Missed call text back: how it works, and is it legal in Canada?

What is missed call text back?

Missed call text back is a simple automation. When someone calls your business and nobody picks up, the system texts them from your business number within seconds. The text says who you are, that you missed them, and how to carry on: reply here, book with this link, or expect a call back.

It exists because plenty of callers hang up at voicemail. A homeowner with a leaking water heater or a patient with a stiff neck will usually just call the next business on Google. A text that arrives while they are still looking keeps you in the running.

How missed call text back works

1. The call comes in to a number the system can see. Usually that is a business number hosted in your CRM or phone system, or your existing number forwarded through one.
2. The call goes unanswered. You choose what counts: no answer after a set number of rings, a busy line, a call after hours, or a call that hits voicemail.
3. The text goes out automatically, from the same number they called, so it does not look like spam.
4. Replies land in a shared inbox that your front desk, dispatcher or owner can answer from a phone app. An AI receptionist can answer simple questions after hours.
5. The lead is logged in your CRM, so you can see how many calls were missed and how many turned into bookings.

Two practical limits: the caller has to be on a phone that can receive texts, so a caller on a landline will not get one, and your business number has to be enabled for texting. Many hosted and VoIP numbers can be. Check with your provider before you assume yours can.

Is missed call text back legal in Canada?

Used properly, yes. Canada's anti-spam legislation (CASL) does not ban texting a person who called you. It sets rules for commercial electronic messages, and a missed-call text can be one. The safe approach is to treat every missed-call text as covered by CASL and build it to comply.

Does CASL apply to text messages?

Yes. The CRTC's CASL FAQ says CASL applies to messages sent to an electronic address, which includes SMS and other messaging to mobile phones. A message is a commercial electronic message (CEM) if one of its purposes is to encourage the recipient to take part in a commercial activity. A text with a booking link or an offer to quote is likely to qualify.

The three CASL requirements

The CRTC's guidance on implied consent sums up the obligations for anyone sending CEMs: get consent, identify yourself, and include an unsubscribe mechanism in every message.

• Identification. The CRTC regulations require the name you carry on business under, plus a mailing address and either a phone number, an email address or a web address. If it is not practical to fit this in the message, which is usually the case with a text, it can sit on a web page reached by a clear link in the message.
• Unsubscribe. The regulations say the unsubscribe mechanism must be set out clearly and be easy to use. "Reply STOP to opt out" does this in a text, as long as STOP actually works.
• Consent. Either express or implied, as below.

Express consent and implied consent

Express consent means the person clearly agreed to receive messages, in writing or orally, through a proactive opt-in such as ticking a box on your website. Implied consent arises from certain relationships set out in the Act. Two matter most here, both from the CRTC guidance:

A call to your business asking about a service can reasonably be treated as an inquiry, which gives you a window to reply and follow up. If they become a customer, the two-year purchase period starts. Outside those windows, you need express consent to keep sending commercial texts.

There is also a narrower exemption. Under section 6(6) of the Act, the consent requirement does not apply to a message that solely provides a quote or estimate the person asked for, or that confirms a transaction they agreed to. The identification and unsubscribe rules still apply to those messages.

What this means for your missed-call texts

1. Name the business in the text, and link to a page with your mailing address and contact details.
2. Include "Reply STOP to opt out" and make sure STOP removes them from every automated message. Section 11(3) of the Act requires unsubscribe requests to take effect without delay, and no later than 10 business days.
3. Keep the first text a direct reply to their call, not a promotion.
4. Do not add callers to promotional sequences after the six-month inquiry window unless they became a customer or gave express consent.
5. Keep a record of when each person called, when they booked, and any consent they gave. Section 13 of the Act puts the onus of proving consent on the person who claims to have it.

The stakes are real. The CRTC FAQ says the maximum administrative monetary penalty is $1 million per violation for an individual and $10 million for a business.

Missed call text back in the US: TCPA and A2P 10DLC

If you text US numbers, two separate sets of rules apply. Keep this general and check with a US lawyer for your situation.

• The TCPA. The FCC's consumer guide says its rules ban texts sent to a mobile phone using an autodialer unless the person previously gave consent, and that commercial texts require written consent. In a 2024 order, the FCC said replies such as "stop", "quit", "end", "revoke", "opt out", "cancel" or "unsubscribe" are reasonable ways to revoke consent, and that revocations must be honoured within a reasonable time not exceeding 10 business days.
• A2P 10DLC registration. This is a carrier requirement rather than a law. Business texts sent from ordinary 10-digit numbers to US phones have to be registered: first the brand, then the campaign describing what you send. Any provider that sends business texts to US numbers from long code numbers will ask you to register before sending.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. It reflects the CRTC, Justice Canada and FCC pages linked above as they read on 31 October 2026. Laws and carrier rules change, and how they apply depends on your facts. Confirm your approach with a lawyer, and with your regulator if you are a regulated health professional.