Columbia Automatic dialers ordinance (§ 13-256)
Chapter 13: Licenses, Permits and Miscellaneous Business Regulations · Article IX. Miscellaneous Business Regulations
In short: Automatic dialing devices may not call any city emergency number except those designated by the Joint Communications and Information Center, and may never be programmed to dial 9-1-1. Dialers must also give emergency providers whatever information the center's administrator requires.
Our plain-English summary, not the official text or legal advice. The ordinance below is what counts.
(a) No automatic dialing device shall dial or terminate at any city emergency service telephone number other than numbers designated by The Joint Communications and Information Center. Under no circumstances may an automatic dialer be programmed to dial 9-1-1.
(b) Automatic dialing devices in existence prior to the effective date of this section (February 5, 1996) shall be reprogrammed to numbers designated by the Joint Communications and Information Center within sixty (60) days of the effective date (February 5, 1996) of this section.
(c) All automatic dialers shall be required to provide information to emergency service providers as required by the Joint Communications and Information Center administrator.
Official source: City of Columbia official Code of Ordinances (online): look up Sec. 13-256
Text from Supplement 139 (September 3, 2026).
Last checked November 1, 2026. The city's official copy controls; this page is a reading copy, not legal advice.