State protections
Debt collection protections in California
What California adds on top of the federal FDCPA, and how to use it. Last reviewed July 22, 2026.
The short version
California's Rosenthal Act applies FDCPA-style debt-collection rules to more parties than the federal law — including many original creditors, not just third-party collectors.
Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act — Cal. Civ. Code §§1788–1788.33
What California adds on top of the FDCPA
- Covers original creditors collecting their own debts, not only outside agencies.
- Incorporates the federal FDCPA's prohibitions by reference.
- Debt collectors generally must be registered with the state (DFPI).
Can you record a collector's call in California?
Not without everyone's agreement. Every party to a confidential communication must consent before it is recorded. Read the detail for California.
Document it while it's happening
State overlays only help if you can show what happened. Log each contact with its date and time and Collector Audit checks it against both the FDCPA and California's rules.
Start a fileStop the calls
Or let us send the cease & desist for you.
Once the collector receives written notice to stop contacting you, § 1692c(c) requires them to stop. We draft it against your file, print it, and send it certified with tracking — so you have proof of the date they received it.
- Drafted from your logged contacts
- Printed and mailed certified, with tracking
- Delivery date filed to your evidence vault
- You approve the wording before it goes
One-time, no subscription. Logging calls is free — you only pay when a letter goes out.
This is general information, not advice
Collector Audit is not a law firm and this page is not legal advice. Statutes change and summaries can't capture how a rule applies to your facts. See all states and our disclaimer.