State law guide · Wisconsin
Unwanted calls and texts in Wisconsin: what the rules say
Wisconsin's telephone-solicitation law includes some unsolicited calls and text messages that encourage a purchase. Wisconsin also restricts certain prerecorded sales calls.
Where the rules draw a line
Wisconsin residents can register through the federal National Do Not Call Registry; Wisconsin's consumer agency says the FTC maintains the registry of Wisconsin numbers and that registration can limit covered sales calls and texts. Exceptions apply, and the prerecorded-call rules are distinct from the text rules.
What this can mean for a consumer
The state law provides for government enforcement and forfeitures. These sections do not establish a general consumer damages award for each unwanted call or text, so public penalties should not be described as money automatically paid to a consumer.
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 Wisconsin sources
- Wis. Stat. § 100.52, telephone solicitation
- Wisconsin DATCP, Do Not Call Registry
- Wisconsin DATCP, consumer FAQ
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.