10DLC Registration FAQ

Question 1

What is 10DLC?

Accepted Answer

10DLC stands for 10-Digit Long Code. It is the industry standard for business-to-consumer (A2P) text messaging in the United States. Instead of using shared short codes or unregistered numbers, 10DLC lets your business send SMS and MMS messages from a standard 10-digit phone number that is registered and verified with mobile carriers.

Question 2

Why do I need 10DLC registration?

Accepted Answer

Since 2021, all major U.S. carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) require businesses to register for 10DLC before sending application-to-person messages. If you send texts without registration, your messages are likely to be filtered, blocked, or charged significantly higher per-message fees. Registration proves you are a legitimate business and protects consumers from spam.

Question 3

How is 10-DLC.com different from registering directly through TCR?

Accepted Answer

The Campaign Registry (TCR) is the central hub, but registering directly can be confusing and error-prone. 10-DLC.com provides a guided, intelligent registration experience. We walk you through every step, validate your information before submission, flag potential issues, and help you fix rejections fast. Think of us as the easy button for 10DLC compliance.

Question 4

Do I need technical knowledge to use this?

Accepted Answer

Not at all. If you can fill out a web form, you can register for 10DLC through our platform. We use plain language, provide helpful tips at every step, and our system automatically handles the technical details of submitting to TCR and the carriers.

Question 5

How long does the whole process take?

Accepted Answer

Our guided registration walks you through the process step by step. Brand approval typically takes 24 to 48 hours. Campaign approval takes an additional 1 to 3 business days depending on your use case and carrier review queues. Some low-risk use cases are approved within hours.

Question 6

What information do I need to register my brand?

Accepted Answer

You will need your business EIN (Employer Identification Number), legal business name as registered with the IRS, business type (LLC, corporation, sole proprietor, etc.), physical business address, a contact phone number, and a contact email. If you are a publicly traded company, you will also need your stock exchange and ticker symbol.

Question 7

What is a campaign in 10DLC?

Accepted Answer

A campaign represents a specific use case for your text messaging. For example, appointment reminders, marketing promotions, delivery notifications, or two-factor authentication codes are each separate campaigns. Each campaign must describe what messages you will send, how recipients opt in, and include sample messages.

Question 8

Can I register multiple brands?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can register and manage multiple brands from a single 10-DLC.com account. This is ideal for agencies, franchises, or businesses that operate under multiple legal entities. Each brand goes through its own vetting process.

Question 9

What if my registration gets rejected?

Accepted Answer

Rejections happen, and they are usually fixable. We clearly explain the reason for any rejection and guide you through correcting the issue. Common reasons include mismatched business information, incomplete sample messages, or missing opt-in details. Most rejections are resolved and re-approved within a few days.

Question 10

What is brand vetting?

Accepted Answer

Brand vetting is TCR's identity verification process. It confirms that your business is real, that the EIN matches your legal name, and that your business is in good standing. Standard vetting is included with registration. Enhanced vetting is an optional deeper review that can unlock higher messaging throughput for your campaigns.

Question 11

What are TCPA and CTIA compliance requirements?

Accepted Answer

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) is a federal law that requires businesses to obtain consent before sending text messages. The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA) publishes guidelines that carriers enforce, including rules about opt-in, opt-out, message frequency, and content standards. Our platform helps you meet both sets of requirements.

Question 12

What is opt-in and why does it matter?

Accepted Answer

Opt-in means that a person has explicitly agreed to receive text messages from your business. This can happen through a web form, a keyword text, a paper form, or a point-of-sale interaction. Without documented opt-in, your messages violate TCPA rules and carrier policies, which can result in fines, lawsuits, and your number being blocked.

Question 13

What happens if I send messages without 10DLC registration?

Accepted Answer

Unregistered traffic faces heavy filtering by carriers. AT&T and T-Mobile actively block or throttle unregistered messages. You will also pay significantly higher per-message surcharges, sometimes 3 to 10 times the registered rate. In severe cases, carriers can permanently block your phone numbers.

Question 14

Do I need a privacy policy for SMS messaging?

Accepted Answer

Yes. CTIA guidelines require that you have a publicly accessible privacy policy that describes how you collect, use, and protect consumer data including phone numbers. Your campaign registration will need to link to this policy. If you do not have one yet, we can point you to resources to help you create one.

Question 15

What does registration cost?

Accepted Answer

Registration pricing includes one-time fees set by TCR for brand registration and campaign registration. Contact us for current pricing details, as fees can vary based on your business type and use case. We keep our platform fees transparent with no hidden charges.

Question 16

Are there monthly fees?

Accepted Answer

There are no monthly platform fees from 10-DLC.com for basic registration. TCR does charge a small quarterly brand fee to maintain your registration. We will clearly outline all recurring costs before you commit to anything.

Question 17

Do you charge per message?

Accepted Answer

No. We handle registration and compliance, not message delivery. Per-message costs come from your messaging provider (such as Twilio, Bandwidth, Telnyx, or Vonage). Once your 10DLC registration is approved, you send messages through your preferred provider at their registered rates.

Question 18

What if I need to register many brands?

Accepted Answer

We offer volume pricing for agencies, resellers, and businesses managing multiple brands. Contact our sales team to discuss your needs and get a custom quote. We also provide API access for programmatic brand and campaign management at scale.

Question 19

What messaging platforms does this work with?

Accepted Answer

Your 10DLC registration works with any messaging platform that supports the 10DLC ecosystem. This includes Twilio, Bandwidth, Telnyx, Vonage, Plivo, Sinch, and many others. Once your brand and campaigns are approved in TCR, your messaging provider can link them to your phone numbers.

Question 20

Is my data secure?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. All data is encrypted in transit using TLS and at rest using AES-256 encryption. We follow industry-standard security practices including regular security audits, role-based access controls, and secure credential storage. Your EIN and business data are never shared with third parties beyond what is required for TCR registration.

Question 21

What is DCA election?

Accepted Answer

DCA stands for Direct Connect Aggregator, also known as a Campaign Service Provider (CSP). DCA election is the process of designating which messaging provider will manage your campaigns at the carrier level. When you register through 10-DLC.com, we help you elect the correct DCA so your campaigns are properly routed to your messaging platform.

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