If you’ve ever replied “STOP” to a text and kept getting messages, you’re not alone. The rules about how you can withdraw consent to robocalls and robotexts are about to change. Here’s what’s new and how to make sure your opt-out counts.

What happened

On October 26, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission published revised rules in the Federal Register about how consumers revoke consent to automated calls and texts. The FCC adopted the order (FCC 26-67) on September 30. The new rules take effect on November 25, 2026.

These rules fall under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the federal law that limits robocalls, prerecorded messages and automated texts. Under the TCPA, many businesses need your consent before they can contact you this way. You have the right to take that consent back.

The new rules make three main changes.

1. Opting out of one kind of informational message may not stop the others. If you opt out of an informational call or text, such as a payment reminder, a business may treat that as stopping only that kind of message. You might still get fraud alerts, appointment reminders or outage notices from the same company. This does not apply to marketing. If you opt out of a marketing call or text, that still stops all future marketing robocalls and robotexts from that caller.

2. Businesses can name the opt-out method you must use. A caller can now designate one or more FCC-approved ways to opt out: pressing a key or speaking during an automated call, replying to a text with a standard keyword, or using a website or phone number the caller provides. The business must clearly disclose that method on the call or in the text. If it does, it doesn’t have to honor opt-outs you send some other way. If a business doesn’t designate a method, you can still opt out through any reasonable means.

3. Text replies have seven protected keywords. When a business makes a text reply its opt-out method, it must honor any of these replies: STOP, QUIT, END, REVOKE, OPT OUT, CANCEL or UNSUBSCRIBE. This applies even if the message mentions only one of them.

One thing did not change. Businesses must honor your opt-out within a reasonable time, no more than 10 business days after they receive it.

The FCC also loosened a rule for banks and other financial institutions. They can now send certain fraud-alert messages to wireless numbers they got from other reliable sources, such as a spouse or family member authorized on the account.

Why it matters

In 2024 the FCC adopted a broader “revoke all” rule. Under it, opting out of one type of robocall would have stopped all of them from that caller. That part of the rule was delayed several times, most recently to January 31, 2027, and never took effect. The new rules replace it. (We previewed this change in September: The FCC Is About to Change How You Stop Robocalls and Texts.)

For consumers, the practical effect is that one “STOP” may not end every automated message from a company. You may need to opt out of each type of informational message separately. You may also need to use the specific method the business names.

The FCC is still considering further changes. In a separate notice, it asked for public comment on shortening the 10-business-day deadline, possibly to seven business days. It is also considering requiring a way for consumers to “revoke all” consent at once, and requiring two-way texting so consumers can reply to opt out. These ideas are proposals only, not rules. Comments are due November 25, with replies due December 28, 2026.

What you can do

• Use the method the business tells you to use. Look for opt-out instructions at the start of a call or in the text itself. If a method is named, use it.
• For texts, reply with one of the seven keywords. “STOP” is the most widely recognized.
• Opt out of each type of message you don’t want. If you still get appointment or account reminders after opting out of payment reminders, opt out of those too.
• Keep records. Take screenshots of your opt-out replies and any messages that come after. Write down the date, time and number for unwanted calls. Save voicemails.
• Register on the National Do Not Call Registry at donotcall.gov if you haven’t already. It mainly covers telemarketing calls, not every informational message.
• Count the days. If calls or texts continue more than 10 business days after you opted out, write that down.

When to get help

Talk to a consumer attorney if:

• Calls or texts continue well after you opted out the right way.
• You get marketing robocalls or texts you never agreed to.
• A company contacts you after you told it to stop, especially about a debt.
• The calls come from numbers you can’t identify or that keep changing.

The TCPA lets consumers sue over certain violations. Depending on the facts, you may be entitled to money for each unlawful call or text. An attorney can review your records and tell you whether you may have a claim.

Talk to Ginsburg Law Group

If unwanted robocalls or texts won’t stop, Ginsburg Law Group can help. We represent consumers nationwide in TCPA and other consumer protection cases. Contact us for a free, no-obligation review of your situation.

This post is for general information and isn’t legal advice. Reading it doesn’t create an attorney-client relationship.

Sources

• Enhancing the Ability of Consumers To Control the Robocalls, final rule, 91 FR 67214 (Oct. 26, 2026)
• Modernizing the Ability of Consumers To Control Robocalls, proposed rule, 91 FR 67239 (Oct. 26, 2026)