French telemarketing: since August 2026, no consent, no call
Since 11 August 2026, businesses can no longer call a consumer in France to sell them something without their prior consent. The Bloctel opt-out list disappears: France moves from a system where people had to refuse to one where they have to accept. Here is what the texts and the guidance published by the DGCCRF (the French consumer protection authority) say, then what it changes for a team that sells by phone. This guide is information, not legal advice.
What changed on 11 August 2026
Before, a business could call any consumer who had not registered on Bloctel. Now it is the reverse: the person must have agreed before the first sales call.
The change comes from Law No. 2025-594 of 30 June 2025, supplemented by Decree No. 2026-662 of 23 July 2026. It applies to calls to consumers, that is, private individuals.
What valid consent looks like
Consent must be free, specific, informed, unambiguous and revocable. It is given by a clear positive act: a box ticked by the person, not a pre-ticked box or silence.
It can be collected during a purchase, a store visit or through a form, provided it is traceable.
It is valid for one year at most. After that, it must be asked for again.
Proof: keeping it is your job
In an inspection, the business must prove the person agreed. The proof must be verifiable: date, time, how it was collected, what the person was shown.
It must be kept for at least three years and handed to any consumer who asks for it.
In practice: a purchased list with no record of each contact's consent can no longer be used to call consumers.
The two exceptions
Prior consent is not required when the person has an ongoing contract with you and the call relates to that contract.
Nor is it required for selling newspapers, periodicals and magazines.
When and how often you can call
Even with consent, calls are only allowed Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays, from 10 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 8 pm, in the called person's time zone. The only exception is a specific appointment the person agreed to.
No more than four calls per thirty-day period. If the person says no, stop immediately.
The number cannot be withheld. And since 1 January 2023, French mobile numbers starting with 06 or 07 are banned for calls made by automated systems (ARCEP decision No. 2022-1583).
Sectors where all telemarketing is banned
Three areas are closed to telephone canvassing, even with consent: energy renovation, adapting homes for loss of autonomy, and the personal training account (CPF).
Penalties
The administrative fine can reach €75,000 for an individual and €375,000 for a company, and penalties can be made public.
When canvassing amounts to abuse of weakness, penalties go up to five years in prison and a €500,000 fine, or 10% of turnover.
What it changes for selling by phone
Cold consumer lists become unusable. Value shifts to people who ask to be called: quote forms, callback requests, simulators, missed calls.
These requests go cold fast. Someone who has just filled in a form expects a call within minutes; the next day, they have often forgotten or signed elsewhere. Calling back fast becomes the main source of phone sales.
The rules also have to be applied every day: calling hours, number of calls per contact, stopping at once when someone refuses. That is exactly the kind of rule a tool applies better than a team under pressure.
What about business-to-business calls?
The rules above protect consumers. Calls between businesses fall under other texts, and calls made by an automated system have their own obligations. Have your situation checked by your adviser before launching a campaign.
Sources
Law No. 2025-594 of 30 June 2025; Decree No. 2026-662 of 23 July 2026; ARCEP decision No. 2022-1583; DGCCRF guidance "Les règles du démarchage téléphonique s'imposant aux entreprises", updated 27 July 2026, on economie.gouv.fr.
Questions we get asked
Does Bloctel still exist?
No. With mandatory prior consent, the opt-out list no longer has a purpose: you only call people who agreed.
Is a pre-ticked box enough?
No. Consent must come from a clear positive act by the person. A pre-ticked box or terms accepted as a whole are not enough.
How long is consent valid?
One year at most. It must then be asked for again, and the proof kept for at least three years.
Can I call an existing customer?
Yes, if you have an ongoing contract with them and the call relates to that contract.
Can an AI voice agent make these calls?
It follows the same rules as any sales call, plus those for automated systems: no 06 or 07 number, no withheld number. It must also introduce itself as an automated assistant.
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