Kari’s Law Compliance for Schools and Campuses

What the law requires, whether it covers your phones, and how to check.

Kari’s Law requires school phone systems to let anyone dial 911 directly and to notify a central location when someone does. This guide explains the rules, who they cover, and what to check on your campus, with a source link for every claim.

Based on FCC rules and federal law. Last reviewed October 2026.

THE SHORT ANSWER

Kari’s Law at a glance

Kari’s Law is a federal law, Public Law 115-127, codified at 47 U.S.C. § 623. It requires multi-line telephone systems to let users dial 911 directly, with no prefix such as “9,” and to notify a central location when a 911 call is made. The FCC says these systems are typically found in enterprises such as office buildings, campuses and hotels, and its requirements took effect February 16, 2020.

Feb 16, 2018

Enacted as Public Law 115-127

Feb 16, 2020

Requirements take effect

47 CFR § 9.16

FCC rules that implement it

2 rules

Direct dialing and notification

THE LAW

What is Kari’s Law?

Kari’s Law is named for Kari Hunt, who was killed by her estranged husband in a motel room in Marshall, Texas, in 2013. Her 9-year-old daughter tried to call 911 four times from the room phone, but the calls never went through because she did not know the motel’s phone system required dialing “9” for an outside line first (FCC).

Congress enacted Kari’s Law in 2018. The FCC adopted rules to implement it on August 1, 2019 (Report and Order, FCC 19-76), codified at 47 CFR § 9.16.

THE REQUIREMENTS

The two requirements

1. Direct 911 dialing

A user must be able to call 911 from any station equipped with dialing facilities “without dialing any additional digit, code, prefix, or post-fix, including any trunk-access code such as the digit ‘9’,” even if other calls require one (47 U.S.C. § 623).

Manufacturers must pre-configure systems this way, and installers, managers and operators must keep them configured this way (FCC FAQ).

2. Notification

When a 911 call is placed, the system must notify a central location at the facility, or another person or organization regardless of location, where someone is likely to see or hear it (47 CFR § 9.16, FCC FAQ). The rules set these limits:

The notification must start at the same time as the 911 call when technically feasible, and must never delay the call.
It must say a 911 call was made. If technically feasible, it must also include a valid callback number and the caller location the system sends to the PSAP.
The destination does not have to be continuously staffed, and you may use any format: text, email, audio message or an on-screen alert.
It is required only when the system can be configured to provide it without an improvement to its hardware or software.

DOES IT APPLY TO YOU?

Does Kari’s Law apply to your school?

Use the FCC’s own test (FCC fact sheet):

1. Do you operate a phone system with more than one line?

The FCC calls these multi-line telephone systems (MLTS), and its fact sheet names “schools and college campuses.” The definition covers IP-based and cloud-based systems and outbound-only systems, and under some circumstances it can include platforms such as Microsoft Teams (FCC FAQ).

2. Was it installed after February 16, 2020?

If so, the rules apply.

3. If it is older, has its core been upgraded since?

The FCC says not every minor change counts, but upgrades to core software or hardware functions generally bring a system within the rules.

Your situation	Covered by the federal rules?
System installed after February 16, 2020	Yes
Installed on or before that date, never upgraded	May be exempt, but check state law
Installed before, core hardware or software upgraded since	Could be covered, depending on the upgrade
You are a vendor selling or leasing an MLTS	Yes, you must pre-configure direct dialing

The FCC warns that some older systems still require dialing “9” and “strongly encourages” labels or warnings on legacy devices (FCC FAQ). The federal law does not remove the authority of state and local agencies (47 U.S.C. § 623(d)), and state versions of Kari’s Law may cover older systems. Check your state’s rules.

K-12 SCHOOLS

What it means for K-12

Every station counts. The statute covers “any station equipped with dialing facilities.” That means classroom phones, front office phones, hallway and gym phones, district office lines and softphones. A classroom that needs a prefix is a failure.

Intercom call stations. If an intercom call station can place a 911 call through your phone system, treat it like any other phone. It should not need a prefix, and it should trigger the same notification. Ask your vendor to confirm this in writing.

Notification has to reach someone who will see or hear it. In a school, that is usually the front office, an SRO, a district safety coordinator or an off-site monitoring team. They do not need to be staffed around the clock, but the alert must be one a person would actually notice.

A street address is rarely enough on a campus. The FCC says that for calls from multi-story buildings or campus environments, dispatchable location will typically require floor and room information as well as the street address. Only the street address must be validated, and validating the rest is encouraged (FCC FAQ). That is the Ray Baum’s Act and NG911 compliance side of the rules. See our NG911 page.

Routing 911 calls to an internal safety team first. Kari’s Law assumes 911 calls go to the local PSAP first. The FCC says it does not read the law as requiring a change in specialized setups where an internal team receives calls with the PSAP’s knowledge and consent, but advises consulting state and local 911 authorities (FCC FAQ).

SIDE BY SIDE

Kari’s Law and Ray Baum’s Act

Ray Baum’s Act and NG911 compliance together cover the location side of every 911 call. Dispatchable location is the validated street address plus the information needed to identify where the caller is, such as suite or room (FCC).

	Kari’s Law	Ray Baum’s Act (Section 506)
What it requires	Direct 911 dialing and notification	Dispatchable location sent with 911 calls
Where it is codified	47 U.S.C. § 623, 47 CFR § 9.16(a) and (b)(1)-(2)	47 CFR § 9.16(b)(3)
Compliance date	February 16, 2020	January 6, 2021 for on-premises fixed devices, January 6, 2022 for non-fixed and off-premises devices

Dates and rule citations are from the FCC’s MLTS page. See also the FCC dispatchable location page.

CHECKLIST

How to check your school phone system

1. Inventory every phone system

Include each school, the district office, hosted and on-premise systems, and any Teams or softphone deployment.

2. Find the install and upgrade dates

For each system, apply the coverage test above.

3. Test direct dialing

Test from every type of station without any prefix.

4. Confirm notification

Check who or what receives it, whether it sends at the time of the call, and whether it carries the callback number and location.

5. Confirm location data

Check that calls from classrooms and buildings carry floor and room information, not just the campus address.

6. Document and train

Document the results and train staff.

A note on testing. Do not place live 911 test calls on your own. Arrange test calls with your PSAP using its non-emergency line. State 911 offices set this process, for example Massachusetts’ test call procedure, which also notes that some vendors offer a 933 feature. A 933 call reads back the location on file, which helps verify location data, but it does not prove how a real 911 call would be routed.

HOW AMBIT HELPS

How Ambit helps

Direct 911 configuration

We program outbound call routes on every system we install so 911 never needs a prefix.

Notifications that reach people

ALERT sends email and chat notifications with the room and a floorplan when anyone dials 911 or 933, alongside paging groups and on-screen alerts for front offices and SROs.

Room-level location

IP intercom call buttons can place 911 calls with room-level dispatchable location, because Ambit is an FCC-licensed carrier. NG911 compliance and campus mapping cover the location side.

Keeping it working

ADMP keeps 911 location records current. Cellular failover keeps outbound 911 dialing available during an internet outage.

Documentation and training

We document how every phone is configured and train your team, so everyone knows what each phone does.

One vendor for every layer

Phones, intercoms, 911 and alerts from one FCC-licensed carrier. See how one vendor works across every layer of your campus.

ENFORCEMENT AND WHAT’S NEW

Enforcement and what’s new

Enforcement

The FCC says failure to comply could subject you to enforcement action, including possible fines, and that it will closely monitor complaints (FCC fact sheet, FCC MLTS page). Anyone can file a complaint through the FCC Consumer Complaint Center, and PSAPs can use the Public Safety Support Center.

The Kari’s Law Reporting Act

In April 2026, the House passed the Kari’s Law Reporting Act (H.R. 5201) by 405 to 5, and it was referred to the Senate. The bill would require the FCC to publish a report on its enforcement of Kari’s Law within 180 days of enactment. It does not change what the law requires. Check congress.gov for its current status.

FAQ

Kari’s Law frequently asked questions

Straight answers, with the source for each one.

What is Kari’s Law?

A federal law that requires multi-line telephone systems to allow direct 911 dialing without a prefix and to notify a central location when a 911 call is made (FCC).

When did Kari’s Law take effect?

It was signed February 16, 2018. Its requirements took effect February 16, 2020 for systems manufactured, imported, offered for sale or lease, sold or leased, or installed after that date (FCC).

Does Kari’s Law apply to schools?

It applies to multi-line telephone systems, which the FCC says are typically found in campuses and names “schools and college campuses” in its fact sheet (FCC fact sheet).

Does it apply to cloud and VoIP phone systems?

Yes. The FCC interprets the MLTS definition to cover IP-based and cloud-based systems (FCC FAQ).

Is our older phone system exempt?

It may be, if it was installed on or before February 16, 2020 and its core hardware or software has not been upgraded since. Check state law too (FCC fact sheet).

What counts as an upgrade?

Not every minor change, but the FCC generally treats upgrades to core software or hardware functions as enough to bring a system within the rules (FCC FAQ).

Who is responsible, the vendor or the district?

Both. Manufacturers and sellers must pre-configure systems for direct dialing, and installers, managers and operators must keep them configured (FCC FAQ).

What must the notification include, and who should get it?

It must say a 911 call was made and, if technically feasible, include a callback number and the location sent to the PSAP. It goes to a location where someone is likely to see or hear it, which does not have to be staffed continuously (FCC FAQ).

How do we test without calling 911?

Do not place live test calls without arranging them with your PSAP, as in this Massachusetts example. A 933 call can verify the location on file, but it does not prove how a real call routes.