romotional SMS has a legal sending window in many markets. In the UAE marketing texts may be sent only between 07:00 and 21:00, in Saudi Arabia promotional messages are banned between 22:00 and 09:00 (and between 01:00 and 12:00 during Ramadan), in Qatar direct marketing is barred between 21:00 and 09:00, in India promotional messages are off by default outside 10:00–21:00, and in the United States telemarketing texts may be sent only between 08:00 and 21:00 in the recipient's local time. Windows also apply in Nigeria, Kenya, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Colombia and South Africa. They cover marketing messages; one-time passwords and transactional alerts are generally outside them. Every window below links to the official text it comes from.
Checked 22 October 2026 against each regulator's own text. All times are the recipient's local time. We list only markets where we found the window in an official document; where a market is missing, that means we have not verified a clock window, not that there is none. This page is not legal advice.
Verified sending windows at a glance
| Market | Marketing SMS allowed (local time) | Applies to | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| UAE | 07:00–21:00 | Marketing text messages | TDRA Regulatory Policy on Unsolicited Electronic Communications |
| Saudi Arabia | 09:00–22:00; in Ramadan not 01:00–12:00 | Promotional messages | CST Regulations for Curbing SPAM Messages & Calls, 4.4.10 |
| Qatar | 09:00–21:00 | Direct marketing | CRA Spam Regulation (amended 2017) |
| India | 10:00–21:00 (default) | Promotional messages | TRAI TCCCPR 2018, schedule of time bands |
| Nigeria | 08:00–20:00 | Promotional messages | NCC Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Report |
| Kenya | 07:00–19:00 | Promotional messages | CA Consumer Protection Guidelines, 2022 |
| Vietnam | 07:00–22:00 | Advertising messages | Decree 91/2020/ND-CP, Art. 13(6) |
| Sri Lanka | 08:00–20:00 | Promotional messages | TRCSL promotional-message guidelines |
| Cambodia | 08:00–21:00 | Advertising SMS | TRC news release, 22 May 2026 |
| Colombia | Mon–Fri 07:00–19:00; Sat 08:00–15:00; never Sundays or holidays | Advertising messages | Ley 2300 de 2023, arts. 3 and 5 |
| United States | 08:00–21:00 | Telemarketing calls and texts | 47 CFR 64.1200 (TCPA) |
| South Africa | Mon–Fri 08:00–20:00; Sat 09:00–13:00; never Sundays or public holidays | Direct marketing | WASPA Code of Conduct, section 16.8 |
The Gulf
**UAE.** The TDRA's Regulatory Policy on Unsolicited Electronic Communications bars marketing text messages between 21:00 and 07:00 Gulf Standard Time (UTC+4). Marketing calls are stricter: Cabinet Resolution No. 56 of 2024 allows them only between 09:00 and 18:00, never to numbers on the Do Not Call Register; see Cabinet Decision 56 explained and UAE regulations.
**Saudi Arabia.** The CST's Regulations for Curbing SPAM Messages & Calls ban promotional messages between 22:00 and 09:00 every day (UTC+3), and between 01:00 and 12:00 during Ramadan. See Saudi CST sender-ID rules and Saudi Arabia regulations.
**Qatar.** The CRA's Spam Regulation states that no direct marketing shall be sent between 21:00 and 09:00 (UTC+3). See Qatar regulations. For Ramadan and holiday timing across the Gulf, see the GCC messaging calendar 2027.
South Asia
**India.** Under TRAI's Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations, 2018, the time bands 00:00–06:00, 06:00–08:00, 08:00–10:00 and 21:00–24:00 are off by default for all customers, so promotional messages go out between 10:00 and 21:00 IST (UTC+5:30) unless a subscriber has chosen otherwise. Templates, headers and links must also be registered on DLT; see the India DLT registration guide and India regulations.
**Sri Lanka.** The TRCSL's promotional-message guidelines allow no promotional messages between 20:00 and 08:00 (UTC+5:30).
Africa
**Nigeria.** The NCC describes "the 12 hour period (8am – 8pm) allowed for sending messages" for promotional traffic in its Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Report (West Africa Time, UTC+1). International traffic is also moving to licensed aggregators; see Nigeria A2P SMS 2026.
**Kenya.** The Communications Authority's Consumer Protection Guidelines and Customer Care Standards, 2022 limit promotional messages to 07:00–19:00 East Africa Time (UTC+3). See Kenya bulk SMS rules.
**South Africa.** Section 16.8 of the WASPA Code of Conduct bars direct marketing on Sundays and public holidays, on Saturdays before 09:00 or after 13:00, and on other days between 20:00 and 08:00 (UTC+2). See South Africa regulations.
Southeast Asia
**Vietnam.** Article 13(6) of Decree 91/2020/ND-CP allows advertising messages only from 07:00 to 22:00 each day (UTC+7), and brand names must be registered in the national system.
**Cambodia.** The TRC's news release of 22 May 2026 allows advertising SMS between 08:00 and 21:00 (UTC+7).
The Americas
**United States.** Under 47 CFR 64.1200(c)(1), telephone solicitations, including marketing texts, may not be made before 08:00 or after 21:00 in the recipient's local time. A national campaign therefore needs per-time-zone scheduling across six US time zones. See US 10DLC and TCPA compliance.
**Colombia.** Ley 2300 de 2023 allows advertising messages Monday to Friday from 07:00 to 19:00 and Saturday from 08:00 to 15:00, and never on Sundays or public holidays (UTC−5).
OTP and transactional messages
The windows above apply to marketing, promotional, advertising or telemarketing messages, as each text says. One-time passwords, delivery updates, bank alerts and other messages a user expects at any hour are generally outside them, provided they really are transactional: a 'service' message that carries an offer is promotional. In India this distinction is enforced through template categories and header suffixes, and in the US through the content of the message. For sending times that perform best rather than those that are allowed, see the best time to send bulk SMS.
How to stay inside the window
- Schedule by the recipient's local time, not your own: a single campaign to the US, Saudi Arabia and India crosses three windows and many time zones.
- Hold, do not drop, messages that fall outside the window, and release them when it opens.
- Keep marketing and transactional traffic on separate templates and, where required, separate sender IDs, so an OTP is never delayed by a marketing rule.
- Check public holidays and Ramadan hours for each market; Colombia and South Africa bar Sundays and holidays entirely.
- Re-check the official text before a large campaign: windows change, and this list reflects the texts as published on the check date.
BroadNet's send-window planner shows the allowed window for each verified market, and BroadNet routes marketing and OTP traffic separately over 1,000+ direct operator connections. Country rules, sender-ID requirements and sources are on our regulation pages; for dated changes, see the A2P messaging regulation timeline.
Frequently asked questions
What time can you send marketing SMS in the UAE?
Between 07:00 and 21:00 Gulf Standard Time, under the TDRA's policy on unsolicited electronic communications. Marketing calls are limited further, to 09:00–18:00, by Cabinet Resolution No. 56 of 2024.
When are promotional SMS banned in Saudi Arabia?
Between 22:00 and 09:00 every day, and between 01:00 and 12:00 during Ramadan, under the CST Regulations for Curbing SPAM Messages & Calls.
What are the promotional SMS hours in India?
10:00 to 21:00 IST by default. Under TRAI's TCCCPR 2018 the bands from 21:00 to 10:00 are off by default for all customers, so promotional messages are not delivered then unless a subscriber has opted in to those bands.
What hours does the TCPA allow for marketing texts in the US?
From 08:00 to 21:00 in the recipient's local time, under 47 CFR 64.1200(c)(1). The window follows the recipient's time zone, not the sender's.
Do quiet hours apply to OTP messages?
Generally no. The official texts restrict marketing, promotional or advertising messages; one-time passwords and genuine transactional alerts can be sent at any hour, as long as they contain no promotional content.
Can I send marketing SMS on Sundays in Colombia or South Africa?
No. Colombia's Ley 2300 de 2023 bars advertising messages on Sundays and public holidays, and South Africa's WASPA Code of Conduct bars direct marketing on Sundays and public holidays.
What are the SMS marketing hours in Qatar?
Direct marketing may not be sent between 21:00 and 09:00, under the CRA Spam Regulation, so the allowed window is 09:00 to 21:00 Qatar time.
Why is my country not on this list?
We list only windows we have read in an official text. Many markets rely on consent, opt-out and do-not-disturb rules instead of a clock window, and others publish windows we have not yet verified. Check our country regulation pages, or ask our team before a campaign.