What are the emergency calling requirements for Teams Phone in the US?

Key facts

• Kari's Law requires direct 911 dialing with no prefix and a notification to a central point when 911 is dialed.
• RAY BAUM'S Act Section 506 requires a dispatchable location, such as street address plus floor or suite, to be sent with 911 calls.
• Teams uses validated emergency addresses and places, plus network mapping in the Location Information Service for dynamic emergency calling.
• Emergency calling policies send notifications to a security desk or group when someone dials 911.
• Remote and hybrid users need a way to confirm or enter their location in the Teams client.

The two US rules that apply

Two federal rules shape emergency calling for business phone systems in the US. Kari's Law requires that anyone can dial 911 without a prefix such as 9, and that the system notifies a central location, such as reception or security, when a 911 call is placed. RAY BAUM'S Act Section 506 requires that a dispatchable location, meaning a validated street address plus details like floor, suite or room where needed, is conveyed with the call so responders can find the caller.

These rules apply to multi-line telephone systems, which includes Teams Phone. Some states add their own requirements. Your legal or compliance team should confirm how they apply to you; the technical work is making Teams deliver the right location and notifications.

Static addresses: the foundation

Every site needs a validated emergency address in the Teams admin center. Add places beneath it for floors, wings or suites when a building is large enough that the street address alone would not get responders to the caller.

With Calling Plans and Operator Connect, emergency addresses are associated with users' phone numbers and with resource accounts as needed. This static assignment covers users who always work from one location, but it is wrong for anyone who moves between sites or works from home.

Dynamic emergency calling

Dynamic emergency calling lets Teams work out where the caller is from the network they are connected to. Administrators map network identifiers to emergency locations in the Location Information Service (LIS).

• Subnets, mapped to the site or floor they serve.
• Wireless access points, by BSSID, for finer location on Wi-Fi.
• Switches and switch ports, where wired desks need room-level accuracy.
• Trusted IP addresses, so Teams knows the client is on the corporate network.

Notifications and routing

Emergency calling policies meet the notification requirement. You define a notification group, such as a security team or office manager, and choose whether they receive a Teams chat alert, are conferenced into the call muted, or can speak. Assign policies by user or by network site so each location alerts the right people.

With Calling Plans and Operator Connect, Microsoft or the operator routes 911 calls to the right public safety answering point. With Direct Routing, you configure emergency call routing policies and, for dynamic emergency calling, use an emergency routing service that receives location data from Teams. Confirm this design with your SBC and carrier before go-live.

Remote and hybrid workers

Users at home or travelling are off the mapped network, so Teams cannot look up their location from LIS. Supported Teams clients can detect location from the device's location services and let users confirm or enter an emergency address. Communicate this clearly: users should confirm their address when they work somewhere new, and location services need to be allowed on their devices.

Document how remote workers are covered, because this is where gaps most often appear.

Testing and upkeep

Test before go-live and after network changes. Where supported, the 933 test service confirms the address a call would carry without reaching a live dispatcher. Never place a test 911 call without coordinating with the local answering point.

Treat the LIS as living data. New subnets, access points and office moves change where calls appear to originate. Add a check to network change procedures so emergency locations stay accurate.

How Accred Consulting approaches it

Accred Consulting builds emergency calling into every Teams Phone project rather than leaving it to the end. In discovery we collect site addresses, floor plans, subnets, access points and current 911 handling. The US-based specialists assigned to your engagement create validated addresses and places, map networks in the Location Information Service, configure emergency calling policies and notification groups, and set up Direct Routing emergency routing where it applies. We configure Microsoft 365 controls that support your obligations; your legal team owns the compliance determination. Handover documentation explains how to keep locations current.

Track record: 475+ client projects, 2,000+ migration workstreams and 210,000+ users migrated by a US-based team. Company facts · Case studies

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