Under TRAI’s 2026 amendment to TCCCPR, a business may send commercial messages to someone who enquired for seven days from the enquiry, and the enquiry must be in writing or digital and kept in verifiable form. After that, it needs registered consent.
WhatsApp is not covered by TCCCPR, but Meta’s opt-in rules and the DPDP Act apply.
Example
Counting the seven days
A buyer fills an enquiry form for a Thane project at 6 p.m. on 3 November. The developer may send commercial SMS and calls about that enquiry until 6 p.m. on 10 November, keeping the form submission as proof. On 11 November, unless the buyer has given registered consent, those messages must stop — though WhatsApp follow-ups fall under Meta’s rules instead.
Figures are illustrative, not market rates.
Questions about TRAI 7-day enquiry window
What counts as an enquiry under the 7-day rule?
A request made by the customer in writing or digitally, such as a website form, portal enquiry or an email, which the business keeps in verifiable form. A purchased database or a scraped number is not an enquiry. The business must be able to show when and how the enquiry was made.
What if the buyer wants to keep hearing from us after seven days?
Obtain consent through the registered consent process under TRAI’s rules, recorded so it can be verified. With valid consent, messages can continue within its scope. Without it, SMS and calls about that enquiry must stop after seven days.
Does the 7-day window apply to WhatsApp?
No. TCCCPR covers SMS and voice over telecom networks. WhatsApp business messaging is governed by Meta’s opt-in and template rules and, for personal data, by the DPDP Act. Many teams use the first seven days for calls and move longer follow-ups to opted-in WhatsApp.
Sources
- TRAI — unsolicited commercial communication · accessed
- TRAI — regulations · accessed
See also
Reviewed