STOP Means STOP: FCC Texting Opt-Out Rules Every Business Must Follow

Updated September 2026 with the FCC’s latest changes.

Texting is one of the fastest ways to reach customers, but it comes with rules. Under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the FCC tightened how businesses must handle opt-outs. The core requirements took effect April 11, 2025, and the FCC revised one part of them in September 2026.

What customers can say to opt out

If a customer replies with any of these words, treat it as a request to stop:

STOP, QUIT, END, REVOKE, OPT OUT, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE

Customers can also revoke consent by other reasonable means, so don’t rely only on exact keywords. You must honor an opt-out within 10 business days. You’re allowed to send one short confirmation text, but not another marketing message.

How far an opt-out reaches

The FCC originally planned a “revoke all” rule, where one opt-out would stop every type of message from your business. That rule was delayed twice and, in September 2026, revised before it ever took effect:

• Marketing: an opt-out from telemarketing still stops all telemarketing messages from your business.
• Informational messages (like appointment reminders or service alerts): an opt-out applies to that category of messages, not to every other kind.

The revised rule takes effect 30 days after it’s published in the Federal Register. See the FCC overview post for the full timeline.

Your checklist

If your business sends any texts (reminders, promotions, alerts, or confirmations):

• Check that your texting platform recognizes all the opt-out keywords
• Log every opt-out and act on it within 10 business days
• Make sure an opt-out in one system reaches every system that sends that type of message
• Keep marketing and informational messages clearly separated
• Train your team on what counts as an opt-out, and document it
• Update your privacy disclosures

Why it matters

This isn’t just a compliance checkbox. Texting someone after they’ve opted out, even by accident, can lead to complaints, fines, and lost trust.

This is general information, not legal advice. Talk with your attorney about how these rules apply to your messaging.