GuideFederal 911 ruleReviewed October 4, 2026

RAY BAUM'S Act, explained: tell dispatch where the caller actually is.

The federal rule that a 911 call from a multi-line phone system has to carry a location dispatchers can use: not just the street address, but the building, floor or room.

Fig. 1What the call carries

Classroom phoneBuilding B, Room 114
Phone systemAdds the validated address.
Sent with the call400 Oak St · Bldg B · Rm 114
Dispatch screenResponders go to the right door.

Sample. Fictional school, address and numbers.

REFAt a glance

The short version, in five lines.

What it requires: A dispatchable location with every 911 call
Dispatchable location: The validated street address, plus the room, floor or suite
Deadlines: Fixed phones January 6, 2021; phones and apps that move January 6, 2022
Enforced by: The FCC
Test it: Dial 933, never 911

TL;DRThe short answer

If you read one paragraph, read this.

Under FCC rules adopted under Section 506 of RAY BAUM’S Act, a 911 call from a multi-line phone system must carry a dispatchable location: the validated street address plus the suite, floor, room or similar detail needed to find the caller. Phones that stay put had to send it automatically by January 6, 2021. Phones that move, including softphones, had until January 6, 2022: automatically where technically feasible, otherwise by a manual update or alternative location information.

§Where it came from

A street address is not enough on a campus.

Section 506 of the RAY BAUM’S Act of 2018 directed the FCC to consider rules so that 911 calls carry a dispatchable location, whatever technology places them. The FCC adopted those rules in 2019, and for multi-line systems they sit alongside Kari’s Law.

The reasoning is simple. A district office address does not tell an ambulance crew which of seven buildings to go to, or which room.

§What it requires

A location dispatchers can drive to.

Dispatchable location. The validated street address of the caller, plus additional information such as suite, apartment or similar detail needed to identify where the caller is.

Fig. Which phones, by when

Device	Deadline	What it must send
Desk and wall phones	January 6, 2021	A dispatchable location, automatically
Phones and apps that move on site	January 6, 2022	Automatic where technically feasible; otherwise a manual update or alternative location information
Devices used off site	January 6, 2022	Automatic where technically feasible; otherwise a manual update or enhanced location information

§What it means for a school

Every building, and the rooms inside it, mapped before cutover.

In practice, dispatchable location is a records job. Each phone needs to be tied to the building and room it is in, those records need to match the street address dispatch uses, and someone needs to keep them right when phones move.

Buildings. Each campus, annex and portable building, with its own validated address where it has one.

Rooms. Classroom numbers or names that a responder at the door would recognize.

Moves. A process for when a phone changes rooms, so the record moves with it, and a 933 test call each quarter to catch the moves nobody reported.

Fig. Dispatchable location, room by room

Building A · 400 Oak St

Main office

400 Oak St, Building A, Main office

Room 114

400 Oak St, Building A, Room 114

Room 116

400 Oak St, Building A, Room 116

Nurse

400 Oak St, Building A, Nurse’s office

Portable 3 · 400 Oak St

Classroom

400 Oak St, Portable 3

Teacher office

400 Oak St, Portable 3, Teacher office

Sample. Fictional school, numbers and addresses. Tap a room to see the location its phone sends.

§How SPARK sets it up

Mapped during the install, in writing at the end.

We configure dispatchable location per building during the install, from the addresses and room map you give us, and put in writing what each phone sends. We will not tell you a phone system makes you compliant. That depends on your records being right and staying right.

§Timeline

How the rule came about.

March 23, 2018
RAY BAUM’S Act signed
Section 506 directs the FCC to make 911 calls carry a dispatchable location, whatever technology places them.
August 1, 2019
The FCC adopts the rules
For multi-line systems, they sit alongside Kari’s Law.
January 6, 2021
Fixed phones
Desk and wall phones send a dispatchable location automatically.
January 6, 2022
Phones that move
Phones and apps on site and off send location information with the call.

§Checklist

Six questions to ask about your system.

Does every building have its own validated street address?
Does every phone send a room, floor or suite, not just the street?
Do portables and annexes have their own location records?
Does a softphone or app user’s location update when they move?
Is someone responsible for updating records when phones move?
Has every building been tested with 933 this quarter?

Tick each one you can answer yes to.

If any answer is no or not sure, that is the first thing to fix. We can check it with you on a call.

§Test it

Test with 933, never with 911.

933 is a test line. It reads back the address and callback number your phone would send to dispatch, without reaching a 911 center. Do it from a phone in each building once a quarter.

ProcedureTest with 933, never with 911.

Dial933 from the phone you want to check
ListenFor the address and callback number it reads back
CompareAgainst the building and room the phone is actually in
FixTell us anything that is wrong, then test again

§Questions

What people ask before they call.

What does RAY BAUM'S stand for?

Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services. The 2018 act was named for Ray Baum, a longtime staff director of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Does it apply to softphones and mobile apps?

Yes. Devices that move are covered too. Where automatic location is not technically feasible, the rules allow a manual update by the user or alternative location information.

Is a street address enough?

Not when more is needed to find the caller. The rule’s definition is the validated street address plus additional information such as suite, apartment or similar detail.

How do we check the location is right?

Dial 933, not 911. It is a test line that reads back the address and callback number your phone would send to dispatch, without reaching a 911 center. We advise doing it once a quarter, because phones get moved and things change that nobody tells us about.

How is this different from Kari's Law?

Kari’s Law is about reaching 911 directly and alerting people on site. RAY BAUM’S Act is about telling dispatch where the caller is.

§Who it matters to

Where the 911 details carry the most weight.

K-12 Education Classrooms, gyms and portables, each with its own location.

Medical, Dental and Vet Patients and staff spread across rooms and floors.

Multi-Location Retail Every store sends its own address, not head office.

§Sources

Where this comes from.

This guide explains the rules in plain language. It is not legal advice.

Last reviewed October 4, 2026.

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