What are Maryland's telemarketing rules?
| Rule | What Maryland law says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Calling hours | No telephone solicitation between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. in the called party's time zone. | Com. Law § 14-4502(c)(1) |
| Call frequency | No more than three calls to the same person in 24 hours on the same subject, whatever numbers are used. | § 14-4502(c)(2) |
| Automated or recorded calls | Prior express written consent for a solicitation that uses an automated system to select or dial numbers, or plays a recorded message. | § 14-4502(a)(3); § 14-4501(d) |
| Prerecorded messages | Automatic dialing with a prerecorded message to solicit needs a preexisting business relationship or the person's consent. | Pub. Util. § 8-204(b) |
| Caller ID | Send the originating number, and the caller's name when the carrier makes it available; no spoofing to hide the caller. | § 14-4502(b) |
| Lawsuits | Up to $500 per violation or actual damages, whichever is greater, up to triple if willful or knowing. | § 14-4503 |
Federal rules apply on top of these: the TCPA, the FCC's rules in 47 CFR § 64.1200 and the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule. See Can AI call life insurance leads?
Do Maryland's rules apply to licensed insurance agents?
Yes, as far as we could find. The Stop the Spam Calls Act sections (§ 14-4502) contain no insurance exemption. Two of the consent rule's exceptions matter to agents: a single solicitation made in response to the customer's own inquiry or request, and certain calls within an existing relationship that start as informational. Those exceptions apply to the consent rule only, not to the hours or the three-call limit.
Can an AI voice call leads in Maryland?
Only with prior express written consent, when the call is a solicitation made with an automated dialing system or a recorded message. The consent has to bear the person's signature, name the number and say signing is not a condition of purchase (§ 14-4501(d)). The act also bans intentionally altering a caller's voice to defraud or to get personal information (§ 14-4502(c)(3)). It does not mention AI by name; federal law treats an AI voice as an artificial voice (FCC 24-17).
How do Polca's calling limits compare with Maryland's rules?
On every call, AI and human, Polca calls only between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. in the lead's local time (checked against the lead's state and area code), never dials on Sundays, checks the agency's opt-out list at dial time, adds opt-outs it detects on calls, caps attempts per lead, and gives the agency a kill switch. Agencies can tighten these limits (narrower hours, lower caps) but cannot loosen them.
- Hours: Polca's 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. window is inside Maryland's 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Three calls in 24 hours: Polca caps attempts per lead, and you can lower the cap. Count every call your agency makes on the same subject, across all systems.
- Consent: Polca asks your agency to certify prior express written consent for each list before Ava calls it; it does not check the consent for you.
These limits do not cover every state rule. Polca's Calling & AI Voice policy says state holiday or emergency restrictions and state rules stricter than these limits are the agency's responsibility. Polca does not scrub lists against the National Do Not Call Registry or any state list, and its own registrations do not cover the agency. Your agency has to check the rules of every state it calls.
What should an agency calling Maryland leads do?
- Keep prior express written consent for every Maryland lead an AI or autodialer calls.
- Hold Maryland leads to three calls in 24 hours on the same subject.
- Scrub the National Do Not Call Registry where your calls require it.
This page is general information from Polca (polca.ai), not legal advice. Read the linked statute and talk to your own counsel before you rely on it.
Common questions
What are the telemarketing hours in Maryland?
No telephone solicitation between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. in the called party's time zone (Com. Law § 14-4502(c)(1)).
How many calls a day can you make to a Maryland lead?
No more than three in 24 hours on the same subject (§ 14-4502(c)(2)).
Is there an insurance agent exemption in Maryland's Stop the Spam Calls Act?
We found none in §§ 14-4501 to 14-4503.
Sources
- Md. Code, Com. Law § 14-4501 (Stop the Spam Calls Act definitions)
- Md. Code, Com. Law § 14-4502 (Maryland telephone solicitation limits)
- Md. Code, Com. Law § 14-4503 (Maryland: damages)
- Md. Code, Pub. Util. § 8-204 (automatic dialing with prerecorded messages)
- Maryland SB 90 (2023), Stop the Spam Calls Act: effective January 1, 2024
- FCC Declaratory Ruling FCC 24-17 (AI-generated voices are “artificial” voices under the TCPA), released Feb. 8, 2024
- 47 CFR § 64.1200 (FCC telemarketing and robocall rules)
- Polca Calling & Recording Policy
This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws and rules change; check the sources and talk to your own counsel.
Calling limits that can't be loosened.
Polca calls 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the lead's local time, never on Sundays, with opt-outs, attempt caps and a kill switch on every call. Your agency checks the state rules on top.
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