State law guide · Maryland

Unwanted calls and texts in Maryland: what the rules say

Maryland requires prior express written consent for certain telephone solicitations using automated dialing or recorded messages. The statute defines qualifying consent to include telephone calls, text messages, and voicemail. Covered calls may not be made from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. in the called party’s time zone or more than three times on the same subject in 24 hours.

Where the rules draw a line

The law has listed exemptions and the restrictions depend on the communication method and consent. This summary does not assume that every text message is covered by each restriction.

What this can mean for a consumer

A called party aggrieved by a violation may seek an injunction and up to $500 or actual damages, whichever is greater; for a knowing or willful violation, a court may award up to three times that amount. The statutory conditions and particular type of contact matter.

Keep the details

Save the full text thread, call log, voicemails, dates and times, the company or product named, and any reply asking the sender to stop. Those details can help show what happened; they do not establish by themselves that a law was violated.

Official Maryland sources

This page is general information, not legal advice. State and federal rules have different definitions, exceptions, and deadlines. Whether a rule applies depends on the facts and current law.