to harassment, or if the collector is using abusive language or threats, that can violate other parts of the FDCPA. The law also prohibits collectors from calling your workplace if your employer has told them your employer does not allow personal calls, and it prohibits calling third parties (like your family or friends) to locate you or discuss your debt.

How to document calls for a complaint

If a collector calls outside the permitted hours, write down the date, time, and caller ID information when ready. Note the name of the collection agency if they stated it, and what they said. Keep this record in a safe place — a notebook, a spreadsheet, or photos of written notes all work. If the call came from a blocked number or unknown number, note that too. The more detail you record at the time of the call, the stronger your evidence if you later file a complaint.

You can file a complaint with the CFPB online at consumerfinance.gov/complaint, by mail, or by phone. You can also file with your state attorney general's office. Include the dates and times of the illegal calls, the collector's name and phone number, and any other details you recorded. The CFPB investigates complaints and can take action against collectors who break the law. Your complaint also becomes part of a public database that helps regulators identify patterns of abuse.

What happens if you ignore a collector's call

You are not required to answer calls from debt collectors. Ignoring a call does not hurt your legal position. However, if you do not respond to a collector's attempts to contact you, they may pursue other options: sending written notices, reporting the debt to credit bureaus, or filing a lawsuit. A lawsuit is a serious step — if the collector wins, they can garnish your wages or place a lien on your property, depending on your state's laws.

If you want to negotiate a settlement or payment plan, you will need to communicate with the collector at some point. But you can choose when and how to do that. You can call them back during business hours, send a letter, or respond to written notices. You do not have to take their calls, and taking a call does not obligate you to agree to anything they propose.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a debt collector call me on Sunday at 8 a.m.?

Yes. The FDCPA permits calls between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in your time zone on any day, including Sunday. However, some states ban Sunday calls entirely, so check your state's rules. If your state prohibits Sunday calls, then a call on Sunday would be illegal even if it falls within the 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. window.

What should I do if a collector calls me at 7 a.m. on a Saturday?

Document the call with the date, time, and caller ID. Send the collector a written request to stop calling. If they call again outside the permitted hours, file a complaint with the CFPB or your state attorney general. You may also have the right to sue for damages.

Does the FDCPA explore to my credit card company calling about my own debt?

No. The FDCPA covers third-party debt collectors hired to collect debts. If your credit card company is collecting its own debt, federal law does not restrict their calling hours, though some states have separate laws that do. Check your state's consumer protection laws.

If I ask a collector to stop calling, can they still send me letters?

Yes. Your written request to stop calling only stops phone calls, texts, and emails. Collectors can still send you written mail. If you want them to stop all contact, you may need to send a separate request or consult a lawyer, as rules vary by state.

Can I record a call from a debt collector?

It depends on your state. Some states allow you to record a call if you are part of the conversation. Other states require both parties to consent to recording. Check your state's recording laws before recording. Even if you cannot record, you can still document the call by writing down the date, time, and what was said.