> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.apten.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# State-Specific TCPA Compliance

> Apply state-specific outreach windows, holidays, blackout dates, and rolling contact limits to SMS and voice outreach.

## Overview

State-Specific TCPA Compliance helps your organization apply state-level timing and contact-frequency rules to outbound SMS and voice outreach. Apten provides maintained defaults for all 50 states and Washington, DC, and org admins can customize each jurisdiction from **Settings → Compliance**.

When enforcement is enabled, Apten combines each lead's state rule with your organization's Message Timing settings. State rules can make an outreach window more restrictive, but they never extend your configured organization hours. Email is not affected.

<Warning>
  Apten's defaults and controls are compliance tools, not legal advice or a
  guarantee of compliance. Your organization remains responsible for reviewing
  its outreach practices and configuring rules for the laws and consent
  requirements that apply to it.
</Warning>

## How rules are applied

State-specific rules apply only when Apten has a recognized state for the lead. Apten evaluates windows and blocked dates in the lead's local time.

* **Follow-up outreach**: Automated SMS and voice follow-ups always respect organization hours, organization holidays, and enabled state rules.
* **Initial outreach**: State windows follow **Respect Business Hours**, and state holidays and blackout dates follow **Respect Holidays** in Message Timing.
* **Email**: State-specific TCPA rules do not apply to email.
* **Rolling caps**: Caps count SMS and voice follow-up touches together within each conversation over the previous 24 hours.

If an attempt falls outside an allowed window, on a blocked date, or above a rolling cap, Apten delays it until outreach is allowed. Outbound calls are checked again immediately before dialing so time spent waiting to dial does not bypass the applicable window or blackout date.

<Note>
  Leads without a recognized state continue to follow your organization's
  Message Timing settings. Confirm that imported lead records contain accurate
  location information before relying on state-specific rules.
</Note>

## Setup

State-Specific TCPA Compliance is configured per organization in **Settings → Compliance**. Only users with the **Admin** role can change these settings.

### Review Message Timing

Open **Message Timing** and review your organization-wide settings before enabling state enforcement:

* **Outreach Hours & Holidays** define the baseline schedule that all follow-ups must respect.
* **Time Zone** provides the organization fallback for scheduling.
* **Respect Business Hours** controls whether outreach windows also apply to initial outreach.
* **Respect Holidays** independently controls whether holidays and blackout dates also apply to initial outreach.

State outreach windows are intersected with organization outreach hours. For example, if organization hours end at 9:00 PM and a state window ends at 8:00 PM, outreach to leads in that state ends at 8:00 PM.

### Enable enforcement

In **State-Specific TCPA Compliance**, click **Configure**, then turn on **Enable enforcement**. Enforcement is off by default.

You can configure and save state overrides while enforcement is off. Apten retains those customizations and labels them **Not currently enforced** until you turn enforcement on.

## Configure state rules

Select a state or Washington, DC, to review its effective rule. States with blocked days, holidays, or caps appear first; states without those restrictions are available under **Show other states**. A **Customized** badge identifies states with saved overrides.

### Outreach windows

Configure an allowed start and end time for each day of the week, or block outreach for the entire day. Times must use a valid start-before-end range.

The saved state schedule must overlap your organization outreach hours on at least one day. Apten validates the combined settings when you save and identifies states that would have no available outreach window.

### Blocked holidays

Select holidays when outreach should be blocked for the state. The editor identifies holidays included in Apten's default rule, and you can add or remove holidays for your organization.

Holiday changes are stored relative to Apten's current defaults. If Apten updates an unmodified default, the effective rule updates automatically.

### Custom blackout dates

Add one-off dates when all SMS and voice outreach should be blocked in the selected state. Custom blackout dates apply in addition to organization holidays and the state's selected holidays.

### Rolling outreach cap

Enter the maximum number of SMS and voice follow-up touches allowed per conversation in a rolling 24-hour period. The cap accepts positive whole numbers; leave it blank to apply no cap.

When a conversation reaches the cap, Apten waits until an earlier touch falls outside the 24-hour window before continuing follow-up outreach.

### Reset a state

Click **Reset to Apten default** to remove your organization's overrides for the selected state. The state will then follow Apten's current default windows, holidays, blackout dates, and cap.

## Defaults and updates

Apten maintains the default state rules and holiday calendar. The settings page displays **Compliance data last updated** so admins can see when the default data was most recently revised.

Avoid copying the current state matrix into external procedures. Review the live settings page for the effective defaults, and save overrides only where your organization's legal guidance requires different behavior.

## How this works with other compliance controls

State-Specific TCPA Compliance adds timing, date, and frequency restrictions; it does not replace consent management or suppression checks.

* **Apten-managed DNC** continues to block numbers on your organization's standing Do Not Contact list. Manage it with the [Do Not Contact API](/api-reference/dnc/register).
* **Opt-out handling** continues to honor channel and linked-channel preferences. See [Opt-Out](/webhooks/opt-out) and [Do Not Contact](/webhooks/do-not-contact).
* **External Compliance Checks** can apply your own suppression sources or policies in addition to state timing rules. See [External Compliance Checks](/compliance/external-checks).

These controls compose with one another. Enabling state-specific enforcement does not weaken or bypass a block from another compliance control.