If you send business (A2P) text messages from a regular 10-digit US number, carriers require 10DLC registration. Unregistered traffic is heavily filtered or blocked.
The two registrations
- Brand — your legal business identity (legal name, EIN/tax ID, address, website).
- Campaign — what you send (use case, sample messages, opt-in method, opt-out language).
How to pass on the first attempt
- Legal name and tax ID must match government records exactly.
- Your website should be live with a privacy policy that mentions SMS and says phone numbers are not shared for marketing.
- Show a clear opt-in: a checkbox or keyword with consent language.
- Sample messages must include your brand name and "Reply STOP to opt out".
Costs to expect
Expect one-time brand/vetting fees, a monthly campaign fee and per-message carrier surcharges on top of your provider's message rate. Estimate yours with the SMS Cost Estimator.
Alternatives
Toll-free numbers require toll-free verification instead; short codes offer the highest throughput but cost more and take longer to approve.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Consent rules (e.g., TCPA in the US, CASL in Canada) apply to marketing texts.
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