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

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

Church texting laws in Washington

Washington's CEMA reaches text messages and pairs with its Consumer Protection Act, so unconsented commercial texts can be expensive. The 2024 HB 1051 broadened the definitions.

Last reviewed July 2026.

What Washington requires

State law: Commercial Electronic Mail Act (CEMA) + Robocall Scam Protection Act (HB 1051)
In effect: CEMA applies to texts; HB 1051 effective 2024
Consent: Prior express written consent for automated texts
Texting hours: 8 a.m.–8 p.m. recipient local time
Who can sue: Individuals can sue directly
Penalties: Treated as a Consumer Protection Act violation (e.g., $500 per offending message)

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

Washington: Washington's commercial-text rules turn on whether a message is a commercial solicitation. A church's purely informational ministry texts are generally outside that scope, but fundraising or promotional content can fall inside it, so get consent and honor opt-outs.

• 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 Washington?: Yes. Churches can text in Washington as long as you have clear opt-in consent and honor STOP. Washington adds state rules on top of the federal TCPA, so review the requirements below.
Does Washington have a texting law beyond the federal TCPA?: Washington has Commercial Electronic Mail Act (CEMA) + Robocall Scam Protection Act (HB 1051) that reaches text messages. Washington's CEMA reaches text messages and pairs with its Consumer Protection Act, so unconsented commercial texts can be expensive. The 2024 HB 1051 broadened the definitions.
Do churches get an exemption from texting rules in Washington?: Washington's commercial-text rules turn on whether a message is a commercial solicitation. A church's purely informational ministry texts are generally outside that scope, but fundraising or promotional content can fall inside it, so get consent and honor opt-outs.

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 Washington and every other state. Compare the other states or read the TCPA consent guide.