Federal law limits bill collectors to one call per day
Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), a federal law that governs how debt collectors operate, a collector can call you once per day. That single call can happen any day of the week, but the collector cannot make multiple calls on the same day to the same person about the same debt.
The one-call-per-day rule applies to each debt separately. If you owe money to three different creditors and each has hired a separate collection agency, each agency can call you once per day about their specific debt. But any single collector working on any single debt is limited to one call per 24-hour period.
This rule exists because Congress found that repeated calls in a single day constitute harassment. The FDCPA treats debt collection as a regulated activity, and the one-call limit is one of its core protections.
Key Takeaways
- A bill collector can call you once per day, but not more than once in a 24-hour period about the same debt.
- The FDCPA sets the one-call limit and also bans calls before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. in your time zone.
- Collectors cannot call you at work if your employer prohibits personal calls, and they must stop calling if you send a written request to cease contact.
- State laws sometimes impose stricter limits than federal law, so your state may allow fewer calls or require more notice.
- If a collector violates the one-call rule repeatedly, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or sue the collector in small claims court.
What counts as one call and what does not
A single phone call is one call, regardless of how long the conversation lasts or how many times the collector puts you on hold. If a collector reaches you, speaks to you, and hangs up, that is one call for that day.
If the collector calls, you do not answer, and they leave a voicemail, that still counts as one call. The collector has used their one daily call whether or not you picked up the phone. If they call again the same day and you answer, that is a second call in one day, which violates the FDCPA.
Text messages and emails are not phone calls, so technically they fall outside the one-call-per-day rule. However, the FDCPA does restrict how collectors can contact you overall. Many states have added their own rules about text messages and emails, so check your state's debt collection laws.
Time windows when collectors can and cannot call
Even within the one-call-per-day limit, collectors cannot call you whenever they want. The FDCPA forbids calls before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. in your local time zone. These windows explore every day of the week, including weekends and holidays.
If a collector calls you at 8:47 p.m. on a Monday, that is their one allowed call for that day. They cannot call again until 8 a.m. on Tuesday at the earliest. If they call at 9:15 p.m., that call itself violates the law because it falls outside the permitted window.
The time zone that matters is yours, not the collector's. If you live in Pacific time and the collector is calling from Eastern time, the 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. window is measured in Pacific time.
Where collectors cannot call you
Collectors cannot call you at work if your employer has a policy against personal calls. Before calling your workplace, a collector must have reason to believe that your employer allows personal calls. Many employers do not, and collectors are supposed to know this.
If you tell a collector that your employer does not allow personal calls, they must stop calling you there. After that point, any call to your workplace is a violation. You do not need to provide written proof of the policy — your statement is enough.
Collectors can call your home, your cell phone, or other numbers you have provided. They cannot call numbers that are clearly business lines unless they have a legitimate reason to believe you work there and personal calls are allowed.
How to stop collectors from calling you
You have the right to tell a collector to stop calling you. The most effective way is to send a written request. Once a collector receives your written request to cease contact, they must stop calling you. They can only call again if they are notifying you that they are taking a specific action, such as filing a lawsuit.
A written request can be a letter, an email, or even a text message — anything that creates a record and reaches the collector. Send it to the address or phone number listed on any notice the collector has sent you. Keep a copy for yourself and, if possible, send it in a way that creates proof of delivery, such as certified mail or email with a read receipt.
Telling a collector over the phone to stop calling is not as strong as a written request. Collectors are supposed to honor a verbal request, but a written one is legally binding and easier to prove if you need to file a complaint later.
State laws that are stricter than federal law
Some states have set their own limits on debt collector calls that are stricter than the federal one-call-per-day rule. California, for example, limits collectors to three calls per week to the same person about the same debt. New York restricts calls to once per week unless the collector has reason to believe the person is avoiding the call.
Your state's law applies if it is stricter than the FDCPA. If federal law allows one call per day but your state allows only one call per week, the state rule is what the collector must follow. Check your state's attorney general website or consumer protection office to find your state's specific rules.
Even if your state does not have a stricter rule, it may have rules about other contact methods, such as text messages or emails. Some states require collectors to disclose that they are debt collectors in their first contact, or to provide certain information in writing before calling.
What to do if a collector violates the one-call rule
If a collector calls you more than once per day about the same debt, that is a violation of the FDCPA. Document each call: write down the date, time, phone number it came from, and the name of the collector or company if they provided it. Keep voicemails or text messages as evidence.
You can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) online at consumerfinance.gov. The CFPB investigates complaints and can take action against collectors who repeatedly violate the law. Filing a complaint does not cost you anything.
You also have the right to sue a collector in small claims court for violations of the FDCPA. If you win, the collector may have to pay you damages, court costs, and attorney fees. Many people hire a lawyer on a contingency basis, meaning the lawyer only gets paid if you win. You do not need to prove that you suffered financial harm — the violation itself is enough to win a case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a collector call me on weekends or holidays?
Yes. The FDCPA does not restrict calls based on the day of the week. A collector can call you on Saturday, Sunday, or any holiday, as long as it is within the 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. window in your time zone and it is not more than one call per day about the same debt.
What if a collector calls from a different number each time?
It still counts as one call per day from that collector about that debt. Using different phone numbers does not reset the one-call limit. If the same collection agency calls you twice in one day from two different numbers, that is two calls in one day and violates the FDCPA.
Does the one-call rule explore if I have a payment plan with the collector?
Yes. Even if you are making payments or have agreed to a payment plan, the collector can still only call you once per day. The one-call limit applies to all debt collection calls, whether the debt is being disputed, is in a payment plan, or is in default.
Can a collector call me if I have a lawyer?
Once you have a lawyer representing you in a debt matter, collectors must stop calling you and contact your lawyer instead. Provide the collector with your lawyer's contact information in writing. After that, any call to you (rather than to your lawyer) is a violation.
What if I miss a call and the collector calls back the same day?
That is a violation. The collector has already made their one call for the day when they reached your voicemail or you did not answer. Calling back the same day, even if you did not pick up the first time, is a second call and breaks the one-call-per-day rule.