Consent & opt-in
Consent types, proof requirements, and how to log consent.
Every OpenPhn outbound call requires a consent_type. This is a TCPA
requirement — not an OpenPhn preference. Picking the right value and
being able to prove you had a basis for it is your obligation.
The three values
consent_type | When to use |
|---|---|
prior_express | You have the called party's prior express written consent for calls of this kind. Strongest basis. Required for pure marketing. |
existing_business_relationship | The called party is your customer with an active commercial relationship and the call relates to that relationship (order updates, appointment reminders, account security). Transactional content only. |
emergency | Imminent safety / critical-service notifications (utility outage, security breach, weather). Extremely narrow — misuse is a federal offense. |
OpenPhn records whichever you pass on call create; it's audit-logged and inspectable via the admin console. If the called party complains, your records are what matter — store the signed consent form, the opt-in click, or the business-relationship evidence at your own source of truth.
Proof you should keep on your side
- Written consent form (wet or electronic signature) — date, time, IP, phone number, and the exact language the person agreed to.
- Opt-in checkbox events — logs showing the user actively checked a clearly-disclosed consent box with TCPA-compliant language near it (no pre-checked boxes; no burying in a ToS).
- Purchase / account-creation records (for EBR) — enough to show the commercial relationship is active (not stale).
OpenPhn's audit log is not a substitute. We log that you asserted
consent_type at the time of the call; we do not log how you got that
consent.
Call-hour rules
Regardless of consent_type, federal law restricts the time of day you may call:
- 8 AM – 9 PM in the called party's local time zone.
OpenPhn enforces this on POST /v1/calls using the destination's area
code to infer time zone. Calls outside the window return
call_hours_violation. If a state your destination is in has tighter
rules, that's on you to respect — we don't track state-level
variations.
Opt-out handling
When a called party asks to be removed, add them to your DNC immediately
— both your records and your OpenPhn DNC list
(POST /v1/dnc/upload or dashboard UI).
Future calls to opted-out numbers will fail with dnc_blocked. If you
re-upload them later without their re-consent, that's a violation.