France’s 11 August 2026 cold-calling law: what changes for your prospecting
Since 11 August 2026, telephone prospecting of consumers in France has reversed its logic. Until now, a business could call an individual as long as they hadn’t objected, notably via Bloctel, France’s do-not-call list. Now it’s the opposite: without the person’s prior, explicit consent, a sales call is prohibited. Here is what the text says, what you risk, and how to keep finding clients without cold calling.
What the law says
Article 13 of French Law no. 2025-594 of 30 June 2025, known as the law against all public-aid fraud, rewrites the rules on telephone prospecting. Its provisions came into force on 11 August 2026. Decree no. 2026-662 of 23 July 2026 sets out how they apply.
The principle is simple: a business may no longer call a consumer to sell unless that consumer has given prior consent to be called. France is moving from an opt-out system, where you had to register to stop being disturbed, to an opt-in system, where you must have said yes to be called. Bloctel, the old opt-out list, loses its purpose.
What counts as valid consent?
Consent must be given before the call, through a positive act by the person. It must be free, specific, informed, unambiguous and revocable. In other words: the person knows who will call them and why, they chose to accept, and they can withdraw their consent at any time.
A pre-ticked box, an acceptance buried in terms and conditions or consent given for a completely different purpose is not enough. Above all, it is up to the business to prove that consent exists. In the event of an inspection, you must be able to show when, how and for what purpose it was obtained.
What is still allowed
The law doesn’t abolish the phone as a sales tool. It regulates unsolicited calls. Several situations remain open.
- Calling back someone who asked you to, via a form, a message or a booked slot, about the subject of their request.
- Calling a client under an ongoing contract, when the call concerns the subject of that contract.
- Receiving inbound calls: a client who calls you is not being prospected.
The penalties
Breaking these rules exposes you to an administrative fine of up to €75,000 for an individual and €375,000 for a company. Contracts signed following unlawful prospecting can also be cancelled: a sale won over the phone can therefore be lost after the fact.
The rules already in force continue to apply. Sales calls remain limited to certain days and hours, Monday to Friday, 10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 8 pm, excluding public holidays, and the number of times the same person can be contacted remains capped.
What this changes for your prospecting
Purchased number lists, lists built without explicit consent and cold-calling campaigns aimed at consumers become a direct risk. For the trades that relied on them, notably renovation, energy and insurance, the question is no longer how to call more, but how to bring the requests in.
The good news is that a prospect who asked to be contacted is also a better prospect. They have a need, they already know your business, they’re expecting your call. The conversation starts on a very different footing from a call endured in the middle of dinner.
Five actions to take now
Whether you prospect yourself or through a provider, a few checks are essential.
- Take stock of your prospecting lists and where they came from. Without proof of consent, stop calling them.
- Review your forms: a dedicated box, unticked by default, that clearly says who will call and about what.
- Keep proof of every consent, with its date, time and purpose.
- Provide a simple way to withdraw consent, and respect it immediately.
- Question your providers: where do the contacts they pass on come from, and can they prove each person’s consent?
Our approach: inbound requests, dated consent
The BloomX Acquisition System is built on inbound requests. Your ads are shown to the people who need your offer. The interested person fills in a short form and agrees to be contacted. They book a slot in your calendar, or their request reaches your sales team in real time.
Every lead’s consent is time-stamped, as the law recommends. Your leads are exclusive: never resold, never shared. And BloomX never calls a prospect on your behalf: you take over from someone who is expecting you.
General information, not legal advice
This article outlines the main texts applicable as of 11 August 2026. It does not replace the advice of a legal professional, who can examine your situation, particularly if you prospect businesses or operate outside France.
Switch to prospecting that waits for you
Want to replace cold calls with inbound requests? Book your free audit: 30 minutes by video call, free and with no commitment. You leave with an audit of how you find clients today, a lead estimate for your trade and area, and an action plan you can use, even without us.