TCPA Case Value Calculator: Estimate What Your Robocalls Could Be Worth

Calculate Your TCPA Damages

Enter your call counts below. The calculator applies the statutory amounts in 47 U.S.C. 227 and shows two figures: a base amount and a willful maximum. Treat the result as a starting point for a conversation with a lawyer, not a prediction of what you will receive.

The figures and formulas on this page are general estimates based on current law and are subject to change. New court decisions, FCC rules, and state laws can affect how TCPA damages are calculated. This page is not legal advice. For precise figures on your situation, speak with a licensed attorney.

How TCPA Damages Are Calculated Under 47 U.S.C. 227

Robocall and Autodialer Violations: $500 Per Call

Prerecorded or artificial voice calls and autodialed calls or texts made without the required consent fall under 47 U.S.C. § 227(b)(3). That section lets you sue “to recover for actual monetary loss from such a violation, or to receive $500 in damages for each such violation, whichever is greater.” Your actual losses from unwanted calls are rarely higher than $500, so the figure is almost always $500 per call.

Formula: Qualifying calls x $500

Do Not Call Registry Violations: Up to $500 Per Call

Section 227(c)(5) works differently in two ways.

First, it only applies to a person who “received more than one telephone call within any 12-month period by or on behalf of the same entity.” One sales call to a registered number is not enough. The second call from the same company within 12 months is what opens the claim.

Second, the statute says “up to $500,” not a flat $500. A jury can award less. In Krakauer v. Dish Network, the jury chose $400 per call.

Once you meet the threshold, each call that breaks the rules generally counts as its own violation. Courts decide the finer points, such as how to group calls that fall outside a single 12-month window.

Formula: Do Not Call calls (at least two in 12 months from the same company) x up to $500

Treble Damages for Willful or Knowing TCPA Violations: Up to $1,500 Per Call

Both sections let a court “increase the amount of the award to an amount equal to not more than 3 times” the base amount if the company “willfully or knowingly” broke the law. That is where the $ 1,500-per-call figure comes from.

The increase is at the judge’s discretion and is not automatic. In Krakauer, the trial court tripled the jury’s award, and the appeals court upheld it based on evidence that Dish knew its marketer was breaking the rules and did little to stop it.

Facts that tend to support a willfulness finding include:

• Calls that continued after you asked the company to stop
• Calls made after a prior lawsuit or regulator warning
• A company that ignored complaints about its vendors

Formula: Base damages x up to 3

TCPA Damages Examples for Robocalls and Do Not Call Violations

Can one call count under both the robocall rule and the Do Not Call rule? That depends on the court, so it is a question for a lawyer. The calculator does not double-count.

Why TCPA Settlement Amounts Are Often Lower Than the Statutory Maximum

The statutory figure is the ceiling you negotiate against, not a check in the mail. These factors can pull a real result down, or sometimes push it up:

• Consent disputes. If the company produces a web form with your number on it, that can shrink or erase a claim until the dispute is resolved, even if you never filled it out.
• Proof gaps. Calls you cannot document usually do not count. On the other hand, the company’s own records may reveal calls you did not know about.
• Autodialer questions. After Facebook v. Duguid, a call dialed live from a list may not count as autodialed. Prerecorded calls avoid that fight.
• Who can pay. A judgment against a shell call center may be hard to collect. A national brand can pay.
• Settlement discount. Both sides trade the risk of trial for certainty, so settlements usually come in below the maximum.
• Fees and costs. The TCPA does not make the company pay your attorney fees, so a contingency fee and case costs come out of your recovery.
• Class actions. In a class settlement, you get a share of a fund, not $500 per call. See typical TCPA settlement checks.
• State law. Some state telemarketing laws add separate damages. Others add nothing. Our state law guide lists them.

TCPA Claims for Spam Texts, Wrong-Number Calls, and Junk Faxes

Are Spam Text Messages Covered by the TCPA?

Texts are one of the most unsettled areas of TCPA law right now, so count them carefully.

• Robocall rule. The FCC has long treated texts to a cell phone as calls under the robocall rules. Marketing texts sent with an autodialer generally need your prior written consent. The open question for many texts is whether the system that sent them counts as an autodialer.
• Do Not Call rule. For years, courts generally accepted that repeat marketing texts to a registered number could support a Do Not Call claim. The Colony Ridge settlement class, for example, was built around marketing texts to numbers on the Registry. Recent court decisions have split on this, and at least one federal appeals court has ruled that texts do not count under the Do Not Call section. Where you live can affect whether your texts qualify.

If texts are the core of your claim, a lawyer can tell you how courts in your area are handling them. When you count texts, count each one as one.

Wrong-Number Robocalls

If a company keeps calling your cell with a recorded message looking for someone else, any consent that person gave does not cover you. The Concora Credit settlement class, for example, was made up of people who were not the company’s customers. Count every recorded call.

Junk Faxes

Unsolicited fax ads fall under a separate part of the TCPA and use the same $ 500-per-violation figure for private lawsuits.

Calls From Several Companies

If different companies are calling you, run each one through the calculator separately. The Do Not Call threshold is counted per company.

How to Count Robocalls and Spam Texts for Your TCPA Claim

Enter only the calls you can back up with a call log entry, a screenshot, a voicemail, or a carrier record. If you remember “about 30” calls but can document 12, use 12. A lawyer can often find more calls in the company’s own records later. Starting with a number you can prove keeps the estimate honest and keeps you credible.

Check Whether Your Calls Break TCPA Rules

The calculator assumes every call you enter actually breaks a rule. Two quick checks:

• For recorded calls, read our page on prerecorded and AI voice calls.
• For sales calls to a registered number, see the Do Not Call law explained.

If your calls fit, your records are what turn the estimate into a claim; review the evidence checklist, too.

What Your TCPA Damages Estimate Means

If your base estimate covers only a few calls, a full lawsuit may take more effort than it returns, though small claims court can still be an option. If it runs into the thousands and you know which company called, it is worth a free review. Send us your call count and the company name, and we will tell you which calls we think count and which do not.

TCPA Damages FAQ

How much is a TCPA violation worth?

The statute sets $500 per violation for robocall and autodialer claims, and up to $500 per violation for Do Not Call claims. A court can impose a fine of up to $1,500 per violation if the company acted willfully or knowingly.

Is every spam call worth $500?

No. Only calls that break a specific rule count, such as prerecorded calls without consent or repeat sales calls to a number on the Do Not Call Registry. Calls you agreed to, a single sales call, and most political calls to a home landline usually do not qualify.

Can I sue over spam text messages?

Often, but it depends on the type of claim and where you live. Texts sent with an autodialer can fall under the robocall rules. Whether repeat marketing texts fall under the Do Not Call rules is now in dispute in the courts, so talk to a lawyer before relying on that claim.

How often do courts award $1,500 per call?

It takes a finding that the company acted willfully or knowingly, and that decision belongs to the judge. It is most likely when calls continued after clear requests to stop.

Are TCPA settlements taxable?

Tax treatment depends on your situation. Ask a tax professional before assuming any recovery is tax-free.