Short answer
10DLC is the US registration process for application-to-person texts sent from standard 10-digit local numbers. You need it if you send business SMS to US recipients from such numbers. You register your business as a brand with The Campaign Registry, then register each campaign with its use case, samples and opt-in flow. Unregistered traffic risks filtering or blocking.
Who does what?
| Party | Role |
|---|---|
| You | Provide accurate details, campaign description, samples and opt-in proof |
| Campaign Service Provider | Registers brand and campaign, relays rejection reasons |
| The Campaign Registry | Stores data and verifies brand identity |
| Mobile network operators | Review special use cases and set traffic limits |
What are the registration steps?
Our regulation data lists a typical lead time of 7 to 14 business days. Approval and throughput are decided by carriers, so never promise a launch date.
- Register the brand with your legal name, tax ID and website.
- Optionally have the brand vetted, which can affect throughput.
- Register the campaign with its use case, description, sample messages and opt-in flow.
- Attach your 10-digit numbers to the approved campaign.
What alternatives exist?
- Toll-free numbers, which need text enablement and a provider verification step.
- Short codes, which are leased and approved by carriers for high volume.
- The US does not accept alphanumeric sender IDs for business SMS.