State law guide · Ohio
Unwanted calls and texts in Ohio: what the rules say
Ohio regulates commercial telephone solicitations and specifically prohibits a telephone solicitor from intentionally blocking the number from which a solicitation is made.
Where the rules draw a line
The reviewed chapter does not establish a general state Do Not Call list or a general calling-hours rule, and its definition does not clearly support a broad statement about standalone marketing texts. The specific caller-ID provision concerns calls.
What this can mean for a consumer
A person injured by intentional caller-ID blocking may bring an action for the relief available under Ohio's Consumer Sales Practices Act. That is a narrow, injury-based remedy; the chapter does not promise a payment for every unwanted call. Other penalties are enforced by the state.
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 Ohio sources
- Ohio Rev. Code Chapter 4719, Telephone Solicitors
- Ohio Rev. Code §4719.01, definitions and exemptions
- Ohio Rev. Code §4719.21, blocking a telephone solicitor's number prohibited
- Ohio Rev. Code §1345.09, Consumer Sales Practices Act remedies
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.