Debt collectors can only call you between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in your local time zone

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is a federal law that sets the hours when debt collectors are allowed to contact you by phone. They cannot call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. your local time. This applies whether you're at home, at work, or anywhere else they reach you by phone.

These time limits exist to protect you from harassment. A debt collector who calls at 6 a.m. or 10 p.m. is breaking federal law, and you have the right to report that violation. The times are based on your time zone, not the collector's, so if you live on the West Coast and the collector is in New York, they still cannot call you before 8 a.m. Pacific time.

Key Takeaways

  • Debt collectors cannot call before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. in your local time zone under federal law.
  • You can tell a collector in writing to stop calling you at work, and they must comply once they receive your letter.
  • If a collector calls you repeatedly or at prohibited times, you can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or your state attorney general.
  • Debt collectors cannot call you at all if you have sent them a written request to stop, with limited exceptions for lawsuits or payment confirmation.

What counts as a prohibited call time

Any phone call—whether it's a live person, a recorded message, or an automated system—that reaches you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. violates the FDCPA. Text messages and voicemails left outside these hours also count as violations, because the collector initiated contact at a time when contact is forbidden.

The 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. window applies every day of the week, including weekends and holidays. A collector cannot call you at 7:45 a.m. on Saturday morning just because it's the weekend. The only exception is if you have given the collector written permission to call at different times, which is rare and must be your explicit choice.

How to stop debt collectors from calling you

You have two ways to stop calls: you can tell a collector to stop calling your workplace, or you can tell them to stop calling you altogether. For workplace calls, you can straightforward tell the collector verbally that you cannot receive calls at work, and they must stop calling that number. You do not need to send anything in writing for this one.

To stop all calls, you must send a written request. This can be a letter, email, or text—anything in writing that the collector receives. Once they get your written request to stop, they can only call you again if they are confirming that they have stopped, or if they are notifying you of a specific action like filing a lawsuit. Keep a copy of whatever you send and note the date you sent it.

What to do if a collector calls at the wrong time

Write down the date, time, and phone number of the call. If it's a voicemail, save it. If you recognize the collector's name, note that too. This record is your evidence that a violation occurred.

You can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) at consumerfinance.gov. You can also report the violation to your state's attorney general office—search "[your state] attorney general" and look for a consumer protection or debt collection complaint form. Some states have their own laws that are stricter than the FDCPA, and your state attorney general will know which rules explore to you.

If a collector repeatedly calls at prohibited times or ignores your written request to stop, you may have grounds to sue them for damages. Many people hire a lawyer on a contingency basis (meaning the lawyer gets paid only if you win), so the cost to you is often nothing upfront. Search for "FDCPA attorney" in your state to find lawyers who handle these cases.

Time zone rules when you travel or move

If you travel across time zones, the collector must still follow your current local time. If you live in California but are visiting New York for a week, a collector cannot call you before 8 a.m. Eastern time while you're there. The collector does not have to know where you are—the burden is on them to know your time zone, and if they call you, they are responsible for getting it right.

If you move to a different time zone, the new time zone applies when ready. You do not need to notify the collector of a move. If they call you at 8 a.m. in your new time zone and that happens to be 7 a.m. in the time zone where they are located, that call is legal because it is 8 a.m. where you are.

Other limits on debt collector calls

Beyond the time-of-day rule, the FDCPA also forbids debt collectors from calling you repeatedly or continuously with the intent to harass. There is no specific number of calls that automatically violates this rule, but calling you five times in one day, or calling every day for a week, can cross the line into harassment. If the pattern is clearly meant to wear you down rather than collect a debt, it is illegal.

Collectors also cannot call you at work if they know your employer forbids personal calls, and they cannot disclose your debt to anyone except you, your spouse, your lawyer, or the creditor themselves. If a collector calls your neighbor, your boss, or a family member to ask about your debt, that is a violation.

State laws that are stricter than federal rules

Some states have set their own limits that are tighter than the FDCPA. For example, a few states require collectors to stop calling after you have asked them to stop, even if you do not send a written request. Others limit the number of calls per week or require collectors to identify themselves when ready. Your state attorney general's office can tell you what rules explore where you live.

If your state law and the FDCPA conflict, the stricter rule applies to you. This means if your state says collectors cannot call before 9 a.m., you get the benefit of that rule even though the FDCPA allows 8 a.m. calls.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes. The FDCPA does not carve out weekends or holidays. As long as it is between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in your time zone, the call is legal, even on Sunday. The only exception is if you have told them in writing to stop calling you altogether.

What if a debt collector leaves a voicemail at 7 a.m.?

That is a violation. The collector initiated contact at a prohibited time. Save the voicemail and report it to the CFPB or your state attorney general. If it happens repeatedly, you may have grounds to sue.

Do text messages and emails have time limits too?

Text messages are treated like phone calls and cannot be sent before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. Emails are less clear under the FDCPA, but many states treat them the same way. If a collector is sending you texts or emails at odd hours, report it to your state attorney general to find out what your state requires.

If I tell a collector to stop calling, can they call once more to confirm they got my message?

Yes, but only once. After you send a written request to stop, they can call one time to confirm they received it and will comply. Any calls after that are violations unless they are notifying you of a lawsuit or other legal action.

What if the debt collector is in a different time zone than me?

It does not matter. The law is based on your time zone, not theirs. If you are in Pacific time and they are in Eastern time, they still cannot call you before 8 a.m. Pacific time, even though it would be 11 a.m. where they are.