Missouri residents have legal protections against unwanted sales calls, automated marketing messages and certain forms of telephone harassment. The state operates its own No-Call registry, allowing eligible residents to limit unsolicited telemarketing contacts.
Under Missouri Revised Statutes Section 407.1107, qualifying consumers may seek actual monetary losses or up to $5,000 for each knowing violation. However, filing a successful claim requires meeting specific legal conditions.
Understanding Missouri's No-Call protections
Missouri's No-Call program is administered by the state's Attorney General. It covers eligible residential telephone numbers and personal mobile phones belonging to Missouri residents.
Registration is free. Once a number becomes protected under the registry's applicable schedule, covered telemarketers generally cannot contact that number for unsolicited sales purposes unless a legal exception applies.
The program complements federal consumer protection laws. Missouri residents may receive protections under both state and federal rules, depending on the circumstances.
How to register your telephone number
Residents can register through the Missouri Attorney General's website or by telephone. The state updates the information supplied to telemarketers quarterly, so protection may not begin immediately after registration.
The state also provides a way to check whether a telephone number is already registered.
Which calls and messages are covered?
Missouri's definition of telephone solicitation includes qualifying voice calls, SMS messages and multimedia messages used to promote purchases, rentals or investments.
Some communications are exempt, including certain calls involving existing business relationships, express permission, referrals and other statutory exceptions.
When unwanted telemarketing becomes a legal violation
Missouri law restricts several types of telemarketing conduct, even when the recipient is not registered on the No-Call list.
Telemarketers generally cannot make covered solicitation calls before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. local time. They also face restrictions on harassment, repeated ringing, caller identification and continued solicitations after certain requests to stop.
Can Missouri residents sue telemarketers?
Under Section 407.1107, a consumer who receives more than one qualifying unlawful solicitation from the same entity during a 12-month period may have grounds for a private lawsuit.
Potential relief includes an order stopping the unlawful conduct and monetary recovery. The statutory amount can reach $5,000 for each knowing violation, but payment is not automatic.
Businesses may also raise statutory defenses, including reasonable compliance procedures implemented with due care.
Local spotlight: Missouri's separate registry
Missouri maintains its own No-Call program rather than relying exclusively on the national registry. The Attorney General reports that more than 4.3 million Missouri telephone lines are registered.
This gives residents a state-level complaint process in addition to federal protections.
Protecting your rights after receiving unwanted calls
Consumers should document suspicious calls and preserve messages that may establish a pattern of unlawful solicitation.
Useful evidence includes the date and time of contact, caller identification information, the business being promoted and any request to stop further communications.
Missouri generally provides a two-year limitations period tied to when a claimant knew or should have known of the alleged No-Call violation, subject to the statute's provisions concerning related state proceedings.
Common questions around Missouri's No-Call law
Is registration free? Yes. Eligible Missouri residents can register without paying a fee.
Are promotional text messages covered? Yes. Qualifying SMS and MMS solicitations fall within the state's statutory definition.
Does every unwanted call qualify for compensation? No. A claim depends on the applicable law, the type of contact, available evidence and statutory exceptions.
Can a business outside Missouri violate the law? Yes. Covered solicitations directed into Missouri may fall under the state's requirements.
How much compensation is possible? Section 407.1107 permits qualifying claims for actual monetary loss or up to $5,000 per knowing violation, whichever is greater.
