The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has extended by 15 business days the deadline for the public to comment on its draft guidelines for the National Opt-Out Registry, giving financial institutions, insurers, and other direct marketers more time to assess the proposed compliance requirements.
In a notice dated 13 October 2026, the Commission confirmed that the new deadline for submitting written comments is Friday, 6 November 2026.
The draft Guidelines for Compliance with the Opt-Out Registry’s Regulations were published in the Government Gazette on 2 October. The extension applies to the submission of comments on the draft guidelines.
What businesses should consider
The draft guidelines provide practical guidance on the requirements for businesses that conduct direct marketing under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) and its amended regulations.
They expressly include financial institutions and insurers among the businesses that must register with the Opt-Out Registry if they engage in direct marketing. The requirements also apply when marketing is conducted on a business’s behalf by an agency, call centre, or other third party. The business whose products or services are being promoted remains responsible for compliance.
Read: Opt-out rules bring financial services into the compliance net
The guidelines set out several operational requirements, including:
- Registration: Direct marketers must register with the Registry before conducting direct marketing, with registration renewed annually.
- Database cleansing: Marketers must submit the consumer lists they intend to use for marketing each month. The system will identify consumers who have registered applicable pre-emptive blocks, and those consumers must be removed from marketing lists.
- Cleansing fees: The draft guidelines provide for a fee of 12 cents for each blocked consumer identified. A cleansed list is valid for 30 days.
- Identification: Marketing communications must clearly identify the business or marketer and provide the required contact details, including an email address and, where applicable, a physical address.
The guidelines also clarify that the Registry is not intended to prohibit ordinary business communications, such as account administration, customer support, or responding to enquiries, where there is no promotional intent. However, a service interaction can become direct marketing if it is used to promote or offer additional products or services.
The Registry will operate alongside the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), rather than replacing it. Businesses will need to consider both frameworks when assessing their direct-marketing practices.
The draft guidelines remain open to comment and may change following the consultation process.
Interested parties can submit written comments by email to J.Mbeje@thencc.org.za and N.Ngobeni@thencc.org.za, or deliver them by hand to the National Consumer Commission, 01 Dr Lategan Road, Block C, SABS Campus, Groenkloof, Pretoria. Hand-delivered submissions should be directed to the Divisional Head for Enforcement and Legal Services, for the attention of Jabulani Mbeje.
