SELLING RULES

Cold calling rules in Ireland: who you can ring, text and email

Cold calling isn't banned in Ireland, but marketing calls, texts and emails are tightly regulated — and breaking the rules is a criminal offence the Data Protection Commission does prosecute. Here is what a sales rep needs to know before picking up the phone.
Last checked against official sources: 13 September 2026 (DPC, Citizens Information, ePrivacy Regulations)
The short answer
Landlines: you can call unless the number is opted out on the National Directory Database. Mobiles: only with the person’s prior consent. Anyone who tells you to stop: stop, and record it.

The law behind it

Marketing calls and messages are governed by the ePrivacy Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 336 of 2011), alongside the GDPR. The Data Protection Commission (DPC) enforces the marketing rules, and ComReg oversees how phone providers record people’s preferences.

At a glance

Channel
Individuals
Businesses
Landline call
Allowed unless opted out on the NDD
Allowed unless opted out on the NDD
Mobile call
Only with prior consent
Only with prior consent
Text message
Only with consent (or existing-customer rules)
Allowed until they ask you to stop
Email
Only with consent (or existing-customer rules)
Allowed until they ask you to stop
Summary of the main marketing contact rules. See the sections below for the detail.

Calling landlines and the NDD opt-out register

The National Directory Database (NDD) records each phone line’s preferences, including whether the subscriber wants marketing calls. You must not make a marketing call to a landline that has been opted out.
  • People opt out through their line provider, free of charge, and the preference stays with the line.
  • Ex-directory numbers are automatically treated as opted out.
  • Both residential and business numbers can carry an opt-out.
  • There is a 28-day window after an opt-out is recorded before calling that number breaches the rules — so work from an up-to-date check, not an old list.

Calling mobile phones

Marketing calls to mobile phones are prohibited unless the person has told you they consent to receiving those calls, or has recorded a general consent to marketing calls in the NDD. In practice, mobile numbers are opted out by default, so a mobile number you found online is not one you can cold call.

People you already do business with

If you have an ongoing or recent relationship with someone, contact from you may not count as unsolicited. According to the DPC, businesses can rely on that existing relationship to market to a customer regardless of their NDD preference — until the customer tells them to stop.

What you must say on a marketing call

Every marketing call must include your name and, if you are calling on behalf of someone else, the name of the company you are calling for. Hiding who you are, or who you represent, is itself a breach.

Sales emails and text messages

  • To individuals, marketing emails and texts need clear consent in advance. The exception is existing customers: if you got their details when selling to them in the last 12 months, you can market similar products, as long as they were given the chance to opt out then and in every message since.
  • To businesses, marketing emails and texts can be sent until the business asks you to stop. Any marketing message after that is an offence.
  • Every message must make clear who it is from and include a valid way to opt out.

What doesn’t count

The rules are about marketing. Genuine non-marketing calls, such as following up on a job already agreed or some types of market research, are not covered in the same way. If a “survey” call is really a sales pitch, it is a marketing call.

A compliance checklist for your call list

  • 1.
    Record where every number came from and whether you have consent to call it.
  • 2.
    Never cold call a mobile number without recorded consent.
  • 3.
    Screen landline numbers against the NDD opt-out register before a campaign.
  • 4.
    Open every call with your name and the company you represent.
  • 5.
    Log opt-out requests the moment they happen, and share them with anyone else calling the same list.
  • 6.
    Keep your records, so you can show why each contact was allowed if you are ever asked.
A lead tracker is the natural place for this. Add a note when someone opts out and mark them Lost so they drop off your follow-up list — our free template is set up for exactly that.

Frequently asked questions

Is cold calling illegal in Ireland?

Cold calling is legal in Ireland within limits. You cannot make marketing calls to a landline whose owner has opted out on the National Directory Database, and you cannot make marketing calls to a mobile without the person’s prior consent.

Can I cold call a mobile number in Ireland?

Not without consent. Marketing calls to mobile phones are prohibited unless the person has told you they consent to such calls, or has recorded a general consent in the National Directory Database. Mobile numbers are opted out by default.

What is the NDD opt-out register?

The National Directory Database (NDD) holds phone subscribers’ preferences, including whether they want marketing calls. People record an opt-out through their line provider, and ex-directory numbers are opted out automatically.

Can I send sales emails to businesses without consent?

Businesses can receive direct marketing emails and texts until they ask you to stop. After that, sending further marketing messages to that business is an offence.

What should I do if someone asks me not to contact them again?

Stop. Record the request against their details straight away so nobody on your team contacts them again. Continuing to market someone after they have told you to stop can lead to a complaint to the Data Protection Commission.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For anything specific to your campaign, check the DPC’s guidance or take legal advice.
Sources
Data Protection Commission — NDD & FAQsData Protection Commission — Can my mobile phone be targeted for marketing calls?Citizens Information — Junk mail, spam and unwanted texts and callsComReg — Unsolicited contacts and the National Directory DatabaseIrish Statute Book — S.I. No. 336 of 2011 (ePrivacy Regulations)

Know who you can call, at a glance

Chase a Lead keeps every conversation, note and opt-out against the lead, on your phone. Join the early access list.
Free while we’re in beta. Unsubscribe in one click.

More guides for sales reps in Ireland

Free sales lead tracker template
A free Excel and Google Sheets lead tracker with county and status dropdowns, overdue follow-up highlighting and a pipeline summary.
Revenue mileage rates in Ireland
The current civil service kilometric rates, how the distance bands work, and a calculator for what a year on the road is worth.
Door-to-door sales rules in Ireland
What you must tell a customer on the doorstep, the 30-day cancellation right, and a checklist to keep every sale valid.