Is it legal for a church to text people in Oregon?

Yes. Churches can text in Oregon as long as you have clear opt-in consent and honor STOP. Oregon adds state rules on top of the federal TCPA, so review the requirements below.

Church texting laws in Oregon

Oregon's HB 3865 took effect January 1, 2026, capping outreach at 3 per day, restricting it to 8am–8pm, and extending the rules to text messages.

Last reviewed July 2026.

What Oregon requires

State law: Oregon telemarketing law (HB 3865)
In effect: January 1, 2026
Texting hours: 8 a.m.–8 p.m. recipient local time
Frequency: No more than 3 calls/texts per consumer per day

The federal TCPA applies everywhere

• The federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) governs automated texts in every U.S. state. It is the floor; some states add stricter rules on top.
• There is no blanket exemption for churches. Courts apply the TCPA based on the message's content and the consent you collected, not your tax status.
• Informational texts (a service-time change, an event reminder, a reply in a conversation the person started) are treated more leniently than promotional or fundraising texts, which need clearer, written consent.
• Always get clear opt-in consent before texting, identify your church in messages, and honor STOP immediately. A2P 10DLC registration enforces much of this for you.

What this means for your church

Oregon: Oregon's 2026 law caps frequency and sets an 8am–8pm window for covered solicitations and now covers texts. We have not verified a religious carve-out, so an Oregon church should get consent and keep within the window for any non-conversational outreach.

• Most state mini-TCPAs exclude religious and charitable solicitation from the kind of "sales call" they regulate. A church's ministry texts often fall outside the strictest state rules.
• That carve-out is not a free pass. In Florida it is actively unsettled, plaintiffs still sue nonprofits, and fundraising or promotional messages may be treated as regulated solicitation regardless of who sends them.
• The safe practice is identical in all 50 states: collect clear opt-in consent (a keyword opt-in or a checked box, never pre-checked), keep a record of it, identify your church, and honor STOP the moment it arrives.
• Do that and you meet the federal TCPA and every state mini-TCPA at once. It is how Vesperbell is built to work.

Common questions

Is it legal for a church to text people in Oregon?: Yes. Churches can text in Oregon as long as you have clear opt-in consent and honor STOP. Oregon adds state rules on top of the federal TCPA, so review the requirements below.
Does Oregon have a texting law beyond the federal TCPA?: Oregon has Oregon telemarketing law (HB 3865) that reaches text messages. Oregon's HB 3865 took effect January 1, 2026, capping outreach at 3 per day, restricting it to 8am–8pm, and extending the rules to text messages.
Do churches get an exemption from texting rules in Oregon?: Oregon's 2026 law caps frequency and sets an 8am–8pm window for covered solicitations and now covers texts. We have not verified a religious carve-out, so an Oregon church should get consent and keep within the window for any non-conversational outreach.

Sources

This page is general information for church staff, not legal advice. Texting laws change and apply differently to each situation. Confirm specifics with your own attorney before relying on them.

Stay compliant without the homework

Vesperbell handles A2P 10DLC registration, records consent, and honors STOP for you, in Oregon and every other state. Compare the other states or read the TCPA consent guide.