Yes. If your business sends texts to customers from a regular 10-digit phone number through a texting app, CRM, booking tool or missed-call text-back, that number and what you use it for need to be registered through your texting provider under a system called 10DLC. You don't register yourself directly; your provider submits your business details and your use case to The Campaign Registry, and you answer a few questions about how customers agree to hear from you.
I run a wellness center here in Charlottesville and STANDBY Local, and texting is one of the most useful tools either business has. It is also the one where owners get tripped up most, usually because a provider sends an email full of acronyms and nobody explains what it means. Here is the plain version.
What is 10DLC, exactly?
10DLC stands for 10-digit long code, which is just a normal local phone number used for business texting. The Campaign Registry's 10DLC overview calls it the sanctioned standard for business, or application-to-person, text messaging, and says any business using SMS on 10DLC is required to register.
The point of registration is that carriers want to know who is behind a batch of texts and what those texts are for. The overview explains that carriers get visibility into the who and the what of each messaging campaign. That is how wireless companies separate a roofer in Crozet sending appointment reminders from a spammer blasting thousands of strangers.
Do I register myself or does my provider do it?
Your provider does it. The Campaign Registry states that direct registration is not available for brands, which is what it calls the businesses doing the texting. Instead, you work with a Campaign Service Provider, the company whose platform actually sends your texts, and it registers you on your behalf.
That means the place to start is your own texting tool's settings or support team. Look for a section labeled something like A2P registration, 10DLC, brand registration or compliance. If you use more than one texting tool, each provider registers your business separately, so expect the process in each one.
What information will I need to register?
Plan on your legal business details and a clear description of the texts you send. The registry's resources explain that a business's EIN or tax ID is used to verify identity, and that complete and accurate business information speeds things up. Have these ready before you start:
- Legal business name exactly as it appears with the IRS, plus your EIN. A mismatch between the name you type and the name on your tax records is one of the easiest ways to stall.
- Business address, website and a contact person with an email and phone number that someone actually checks.
- Your use case, meaning what the texts are for. The registry gives examples like marketing messages registered as a marketing campaign and two-way support registered as customer care.
- Sample messages that look like what you will really send, including your business name and how to opt out.
- How customers opt in, such as a checkbox on your booking form, a sign-up sheet at the counter or a keyword they text to you.
If you are a true sole proprietor without an EIN, the registry treats you differently. It defines a sole proprietor as an individual who does not have an EIN, and that group is excluded from the EIN requirement. Ask your provider whether it offers a sole proprietor option.
Does registration mean I can text anyone I want?
No. Registration tells carriers who you are, but you still need permission to text people. The FCC has said that, for purposes of its rules, a call includes a text message, and its fact sheet on combatting illegal text messages notes that prior express consent must be in writing when a robotext includes an advertisement or is telemarketing.
The wireless industry's CTIA Messaging Principles and Best Practices sorts business texts into three kinds, and the permission you need rises with each one:
- Conversational. The customer texts you first and you reply. CTIA says that if the consumer starts the conversation and the business simply responds, no additional permission is expected.
- Informational. Appointment reminders, welcome texts and alerts. The customer should have given you their number for that purpose, like booking a table or scheduling a furnace tune-up.
- Promotional. Sales, specials and anything that markets your business. CTIA expects express written consent to receive marketing messages specifically. It also warns that adding a coupon code to a reminder can turn it into a promotional text.
CTIA also says an opt-in should not be transferable, and that senders should not use lists that were rented, sold or shared. A list of emails from a vendor, or numbers pulled from old invoices, is not permission to send a promotion.
What do I need to set up before my first text goes out?
Get your opt-in wording, your opt-out handling and your message templates in order. These are the things reviewers look for and the things that keep customers from reporting you.
- Clear opt-in language wherever you collect numbers. CTIA says the call to action should tell people the program, who is sending, any fees, and how to opt out and get help.
- A confirmation text for recurring programs that names the program, says how often messages come, explains fees and gives HELP and opt-out instructions.
- Working STOP handling. CTIA says to honor STOP and plain-language requests like end, cancel, quit or unsubscribe, send one final confirmation, and then send nothing more.
- Your business name in every message, so a customer in Waynesboro knows the text came from you and not a stranger.
What can I do today?
You can get this sorted in an afternoon. Here is the order I would go in:
- List every tool that sends texts for you: booking software, your CRM, your phone system, your review-request tool and any missed-call text-back. That last one matters, and it is part of what to do when customers say they called and you missed it.
- Log in to each one and find its registration or compliance status. If it shows pending, rejected or not started, open a support ticket today.
- Pull your legal name and EIN from your IRS paperwork so the details match exactly.
- Write two or three honest sample texts for each use, with your business name and opt-out line.
- Add opt-in wording and a checkbox to your booking and contact forms. If you text customers after a visit to ask for a review, keep that request within the rules covered in how to ask for Google reviews the right way.
- Text STOP to your own number from a personal phone and confirm you get one confirmation and nothing after.
If you would rather not spend the afternoon on it, this is the kind of setup we handle as part of automation and follow-up for small businesses: registration, opt-in forms, templates and reminders that run without you watching them. You can see how that fits each plan on our plans and pricing page, or start with the free local business growth scorecard to see where follow-up ranks among your other gaps.
Common questions
How long does 10DLC registration take?
It varies by provider and by how complete your information is. The registry notes that accurate business details speed up brand registration, so double-check your legal name and EIN before you submit.
Do I need to register if I only reply when customers text me?
If those replies go through a business texting platform on a 10-digit number, the registry's guidance is that businesses using SMS on 10DLC need to register. The good news is that replying to a customer who texted first needs no extra permission under CTIA's principles.
Can I text a promotion to everyone who has ever booked with me?
Not just because they booked. A booking gives you a reason to send related reminders, but CTIA expects express written consent for marketing texts, and the FCC requires written consent for advertising robotexts. Ask customers to opt in to specials separately.
If you want a second set of eyes on your texting setup, or you'd like us to take it off your plate entirely, book a free 15-minute call and we'll walk through what you have, what's missing and what to fix first.