Numbers, Porting & Regulatory
10DLC Registration Guide
By Myroslav Orshak · operates licensed carrier infrastructure · Updated September 2026
10DLC registration is the two-step process of registering your business (brand) and your texting purpose (campaign) with the US carrier system so your text messages reach customers instead of being filtered.
How it works
Step one is gathering documents before you start, because mismatches are what cause delays. You need your exact legal business name as filed with the IRS, your EIN, and the business address on record. You also need a website with a visible privacy policy and a contact email on your business domain. 'Exact' is the operative word — 'Coastal Roofing LLC' and 'Coastal Roofing, L.L.C.' are different strings to an automated checker.
Step two is the brand registration itself, submitted through your phone provider. This is usually approved quickly since it's largely automated verification against public records. Step three is the campaign: you choose a use case (customer care, appointment reminders, marketing, two-factor codes), write a description of what you'll send, and provide two or three sample messages that genuinely match that use case.
Step four is the part most businesses underestimate: documenting consent. You must describe exactly how customers opt in — a checkbox on your booking form, a written note on a service agreement, a keyword they text you — and that opt-in language must appear where you claim it does. Reviewers check. Include the standard disclosures: message frequency, that message and data rates may apply, and how to stop (reply STOP).
Why it matters
Because a rejected campaign doesn't fail loudly — it sits, and your launch date passes. Knowing the common rejection reasons ahead of time turns a multi-week back-and-forth into a two-day approval.
Rejections usually come down to five things. The business name doesn't match IRS records exactly. The website has no privacy policy, or one that never mentions text messaging. The sample messages don't match the declared use case, for example marketing copy submitted under the 'customer care' label. The opt-in wording is described but isn't actually on the form. Or the business is in a restricted industry such as cannabis, gambling, or loans, which face extra scrutiny or outright refusal.
Before you submit, have these ready: your exact legal business name as the IRS has it, your EIN, and your business address. You also need a live website with a privacy policy that mentions text messages, an email on your business domain, and 2–3 sample messages that match your use case. Finally, your opt-in wording must be visible where customers sign up.
Related terms
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Compare phone systems with business texting →Frequently asked questions
Why was my 10DLC campaign rejected?
Usually for one of five reasons. Your business name doesn't exactly match IRS records. Your website has no privacy policy, or one that never mentions text messaging. Your sample messages don't match the use case you selected. The opt-in process you described isn't actually visible on your website or forms. Or your industry is a restricted category. Ask your provider for the specific rejection code — each maps to a concrete fix.
What opt-in language do I need?
Wherever customers give you their number, state plainly that they'll receive text messages from your business, roughly how often, that message and data rates may apply, and how to stop (reply STOP). Keep a record of how and when each customer consented — that documentation is both a registration requirement and your protection if a complaint is ever filed.
Can I text customers who called me but never opted in?
Not safely. A phone call isn't consent to receive texts, and US telemarketing law treats unsolicited business texts seriously enough that penalties run per message. Add a consent checkbox to your booking form, intake paperwork, and website, and start building a properly documented list — it's a small change that removes real legal exposure.
How much throughput will I get?
It depends on the trust level assigned to your registered brand, which reflects how thoroughly your business verified. Higher trust means more messages per minute and higher daily limits. A local business sending appointment reminders will comfortably fit the standard allowance; a campaign blasting thousands at once needs to plan capacity with its provider in advance.
Do I need to re-register if I switch phone providers?
Usually yes — your brand and campaign registrations are tied to the provider that submitted them, so a new provider generally re-registers you. Budget the same days-long approval window into any phone-system switch where texting matters, and don't cut over your texting the day before a campaign launch.