# What is A2P 10DLC?

> A2P 10DLC (10-digit long code) is the US carrier framework that lets businesses send application-to-person SMS from standard 10-digit local numbers, provided the brand and each campaign are registered with The Campaign Registry (TCR). Registration unlocks sanctioned, higher throughput and better deliverability than an unregistered long code, which US carriers now filter or block. It sits between short codes and toll-free among US A2P options.

- Canonical URL: https://www.broadnet.me/answers/what-is-a2p-10dlc
- Language: en
- Last reviewed: 2026-09-30
- Publisher: BroadNet (https://www.broadnet.me)

## Why 10DLC exists

US carriers historically tolerated businesses sending from ordinary 10-digit local numbers, but that traffic was unregulated and abused. 10DLC formalised it: to send A2P from a local number in the US you now register your brand and your use case (the 'campaign') with The Campaign Registry, the industry body carriers use to vet senders. Unregistered long-code A2P is increasingly filtered, throttled, or blocked, so registration is effectively mandatory for reliable US delivery.

- Formalises A2P sending from US 10-digit local numbers.
- Requires brand + campaign registration with The Campaign Registry (TCR).
- Backed by the mobile carriers and CTIA industry guidelines.
- Unregistered long-code A2P is filtered or blocked.

## How registration and throughput work

You register the brand (the company) and then one or more campaigns (each describing a messaging use case — 2FA, marketing, notifications). Carriers assign a trust score based on the brand's vetting, and that score, together with the campaign type, sets your throughput (messages per second) and daily message caps to each carrier. Better vetting and a legitimate, clearly-described use case raise your limits and improve deliverability; vague or non-compliant campaigns are constrained or rejected.

- Register the brand, then per-use-case campaigns.
- A trust score plus campaign type sets throughput and daily caps.
- Higher vetting raises limits and deliverability.
- Misclassified or non-compliant campaigns are throttled or rejected.

## 10DLC vs short code vs toll-free — and the MENA picture

10DLC, short codes, and toll-free numbers are the three US A2P paths: short codes are fastest and highest-throughput but costly and slower to provision; toll-free supports A2P after verification; 10DLC is the local-number option for most businesses. Note that 10DLC is a US-specific regime — it does not apply in MENA. In the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and neighbouring markets, A2P is authorised through registered alphanumeric sender IDs with the operator or regulator, not through 10DLC.

- Three US A2P options: 10DLC, toll-free, short code.
- 10DLC = local numbers; short code = premium high-throughput; toll-free = verified.
- 10DLC is US-only — it does not apply outside the US.
- MENA uses registered alphanumeric sender IDs instead.

## US A2P options compared

|  | A2P 10DLC | Toll-free SMS | Short code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number format | 10-digit local number | Toll-free (8xx) number | 5–6 digit short code |
| Setup | Brand + campaign registration (TCR) | Toll-free verification | Carrier provisioning (weeks) |
| Throughput | Moderate, trust-score based | Moderate | Highest |
| Cost | Low | Low–moderate | High |
| Best for | Most local-number A2P | Higher-volume without a short code | Large-scale, latency-critical A2P |

## Frequently asked questions

### Is 10DLC registration mandatory in the US?

Effectively yes for A2P from a local number. Carriers filter, throttle, or block unregistered long-code A2P traffic, so you must register the brand and campaign with The Campaign Registry to get reliable US delivery.

### Does 10DLC apply outside the United States?

No. 10DLC is a US-specific framework. In MENA and most other regions, A2P is authorised through registered alphanumeric sender IDs with the operator or national regulator, not through 10DLC campaign registration.

### What is The Campaign Registry?

The Campaign Registry (TCR) is the central body US carriers use to register and vet A2P brands and campaigns. Your registration and trust score there determine your 10DLC throughput and deliverability.

### How is my 10DLC throughput decided?

By a combination of your brand's trust score (from vetting) and the campaign type. Higher vetting and a clearly legitimate use case raise your per-second and daily limits to each carrier.

### Does 10DLC cover MMS as well as SMS?

Yes. 10DLC is the US framework for application-to-person SMS and MMS sent from standard 10-digit long codes, and the same brand and campaign registration with The Campaign Registry covers both.

### What happens if my messages don't match the registered campaign?

Carriers filter them. Registered, correctly classified campaigns get their allocated throughput and cleaner delivery; traffic that is unregistered, misclassified or outside the declared use case is throttled or blocked. Keep each campaign's content consistent with what you registered.

## Related

- [What is toll-free messaging?](https://www.broadnet.me/answers/what-is-toll-free-messaging)
- [Sender ID registration — UAE (TDRA)](https://www.broadnet.me/answers/sender-id-registration-uae-tdra)
- [All answers](https://www.broadnet.me/answers)
- [What is toll-free messaging?](https://www.broadnet.me/answers/what-is-toll-free-messaging)
- [What is a long code?](https://www.broadnet.me/answers/what-is-long-code)
- [Sender ID registration in the UAE — the TDRA process](https://www.broadnet.me/answers/sender-id-registration-uae-tdra)
- [A2P SMS](https://www.broadnet.me/products/a2p-sms)
- [Bulk SMS](https://www.broadnet.me/products/bulk-sms)