What is 10DLC Registration?
10DLC (10-Digit Long Code) registration is the carrier-mandated process for businesses to register their brand and SMS campaigns before sending A2P messages through standard 10-digit phone numbers.
What is 10DLC Registration?
10DLC stands for 10-Digit Long Code — the standard 10-digit phone numbers that businesses use to send application-to-person (A2P) text messages. 10DLC registration is the carrier-mandated process of registering your business identity and message campaigns with The Campaign Registry (TCR) before you can send business texts through these numbers.
Before 10DLC registration existed, businesses could send A2P messages through unregistered numbers — but carriers increasingly filtered these messages as spam. 10DLC registration was introduced to create a trusted ecosystem: registered businesses get better deliverability and throughput, while unregistered senders get filtered.
Registration is required by all major US carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon). If your business sends SMS marketing or transactional texts through a 10-digit number in the US, you need to be 10DLC registered.
How does 10DLC Registration work?
The 10DLC registration process has two parts: brand registration and campaign registration. Brand registration verifies your business identity — company name, EIN, address, and website. This is a one-time process. Campaign registration describes each messaging use case — what types of messages you'll send, sample content, opt-in methods, and expected volume.
Registration is submitted through your SMS platform or directly through The Campaign Registry (TCR). After submission, the carrier networks review and assign a trust score that determines your messaging throughput (messages per second) and daily limits. Higher trust scores get better throughput.
The process typically takes 1–5 business days for standard brands. Some industries (especially restricted categories like cannabis or firearms) may require additional vetting. Once approved, your 10DLC number is registered and you can send at your assigned throughput.
Why does 10DLC Registration matter for DTC brands?
Without 10DLC registration, your business texts are increasingly likely to be filtered by carriers — meaning your messages simply don't reach customers. Registration is no longer optional; it's required for reliable SMS delivery.
The trust score assigned during registration directly impacts your throughput. A high trust score means you can send more messages per second and per day. A low score means rate limiting and potential filtering. Proper registration with accurate business information is essential for optimal deliverability.
For brands starting an SMS commerce program, 10DLC registration is one of the first setup steps. SMS platforms like AudienceTap handle the registration process as part of onboarding, ensuring your brand and campaigns are properly registered before you start sending.
Key points
Required for delivery
Major US carriers require 10DLC registration. Unregistered senders face filtering, rate limiting, and blocked messages.
Trust score = throughput
Registration assigns a trust score that determines how many messages you can send per second and per day.
1–5 day process
Standard brand registration takes 1–5 business days. Restricted industries may require additional vetting time.
See 10DLC Registration in action with AudienceTap
AudienceTap is the text-to-buy platform that powers 10dlc registration for DTC brands.
Related terms
A2P Messaging
A2P (Application-to-Person) Messaging refers to text messages sent from a business software platform to individual consumers — as opposed to person-to-person texts between individuals.
Short Code vs. Toll-Free vs. 10DLC
A comparison of the three main phone number types for business SMS — short codes (5–6 digits), toll-free numbers (1-800 style), and 10DLC (standard 10-digit numbers) — each with different throughput, costs, and requirements.
SMS Deliverability
SMS Deliverability is the rate at which sent text messages successfully reach recipients' devices, affected by carrier filtering, number reputation, content quality, and compliance standing.
10DLC Registration FAQ
Yes. All major US carriers require 10DLC registration for A2P messaging through 10-digit numbers. Without registration, your messages are likely to be filtered or blocked.
Standard registration takes 1–5 business days. Some industries require additional vetting. Most SMS platforms handle the registration process for you during onboarding.
Carriers will filter your messages — they may not be delivered, may be delayed, or may be flagged as spam. Throughput will be severely limited and you risk having your number blocked entirely.
Brand registration is done once. Campaign registration describes your use cases. Numbers are then associated with registered campaigns. If you have multiple distinct use cases, each may need its own campaign registration.
Ready to see if AudienceTap is right for you?
Try a live demo on your phone
Enter your number to experience a Text-to-Buy flow firsthand.
Speak to an expert
Get a free 1-on-1 consultation with personalized setup recommendations for your brand.
