Any business running a multi-line telephone system, not just hospitals and hotels, has federal obligations to ensure 911 calls actually work and first responders can find the caller. Most businesses never think about this until it’s tested for real.
Kari’s Law, in Plain Terms
Kari’s Law requires that any phone connected to a multi-line telephone system allow direct dialing of 911 without needing to dial a prefix first, and that the system notify a central location, on-site or off-site, when a 911 call is placed, so someone can direct emergency responders appropriately. It’s named for Kari Hunt, killed in 2013 in an incident where her daughter’s 911 call failed because the phone system required dialing 9 first — a specific, preventable failure that the law exists to close.
RAY BAUM’S Act Adds Location
RAY BAUM’S Act, effective January 2021, requires providing a “dispatchable location” with every 911 call — beyond a street address, this includes building number, floor level, and suite or room number where applicable, transmitted automatically along with a valid callback number so first responders can locate the caller precisely in a large or multi-floor facility.
This Is Mandatory for VoIP Specifically
FCC E911 regulations are required of all interconnected VoIP service providers, ensuring VoIP users get the same reliable emergency response protection traditional phone users have always expected. This isn’t an optional best practice for VoIP deployments — it’s a compliance requirement baked into how the system needs to be configured from day one.
Who Actually Gets Caught Off Guard
Any organization with a multi-line system spanning multiple extensions or floors is covered, which includes far more than hospitals and hotels — office buildings, schools, retail chains, and any growing small business that’s added extensions or moved to a larger, multi-floor space without updating its 911 configuration are all common gaps. Growth is usually when this breaks: a business that was compliant at one location quietly stops being compliant after an expansion nobody circled back to update.
How Dispatchable Location Actually Gets Configured
Location data gets mapped to specific extensions, ports, or network access points within the phone system, so when any given extension places a 911 call, the system automatically transmits the correct floor, suite, or room information tied to that extension rather than a single generic address for the whole building. As staff move between offices, floors get reconfigured, or new extensions get added, that mapping needs to stay current — RAY BAUM’S Act’s entire purpose is defeated if the location transmitted no longer reflects where the extension actually is.
Recent Regulatory Guidance
The FCC issued an updated FAQ in July 2025 specifically to clarify how Kari’s Law and RAY BAUM’S Act apply to various multi-line telephone system configurations, reflecting ongoing questions from businesses about compliance in less straightforward setups, like remote workers on a company VoIP extension.
Size Doesn’t Exempt You
The requirement applies to any multi-line telephone system regardless of size, though the practical configuration is simpler for a small single-floor office than for a large, multi-building campus. A business with just a handful of extensions still needs this configured correctly — the underlying obligation doesn’t scale down with headcount.
How CelereTech Helps
CelereTech configures VoIP systems for direct 911 dialing with no prefix required, maps accurate dispatchable location data to every extension, sets up the required on-site notification when a 911 call is placed, and reviews location mapping periodically as your office layout or extension assignments change.