- A2P 10DLC registration is mandatory for any business, nonprofit, or individual sending SMS to U.S. mobile numbers using 10-digit long codes. It verifies your brand and campaigns with carriers to ensure messages are legitimate, consent-based, and compliant, protecting deliverability, brand reputation, and avoiding fines.
- Registration involves Brand Registration (verifying business identity) and Campaign Registration (defining message types, opt-in/out flows, and sample messages), with approval typically taking 1–4 weeks depending on accuracy, completeness, and carrier review.
- Costs include brand setup, campaign setup, and monthly fees, with extra vetting for high-volume campaigns. Compliance requires following SHAFT restrictions, clear opt-in/opt-out, proper message timing, and ongoing campaign management to maintain throughput and trust scores.
- Businesses across industries, from healthcare to retail, finance, real estate, and beyond, rely on A2P 10DLC for secure, reliable customer communications. Service providers like PBX.IM simplify registration, ensure compliance, and optimize message delivery, while alternatives like Twilio, Plivo, and ClickSend cater to different technical and volume needs.
A2P (Application-to-Person) messaging is the type of communication where businesses send messages to customers, such as promotions, reminders, or support notifications. This differs from P2P (Person-to-Person) messaging, which is private texting between individuals.
10DLC (10-Digit Long Code) refers to standard U.S. local phone numbers used to send A2P messages. Using 10DLC makes messages appear more personal while enabling higher-scale, business-approved delivery.
The registration system was implemented to modernize business messaging and provide benefits for both consumers and businesses.
Combating Spam and Fraud
As businesses increasingly used SMS, spam, phishing, and scam messages grew alongside legitimate traffic. Traditional P2P routes were unregulated, allowing bad actors to exploit the system. A2P 10DLC registration helps carriers screen out unverified senders, reducing unwanted messages and protecting consumers.
Improving the User Experience
The system ensures that consumers receive only legitimate, wanted messages. Clear opt-in and opt-out processes give users control over the messages they receive, while verified senders are easily identifiable, building trust in SMS communication.
Enhancing Security and Reliability
By verifying businesses and their messaging campaigns, A2P 10DLC strengthens security and ensures consistent message delivery. Unregistered traffic is often blocked or filtered, while registered businesses enjoy higher throughput and reliability.
Supporting Legitimate Businesses
Registered businesses benefit from:
- Higher messaging volumes without interruptions
- Improved deliverability rates
- Increased brand trust, as messages come from verified sources
Standardizing Industry Practices
The introduction of A2P 10DLC established a regulatory framework for business messaging. Carriers partnered with The Campaign Registry (TCR) to create a standardized, self-regulated system, reducing the need for government intervention while modernizing the SMS ecosystem.
Timeline and Enforcement
The rollout was phased: carriers gradually required brand and campaign registration, and enforcement increased over time. Businesses that failed to register faced filtered or blocked messages and potential carrier penalties, while registered senders gained full access to the benefits of trusted messaging channels.
Any organization sending application-to-person (A2P) SMS or MMS messages to U.S. phone numbers using a 10-digit long code (10DLC) must complete A2P 10DLC registration. This applies to businesses, non-profits, government entities, and even individuals using messaging platforms to send messages to U.S. recipients. Registration ensures compliance, reliable message delivery, and avoids carrier penalties.
A2P 10DLC registration is required for messages including:
- Marketing campaigns and promotional messages
- Transactional notifications such as appointment reminders, delivery updates, and alerts
- Customer service and support communications
- Two-factor authentication (2FA) messages
- Businesses: Corporations, LLCs, sole proprietors, and other organizations sending marketing, notifications, or support messages. Sole proprietors without a business tax ID can register as a Sole Proprietor Brand.
- Individuals: Anyone sending messages through a platform to U.S. phone numbers, even if they are not a registered business.
- Government and Non-profits: These organizations may have special use cases or discounted pricing but still must register to send messages.
- Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) or Resellers: Companies sending messages on behalf of other businesses also need to register both their brand and campaigns.
Certain messaging channels are not subject to standard 10DLC registration:
- Toll-free numbers
- Short codes (these have separate registration requirements)
- Compliance: U.S. carriers require registration to ensure messages come from legitimate sources and are not spam.
- Deliverability: Unregistered numbers may be filtered, delayed, or blocked, affecting message reach and sender reputation.
- Legal Adherence: Registration demonstrates adherence to messaging laws and consent requirements, helping avoid fines and penalties.
In short, any business or entity sending A2P messages via 10-digit phone numbers in the U.S. must register to comply with carrier rules, ensure messages are delivered reliably, and maintain trust with their recipients.
Registering for A2P 10DLC requires several steps to verify your business identity and messaging campaigns. PBX.IM streamlines this process, allowing you to submit your registration directly through our platform, ensuring your messages are compliant, trusted, and reliably delivered.
The first step is Brand Registration, where you provide information about your business. This one-time registration establishes your company as a verified sender. You will need:
- Legal Company Name
- DBA / Brand Name
- Organization Type (LLC, Corporation, Sole Proprietorship, etc.)
- Tax ID / EIN (U.S. businesses)
- Business Phone Number
- Business Email (must match your domain)
- Business Address (Street, City, State/Province, Country, ZIP)
- Industry Type
- Website (must display clear opt-in/opt-out instructions)
- Stock Symbol and Exchange (if applicable)
Note: Brand registration only needs to be repeated if your business details change.
Next, you register your Campaign, which describes the types of messages you plan to send and how recipients will interact with them. You will provide:
- Campaign Description: e.g., appointment reminders, notifications, or customer support updates
- Sample Messages: real examples reflecting your messaging style, including opt-out instructions
- Message Flow:
- How users opt-in to receive messages
- HELP command for support
- STOP command for opting out
- Whether messages contain links or phone numbers
- Expected Volume and Frequency of messages
- Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions URLs
Best Practice: Opt-in processes must be clear, explicit, and not hidden within terms or agreements.
Once your Brand and Campaign are ready, PBX.IM handles submission to carriers and The Campaign Registry (TCR). Here’s how it works:
- Access the Registration Form:
Navigate to Settings > Channels > SMS > A2P 10DLC Registration in PBX.IM and click Start Registration. Campaigns can be saved as drafts, so you don’t need to complete the process in one session. - Brand Registration:
Enter all business details as outlined in Step 1. This verifies your identity to carriers. - Select Message Types:
Choose the message category that best represents your use case (Marketing, Customer Care, Two-Factor Authentication, Alerts, etc.). Multiple message types can be selected if applicable. - Campaign Setup:
Provide your Campaign Name, Description, Sample Messages, and Opt-In/Opt-Out flows. Assign the campaign to a specific 10DLC number from your PBX.IM account. - Submit for Review and Payment:
PBX.IM Support reviews your submission, confirms fees, and submits it to carriers. Registration fees cover Brand setup, Campaign setup, and monthly maintenance based on message volume.
- Review Timeline: Carrier review typically takes 5–10 business days.
- Status Updates: PBX.IM will notify you of approvals or if additional information is needed.
- Number Assignment: Once approved, link your DID numbers to the campaign before sending messages. Wait until the status shows “Fully Provisioned”.
