Do we have to scrub every number against the DNC list before we call?

Not for genuine business-to-business messages, which are exempt from the DNC Registry requirement. The check-before-you-send duty is aimed at marketing to individuals on their Singapore phone numbers. If you are marketing to personal mobiles, the DNC check applies and you should treat it seriously.

We only contact businesses, not consumers. Does the DNC even apply to us?

Largely not, as long as your messages are genuinely business-to-business and you are using work contact details. The exemption covers the message being B2B, not the label on your list. Slip a consumer-style pitch to a personal mobile into the mix and that message is a different animal.

Is it true we could be fined a million dollars?

The S$1 million figure is real as a maximum for Data Protection breaches, in force since 1 October 2022, with an alternative of up to 10% of Singapore turnover for larger organisations. It is a ceiling for serious breaches, not what happens for one cold call. Treat it as a reason to run clean outbound, not a reason to stop.

What is business contact information under the PDPA?

It is a person's name, job title, business phone, business address, business email, and business fax, when not given solely for personal purposes. In short, the work details someone uses to do their job. Most Data Protection obligations do not apply to BCI the way they apply to personal data.

Is cold email treated the same as cold calling?

The DNC registers cover voice calls, text messages, and fax to Singapore phone numbers, so cold email sits outside the DNC registers specifically. Email still lives under the wider PDPA and general good-data practice, so the same principles apply: reach businesses about business, use work addresses, and honour removal requests.

Business

Is cold calling legal in Singapore? PDPA and DNC

Sep 2, 2026

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