Title 15 — Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73not60
§5722 Relation to State Laws
Title 15 › Chapter 83— TELEPHONE DISCLOSURE AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION › Subchapter II— BILLING AND COLLECTION › § 5722
Summary
State telephone-billing laws stay in force unless they conflict with this federal rule. The Commission decides if a conflict exists. It cannot find a conflict when the state law gives consumers more protection. The Commission must leave out classes of phone-billed purchases in a State when that State’s rules are basically the same or stronger and can be enforced.
Full Legal Text
Title 15, §5722
Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)This subchapter does not annul, alter, or affect, or exempt any person subject to the provisions of this subchapter from complying with, the laws of any State with respect to telephone billing practices, except to the extent that those laws are inconsistent with any provision of this subchapter, and then only to the extent of the inconsistency. The Commission is authorized to determine whether such inconsistencies exist. The Commission may not determine that any State law is inconsistent with any provision of this subchapter 11 See References in Text note below. if the Commission determines that such law gives greater protection to the consumer.
(b)The Commission shall by regulation exempt from the requirements of this subchapter any class of telephone-billed purchase transactions within any State if it determines that under the law of that State that class of transactions is subject to requirements substantially similar to those imposed under this subchapter 1 or that such law gives greater protection to the consumer, and that there is adequate provision for enforcement.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
This subchapter, referred to the last time in subsecs. (a) and (b), was in the original “this chapter” and was translated as reading “this title” meaning title III of Pub. L. 102–556, to reflect the probable intent of Congress because Pub. L. 102–556 does not contain chapters.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
15 U.S.C. § 5722
Title 15 — Commerce and Trade
Last Updated
Apr 3, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60