Quick Answer (TL;DR):
A 31-day scrub cadence is the mandatory operational schedule under FTC and FCC regulations requiring telemarketers to compare and remove numbers from their outbound call lists against the National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry at least once every 31 days.
The Statutory Rule:
Under the FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule (16 C.F.R. § 310.4(b)(1)(iii)(B)) and FCC regulations (47 C.F.R. § 64.1200(c)(2)), outbound telemarketers must scrub campaign lists against the National DNC Registry using data obtained no more than 31 days prior to the date any call is placed.
Operational Implication:
- Automated Sync Schedules: Production dialers and CRMs must execute automated API suppression runs on a 30-day (or tighter) schedule to prevent calling numbers registered during the previous cycle.
- Safe Harbor Defense: Maintaining verifiable timestamped logs of 31-day scrub queries is a mandatory prerequisite to qualifying for the DNC Safe Harbor defense against statutory penalties.
- Dialer Lockout: Systems should automatically quarantine lead lists whose last scrub date exceeds 30 calendar days until a fresh registry query completes.
Related Guide:
Learn how to configure automated suppression pipelines in our TCPA compliance checklist for outbound campaigns (2026 update) or explore our TCPA Compliance Consulting services.