A2P 10DLC Registration Step by Step With Sample Messages That Get Approved

A2P 10DLC registration is the process US carriers require before a business can send application-to-person texts from a standard 10-digit local number. You register your brand, then register a campaign that describes your use case, opt-in flow and sample messages. Unregistered 10DLC traffic is blocked by major carriers.

Registration is not hard, but it is picky. Most rejections come from small mismatches, a vague opt-in description, or sample messages that leave out the brand name or the opt-out line. This guide walks through each step, explains what reviewers look for, and gives sample messages that follow carrier expectations. If you would rather not do it by hand, ColdTexting runs 10DLC registration inside the app on every plan.

What A2P 10DLC means

Three terms are worth getting straight before you start.

• A2P stands for application-to-person. It covers any text sent from software on behalf of a business, including a rep sending from a shared inbox. Person-to-person (P2P) is two people texting from their own phones.
• 10DLC means 10-digit long code, the ordinary local phone number format in the US. It is the most common choice for sales teams because replies feel like texting a person.
• Brand and campaign are the two records you register. The brand is your company. The campaign is a specific messaging program, such as sales follow-up or appointment reminders, tied to your numbers.

Registration runs through The Campaign Registry, an industry hub that carriers use to review and score business messaging. Your SMS provider submits the data on your behalf and passes through the registry and carrier fees.

What to prepare before you register

Gather these items first. Most delays come from fixing them after a rejection.

• Legal business name exactly as it appears on your tax records, plus your EIN. A mismatch between the name you type and the name tied to the EIN is one of the most common reasons a brand fails verification.
• Business address, website and a support email and phone number. The website should be live and clearly belong to the brand.
• A privacy policy that states mobile numbers and opt-in data are not shared with third parties for their marketing purposes.
• Terms for your messaging program, often a short SMS section in your terms, describing message types, frequency, "Msg and data rates may apply", and how to get help or opt out.
• A clear opt-in method you can describe in a sentence or two, ideally with a screenshot or public URL of the form.

Businesses without an EIN can register as a sole proprietor brand, which carries lower limits on numbers and volume. Sales teams at registered companies should use a standard brand.

A2P 10DLC registration step by step

Register the brand (step 1)

Submit the legal name, EIN, entity type, vertical, address, website and contact details. The registry checks the data against public business records and returns a verification result. For higher throughput, you can request secondary vetting, which produces a vetting score that carriers use to set your messaging limits.

Choose the campaign use case (step 2)

Pick the use case that matches what you will actually send. Common choices are marketing, customer care, account notifications and mixed use cases. A sales team that sends follow-ups, offers and meeting reminders usually fits marketing or a mixed campaign. Picking a narrower use case than your real traffic is a frequent cause of later filtering, because carriers compare live messages against the registration.

Describe the campaign (step 3)

Write a plain description of who receives messages, why, and how often. For example: "Northwind Solar sends follow-up texts to homeowners who request a solar quote on northwindsolar.com. Messages answer questions about the quote, schedule site visits and share related offers. Frequency varies, up to 4 messages per week."

Describe the opt-in flow (step 4)

Reviewers want to see exactly how a person agrees to receive texts. Name the form, describe the consent checkbox, quote the consent language and provide a URL or screenshot. For example: "Customers opt in by checking an unchecked box on the quote form at northwindsolar.com/quote. The box reads: I agree to receive marketing text messages from Northwind Solar at the number provided. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Msg frequency varies. Msg and data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help and STOP to opt out."

Add opt-in, opt-out and help messages (step 5)

You will provide the confirmation text sent after opt-in, the reply to STOP and the reply to HELP. Keywords like STOP, END, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE and QUIT should all trigger opt-out, and HELP should return your brand name and a support contact.

Submit sample messages (step 6)

Provide two to five samples that look like your real traffic. Each sample should include your brand name, and at least one should include opt-out language. If you will send links, include a sample with a link on your own domain. If you will collect phone numbers through texts or share content like lending or age-restricted products, mark the related flags honestly.

Wait for review and assign numbers (step 7)

Carrier review usually takes several days and can take longer when a campaign needs manual vetting or resubmission. Once approved, your numbers are linked to the campaign and messages flow with the throughput your brand score allows.

Sample messages that get approved

These follow the patterns reviewers expect: brand first, a clear reason for the text, and opt-out language. Replace the brand and details with your own.

Before you submit, paste each sample into the SMS compliance checker. It flags a missing brand name, missing STOP language, public link shorteners and content categories carriers restrict.

Common reasons registrations get rejected

• Brand data does not match the EIN. Use the exact legal name, not a trade name, in the legal name field.
• Website is missing, under construction or unrelated. Reviewers check that the site belongs to the brand and explains the business.
• Opt-in description is vague. "Customers opt in on our website" is not enough. Describe the form, the checkbox and the exact language.
• No privacy policy, or a policy that allows sharing mobile data. Add a clear statement that opt-in data is not shared with third parties for marketing.
• Samples without the brand name or opt-out line. Every sample should identify the sender.
• Public link shorteners. Shared shortener domains are heavily filtered. Use links on your own domain or a branded short domain.
• Restricted content. Carriers restrict content often summarized as SHAFT (sex, hate, alcohol, firearms, tobacco) and some other categories such as cannabis. These need special handling or are not allowed.
• Purchased or third-party lists in the description. Any hint that contacts did not opt in with you will get the campaign rejected.

Staying compliant after approval

Approval is the start, not the finish. Carriers monitor live traffic and compare it with your registration. Keep your messages inside the registered use case, keep opt-out rates low by texting only people who asked to hear from you, and update the campaign if your program changes. If you add a new type of message, such as offers on top of reminders, update the registration first.

Federal and state rules still apply on top of carrier rules. Our guide to TCPA text message rules covers consent, quiet hours and STOP handling, and the TCPA compliance software page explains how ColdTexting enforces them on every send.

Running 10DLC registration in ColdTexting

In ColdTexting, brand and campaign registration is a guided form inside the workspace. It pre-checks your legal name format, website, privacy policy statement, opt-in description and sample messages before anything is submitted, then links approved campaigns to your numbers. Agencies on Scale and Enterprise register a separate brand per client sub-account. See SMS marketing pricing for numbers and segments included in each plan, or start from the SMS marketing platform overview.

Frequently asked questions about 10DLC registration

Is A2P 10DLC registration required?

Yes, for business texting from standard local numbers in the US. Major carriers block or heavily filter unregistered application-to-person traffic on 10DLC numbers.

How long does 10DLC registration take?

Brand verification is often quick. Campaign review commonly takes several days and can take longer if carriers request changes or manual vetting. Clean data and a clear opt-in description shorten the process.

Can I register without an EIN?

Yes, as a sole proprietor brand, which has lower limits on numbers and volume. Companies with an EIN should register a standard brand.

What should sample messages include?

Your brand name, a realistic message that matches your use case, and opt-out language such as Reply STOP to opt out. Use links on your own domain rather than public shorteners.

Do I need to register again for each client?

Agencies register a brand for each client business, because the brand must be the company whose name appears in the messages. Each client also needs its own campaign that matches its use case.