Can I refuse cold-call marketing?
Yes, and it will soon be banned without your consent. The law of 30 June 2025 overhauls cold calling. From 11 August 2026, all unsolicited cold calling is banned: a business can no longer call you for marketing without your prior, explicit consent (shift from "opt-out" to "opt-in"), unless it concerns an existing contract. On that date the Bloctel service ends. Until 11 August 2026, you can opt out by registering free on Bloctel, and cold calling stays banned on Sundays, public holidays and outside certain hours.
📋 The rules
- Long-standing: cold calling banned on Sundays, holidays and outside allowed hours
- Until 11 August 2026: free Bloctel registration to opt out
- From 11 August 2026: cold calling banned without prior consent (opt-in)
- The business must prove your consent
- Exception: a call about an existing contract
🔓 Exceptions
- Calls about performing an already-signed contract: allowed
- Explicit consent (un-pre-ticked box, recording): calling possible
- Some sectors (energy renovation) were already more tightly framed
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Breaching the cold-calling rules exposes the business to an administrative fine of up to €75,000 for an individual and €375,000 for a company. From 11 August 2026, calling without verifiable consent will be punished the same way. For the consumer, reporting abusive calls (33 700 for SMS/numbers) and complaining to the DGCCRF stays possible.
📎 Official sources
- Service-Public.fr · Cold calling and Bloctel →
- economie.gouv.fr · Cold-calling regulations →
- Légifrance · Consent to cold calling (art. L223-1 ff.) →
❓ Frequently asked
Will cold-call marketing be banned?
Largely yes. From 11 August 2026, a business can no longer cold-call you for marketing without your prior, explicit consent. That's the shift to opt-in, and the Bloctel service will end on that date.
How do I protect myself before 11 August 2026?
Register free on Bloctel: businesses then can't call you for marketing (except an existing contract). Cold calling is also banned on Sundays, public holidays and outside allowed hours.
What is opt-in?
It reverses today's system: instead of having to unsubscribe to stop calls, the business must obtain your explicit consent first. Without that verifiable consent, cold calling will be banned from 11 August 2026.
What penalties for a caller?
Breaches expose them to an administrative fine of up to €75,000 for an individual and €375,000 for a company. The DGCCRF monitors and sanctions abusive cold-calling practices.
What about calls from a supplier I already have?
Calls about an existing contract stay allowed, even after 11 August 2026. The ban targets unsolicited marketing, not the follow-up of a contract you've already signed.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “cold calling banned 2026”
- “bloctel end opt-in”
- “marketing call law 11 august 2026”
- “refuse cold calling”
- “marketing consent rules”
- “cold calling fine”