Registering Standard USA Numbers for Messaging (A2P 10DLC)

This article explains how (and why) you must register your business and phone numbers for outbound SMS/MMS messaging in the USA.

User level: Admin

Before you can send SMS or MMS to the USA from US local numbers, US operators require you to register your business (brand) and how you use SMS (campaign). Unregistered messages are blocked.

Register in the Dashboard: go to Numbers > A2P registration. Registration usually takes 2–4 weeks, and for most customers costs $19.50 one-time and $1.50 per month (see Fees).Before you start, read General Campaign Requirements and Terms and Privacy Policy Requirements. Most rejections come from a vague campaign description or a missing opt-in disclosure.

Steps to Register

Check that your use case is allowed

Certain industries and use cases can’t send commercial SMS on USA and Canada networks, for example CBD, vape, or MLM companies. Check Unsupported SMS/MMS Use Cases in the USA and Canada first.

Prepare your information

Use this article to collect your brand details, your campaign description and sample messages, and a description of your opt-in flow.

Start the registration in the Dashboard

Go to Numbers > A2P registration. You can also start from CloudTalk Phone: an unregistered US number shows a Register in Dashboard button.

Fill in your brand and campaign

Follow the registration steps: first your Brand details, then your Campaign details, including your opt-in flow. Then submit the registration.

Wait for approval

Follow the status on the A2P registration page. Our Numbers Support team registers your brand and campaign with The Campaign Registry (TCR) and our US carrier, and lets you know if anything else is needed.

Already registered? Once your A2P 10DLC registration is active with CloudTalk, any new USA or Canada numbers you buy through the self-serve flow automatically have SMS turned on and are linked to your existing A2P Messaging Service. If you buy a number before your registration is complete, SMS stays off until it is. Learn more about ordering numbers

The registration must be done by the business the consumer believes they are interacting with when they give their phone number. For example, if you’re a BPO handling support for another business, your business client registers.

Do I need to register my USA numbers and business brand?

Yes. Any business that sends outbound messages to USA numbers needs to register its business and use case with the US operators in a central registry called The Campaign Registry (TCR). This is done through your provider, and CloudTalk handles it for you. Registrations can’t be moved between carriers. Even if you registered with a previous provider, you need to register again with CloudTalk.

A2P means Application-to-Person: any non-consumer messaging on business networks. 10DLC (ten-digit long code) numbers are standard local and mobile numbers.US operators treat all business traffic sent through VoIP operators such as CloudTalk as A2P traffic. Even if you only send conversational messages to your US customers, your numbers are subject to A2P rules.

What if I don’t register?

CloudTalk’s carriers can’t send unregistered traffic to the USA from your US 10DLC numbers. If your number isn’t registered, you can’t send any messages to the USA on CloudTalk.

In the CloudTalk app, an unregistered US number shows a notice above the message box, and sending is blocked. Admins see the reason and a Register in Dashboard button. Agents see “SMS is not available for this number. Contact your account admin.”

What is the Campaign Registry (TCR)?

The Campaign Registry is a carrier-neutral hub where all A2P 10DLC sender information is submitted, as part of an industry-wide effort to protect consumers from scams, spam, and nuisance messaging. TCR verifies the businesses sending SMS to the USA (brands) and their use cases (campaigns). When major US carriers (T-Mobile, Verizon, and others) receive SMS traffic, they check whether it belongs to a registered, verified campaign.

What you need to register

Registration has three parts:

Brand: basic information about your business and how many messages you send.
Campaign: what types of messages you send. You create a separate campaign for each type of messages you send. Here, “campaign” means ANY use of SMS, such as customer support or account management, not only sales or marketing campaigns.
Opt-in: proof that your customers agreed to receive your messages.

Type of Brand

Most CloudTalk customers need the Low-volume Standard brand. Volumes count the traffic of all numbers under your brand together, not per number.

Brand type	For	One-time fee
Low-volume Standard	Fewer than 6,000 message segments per day to the USA (2,000 per day through T-Mobile)	$4.50
Full Standard	6,000 to 600,000 message segments per day to the USA (2,000 to 200,000 per day through T-Mobile)	$46
Sole Proprietor (USA and Canada only)	Individuals or small businesses without a Tax ID (EIN)	$4.50

Required Information for Your Brand

From the business

Business Name
Physical Address (Street, City, State/Province/Region, Postal Code, Country)
Business Identity (Direct Customer or ISV/Reseller/Partner)
Business Type (Sole Proprietorship/Partnership/Corporation/Co-Operative/LLC/Non-Profit)
Company Status (Private/Public)
- Stock Ticker & Exchange (if Public)
Business Registration Number & Type
- must be the EIN for all US-based companies
- other business identifiers for non-US companies
Industry
Website
Regions of Operations

From an authorized representative of the business

For the fastest verification, this should be someone with a publicly verifiable connection to the company, such as LinkedIn, the company website, or a state or country business register.

First and Last Name
Email
Title
Phone Number
Job Position (Director/VP/GM/General Counsel/CEO/CFO)

Fees

TCR charges one-time brand and campaign registration fees, and a monthly campaign fee. They’re charged to your CloudTalk account and appear on your next invoice.

One-time: the brand fee (see Type of Brand) plus a $15 campaign registration fee.
Monthly: depends on the campaign type, from $1.50 to $10.

Most CloudTalk customers (sending under 6,000 messages per day) qualify for the Low-volume Standard brand and the Low Volume: Mixed Use campaign: $19.50 one-time and $1.50 per month. Because of its lower cost, Low Volume: Mixed Use is recommended for both Low-volume Standard and Standard brand customers who don’t need high message throughput. The $10 campaign types below are the use cases available with the Full Standard brand.

Campaign type	For	Monthly fee
Low Volume: Mixed Use (recommended for most CloudTalk customers)	Messages of several use cases, such as customer care and delivery notifications, without high throughput	$1.50
Sole Proprietor: Mixed Use	Sole Proprietor brands	$2
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)	Any authentication or account verification, such as one-time passwords (OTP)	$10
Account Notification	The status of an account, or being part of an account	$10
Customer Care	Support, account management, and other customer interaction	$10
Delivery Notification	The status of a delivery	$10
Fraud Alert Messaging	Potential fraudulent activity, such as spending alerts	$10
Higher Education	Colleges, universities, and other educational institutions	$10
Marketing	Promotional content, such as sales and limited-time offers	$10
Mixed	Several use cases, likely with lower throughput and a higher cost per message	$10
Polling and Voting	Customer polls and surveys (not for political use)	$10
Public Service Announcement	Raising awareness about a topic	$10
Security Alert	A compromised system (software or hardware)	$10

Throughput is how fast you can send messages, measured per phone number in message segments per second (MPS). The low-volume standard rate is 1.25 MPS for Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T.

All 10DLC registration and maintenance fees are industry fees from TCR and US carriers. CloudTalk doesn’t add any markup or admin fee.

General Campaign Requirements

Campaign description

💡 Here, “campaign” means ANY SMS use, including one-to-one and conversational messages, not just marketing or sales campaigns. Your campaign description needs to answer these questions:

Who is sending the message? Your business name and brand.
What types of messages will you send? For example, “We send SMS to respond to legal inquiries, qualify requests, and schedule consultations for users who submit our website contact form.”
Who is receiving it? For example, “Users who submit our website contact form.”
Why are they receiving it? For example, “Messages are sent after a user submits a request for legal consultation through our website contact form.”

Your description also needs to match the campaign type you selected and your sample messages. ⚠️ Common reasons for rejection:

You selected a Customer Care campaign, but your sample messages are marketing messages.
Your description is vague and doesn’t answer the questions above.

Compliant ✅	Not Compliant ❌
“Messages are sent by {Brand Name} to existing customers who have opted in. Messages include OTP codes for MFA logging into our online portal and security alerts regarding profile changes."	"We send texts to people.” (Too vague, no brand, no recipient info, no purpose)
“Messages are sent by {Brand Name} to patients with upcoming appointments. Messages include appointment reminders, rescheduling options, and post-visit care instructions."	"Interpersonal Communication"
"Messages are sent by {Brand Name} to customers who schedule service. Messages include appointment confirmations and vehicle ready notifications."	"Messages are sent by CloudTalk to auto repair customers.”

Sample messages

Provide 2–5 examples of what your actual messages will look like, so reviewers understand exactly what your customers will receive. They must be consistent with your brand and campaign description:

Include your business name. It should match the company name and website in your brand details.
The messages must be real and consistent with your campaign description.
If your messages will contain links or phone numbers, include examples of these.

Compliant ✅	Not Compliant ❌
“Hello, This is Dental Clinic A. We are reaching out to confirm your schedule for 12th of May at 2pm. Reply STOP to opt out."	"Hi, is this the owner of 123 Oak St? I want to buy your house.” (Cold outreach isn’t allowed)
“Dental Clinic A: Dental check due for [Customer Name]. Visit www.dentaltestclinic.com to schedule an appointment or call 212-123-456. Reply STOP to opt out."	"Here is your code.” (No brand name, no context)
	“Hey! Please check the free quotation I made for you here: http://bit.ly/” (No brand, link shorteners aren’t allowed)
	“BB Boutique: Spring is finally here! 🌸 Take 20% off all new floral dresses this weekend only. Shop the collection here https://bboutique.com/spring. Reply STOP to opt out.” (Not compliant if the campaign type isn’t Marketing)
	“HUGE SALE!!! EVERYTHING IS 90% OFF FOR THE NEXT HOUR ONLY!!! HURRY BEFORE STOCK RUNS OUT!!!"
	"Hi [Customer Name], This is B Company to confirm that we have received your order for e-cigarettes and vape.” (Messages about e-cigarettes and vapes aren’t allowed in the USA. More details here.)

The opt-in message flow is the most important part of A2P 10DLC registration. See the next section.

What does ‘opt-in’ mean?

You need documented consent from consumers to receive your messages, before you send them. If you don’t already have a documented opt-in flow, you need to create one for this registration.

Your opt-in message flow must list all the ways customers can opt in to your messages. If they can opt in in several ways (for example, signing up on your website, entering their number in a contact form, or pressing a key in the IVR), list them all.
The call to action must be clear: customers must explicitly know they’re agreeing to receive messages from your business, for the campaign type you registered.

Examples of proper opt-in descriptions from our TCR intermediary:

“Customers opt-in specifically when signing up on our website {add your website URL} and inputting their phone number. They must check a box in the sign-up form that they agree to receive messages from us. Opt-in on our website is a self-service process and occurs at samplecompany.com/signup. Our privacy policy also states that customers’ numbers will not be shared with other parties [link to privacy policy which includes the statement of non-sharing].

Customers also can opt-in in-person by requesting SMS contact within the store and writing their contact number on a paper form, including a notice that they agree to receive messages from us.”
“Customers fill out a registration form in our app where they submit their phone number. This form states ‘By submitting this form, you authorize {Company Name} to send text messages with offers and other information. Message/data rates may apply. Consent is not a condition of purchase.’ [link to privacy policy which includes the statement of non-sharing].”

Descriptions that TCR rejects:X “Customers sign up online”X “Customers made an order”

List of All Opt-in Methods

Website opt-in (recommended)

For online sign-ups, provide the website URL where opt-in happens. It must be the same company name and website as in your brand details. This is the recommended method if you need to create an opt-in flow. Compliance checks. Reviewers check that the call to action and the right disclosures are shown where consumers enter their phone number (for example, your website’s “Contact Us” form):

It’s clear that the consumer will receive SMS from you if they give their number, and what type of messages (for example, informational or marketing).
Your brand or business is named in the first message.
Fee disclosure, for example “Message and data rates may apply”.
Frequency, for example “One message per login”, “Message frequency varies”, or “Three messages per delivery”.
Customer care contact and opt-out instructions, for example “Reply HELP for help”, “Reply STOP to opt out”.
Links to your Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, which must be accessible. The Privacy Policy must say mobile numbers aren’t shared with third parties. If it has a general statement about not sharing personal information, it must list phone numbers as personal information.

If your trading name is different from your legal name, state the legal name clearly in your Privacy Policy or Terms and Conditions.

Forced consent checks. Reviewers make sure consumers are never forced to agree to receive texts. Campaigns with forced consent are rejected. 🚨 All of these count as forced consent:

The checkboxes are pre-checked or mandatory.
A form requires several mandatory opt-in consents before it can be submitted.
A form won’t submit unless the consent box is checked.
Consent is collected without a checkbox, while the phone number field is mandatory.

Example of a compliant web opt-in:

✅ The phone number field is optional.
✅ The consumer chooses which types of SMS they agree to receive. Because the business offers several use cases (informational and marketing), each has its own checkbox.
✅ There’s no forced consent: the form can be submitted without giving consent at all.

Other opt-in methods

In-app or in-product opt-in

If the opt-in form is behind a login, inside an app, or on a website that isn’t public, host an image of the opt-in form on your website or server and provide a link to it.

Non-digital opt-in (in person, paper, verbal, or email)

For opt-in in a store, on a paper form, or on websites that aren’t public, host an image of the opt-in form on your website or server and provide a link to it.
Verbal or email opt-in covers consumers who agree to receive SMS during a call or an email or onboarding exchange.

SMS opt-in

If your customers opt in and opt out by text message, you must provide opt-in, opt-out, and help keywords and messages. See SMS Opt-in Requirements.

Terms and Privacy Policy Requirements

Reviewers check the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy pages linked from your opt-in location. Both pages must be public and include the items below.

Terms and Conditions Page

Your Terms and Conditions should include:

Program, business, or brand name
Program description
“Message and data rates may apply” disclosure
Message frequency (or a recurring message disclosure)
Customer support contact information
Complete opt-out instructions, with HELP and STOP displayed in bold
A link to your Privacy Policy
A disclosure that says “Carriers are not liable for any delayed or undelivered messages”

Example Terms and Conditions you can adapt

Replace the parts in curly brackets with your own details:

{Program/Business/Brand name}

{Program description: a short description of the kinds of messages users can expect to receive when they opt in.}

You can cancel the SMS service at any time. Just text "STOP". After you send the SMS message "STOP" to us, we will send you an SMS message to confirm that you have been unsubscribed. After this, you will no longer receive SMS messages from us. If you want to join again, just sign up as you did the first time, and we will start sending SMS messages to you again.

If you are experiencing issues with the messaging program, you can reply with the keyword "HELP" for more assistance, or you can get help directly at {support email address or toll-free number}.

Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.

As always, message and data rates may apply for any messages sent to you from us and to us from you. {Message frequency}. If you have any questions about your text plan or data plan, it is best to contact your wireless provider.

If you have any questions regarding privacy, please read our privacy policy: {link to privacy policy}

Privacy Policy Page

Your Privacy Policy must include these disclosures:

It must state that no mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Sharing information with subcontractors in support services, such as customer service, is permitted.
If your Privacy Policy says that information will be shared with third parties, add one of these disclaimers to the information-sharing section:
- “All the above categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties, excluding aggregators and providers of the Text Message services.”
- “Text messaging originator opt-in data and consent will not be shared with any third parties, excluding aggregators and providers of the Text Message services.”

SMS Opt-in Requirements

This section is only needed if your customers opt in and opt out by text message.

Keywords and messages to provide

Opt-in keywords (max 255 characters)
- If customers can text a keyword (for example, Subscribe, Start, OPTIN, UNSTOP, IN) to start receiving messages, provide those keywords.
- This field is mandatory if your opt-in message flow says customers can opt in via SMS. If you don’t support opt-in by text, leave it blank.
Opt-in message (20–320 characters)
- If customers can opt in with a keyword, provide the full reply message. It must include:
  - your brand name
  - confirmation that they’re enrolled in a recurring message campaign
  - how to opt out
  - how to get help
Opt-out keywords (max 255 characters)
- If customers can text a keyword (for example, STOP, END, UNSUBSCRIBE) to stop receiving messages, provide those keywords. If you don’t support opt-in and opt-out by text, leave this blank in the registration.
Opt-out message (20–320 characters)
- If customers can opt in by SMS, an opt-out reply is also required. It must include your brand name and confirm the opt-out.
Help keywords (max 255 characters)
- If customers can text a keyword (for example, ISSUE, FIX, RESOLVE, INQUIRY) when they need help, provide those keywords.
Help message (20–320 characters)
- If customers can opt in and opt out by SMS, a help reply is also required.

If you selected advanced opt-in / opt-out but didn’t provide help keywords and messages, the campaign is rejected.

Examples of SMS opt-in, opt-out, and help messages

Proper examples from our TCR intermediary:Opt-in message: “You are successfully opted In for messages from {Company Name}. Reply STOP to unsubscribe.”Opt-out / stop confirmation message: “You have successfully been unsubscribed from {Company Name}. You will not receive any more messages from this number.”Help message: “{Company Name}: Please visit www.acmecorporation.com to get support. To opt-out, reply STOP.”

Generic messages that are rejected:X Opt-in message: “You opted in for messages”X Opt-out / stop confirmation message: “Opt-out successful. You will not receive any more messages from us.”X Missing help messages: if advanced opt-out was enabled but no help message is provided, the campaign is rejected.

What if I don’t have an “OPT-IN” Workflow?

Even if you only message existing contacts, or don’t think your use case needs an opt-in, registering a brand and campaign is mandatory to use SMS and MMS on US 10DLC numbers.

If you don’t have an opt-in workflow yet, update your website, order forms (online or printed), privacy policy, and terms of service so they explicitly ask for customers’ consent to receive messages.

Proof of opt-in is required by US operators. It isn’t a CloudTalk policy, and our team can’t change it. Our role is to guide you and send your request to the carriers and TCR. If we can’t document where consumers agree to receive your messages, the campaign is rejected. We’re happy to advise you on the easiest way to add opt-in to your workflow. It can be as simple as adding:

lines on your website’s contact and terms of service pages, saying that customers who contact your helplines agree to receive a follow-up SMS, plus a statement of non-sharing for mobile numbers, the message frequency, “message and data rates may apply”, and a link to a privacy policy that includes the statement of non-sharing
a checkbox on a paper order form, if customers leave their details in person, saying they’ll receive SMS updates about their order
a recording in your IVR, where customers press a key to agree to receive a follow-up message after the call

Need help or have a question? Just reach out through our Support portal. We’re here for you.

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Registering Standard USA Numbers for Messaging (A2P 10DLC)

Steps to Register

Do I need to register my USA numbers and business brand?

What if I don’t register?

What is the Campaign Registry (TCR)?

What you need to register

Type of Brand

Required Information for Your Brand

Fees

General Campaign Requirements

Campaign description

Sample messages

What does ‘opt-in’ mean?

List of All Opt-in Methods

Website opt-in (recommended)

Other opt-in methods

Terms and Privacy Policy Requirements

Terms and Conditions Page

Privacy Policy Page

SMS Opt-in Requirements

What if I don’t have an “OPT-IN” Workflow?

​Steps to Register

​Do I need to register my USA numbers and business brand?

​What if I don’t register?

​What is the Campaign Registry (TCR)?

​What you need to register

​Type of Brand

​Required Information for Your Brand

​Fees

​General Campaign Requirements

​Campaign description

​Sample messages

​What does ‘opt-in’ mean?

​List of All Opt-in Methods

​Website opt-in (recommended)

​Other opt-in methods

​Terms and Privacy Policy Requirements

​Terms and Conditions Page

​Privacy Policy Page

​SMS Opt-in Requirements

​What if I don’t have an “OPT-IN” Workflow?

Steps to Register

Do I need to register my USA numbers and business brand?

What if I don’t register?

What is the Campaign Registry (TCR)?

What you need to register

Type of Brand

Required Information for Your Brand

Fees

General Campaign Requirements

Campaign description

Sample messages

What does ‘opt-in’ mean?

List of All Opt-in Methods

Website opt-in (recommended)

Other opt-in methods

Terms and Privacy Policy Requirements

Terms and Conditions Page

Privacy Policy Page

SMS Opt-in Requirements

What if I don’t have an “OPT-IN” Workflow?