# SMS regulations in the United States

> US A2P messaging is governed by carrier registration through The Campaign Registry (10DLC brand + campaign vetting), the CTIA Messaging Principles, and the TCPA consent regime — number-based registration, not alphanumeric sender IDs.

- Canonical URL: https://www.broadnet.me/regulations/united-states
- Language: en
- Last reviewed: 2026-10-02
- Publisher: BroadNet (https://www.broadnet.me)

## A2P 10DLC via The Campaign Registry

Application-to-person messaging over standard 10-digit long codes must be registered through The Campaign Registry (TCR). You register your brand and then each messaging campaign, declaring use case and sample content. Campaigns are vetted before traffic is approved by the carriers.

## Trust score and carrier throughput

Brand vetting produces a trust score that determines per-carrier throughput. T-Mobile applies daily message-volume caps by trust tier, and AT&T assigns messages-per-second (TPS) tiers. Higher trust scores unlock higher sending limits; unregistered or poorly-vetted traffic is throttled or blocked.

## Toll-free and short codes

Toll-free numbers used for A2P must go through toll-free verification before they can send at scale. Dedicated short codes are provisioned through the CTIA/TCR short-code registry and carry their own application, vetting, and lease process — the highest-trust option for high-volume campaigns.

## CTIA Messaging Principles & Best Practices

The CTIA publishes the Messaging Principles and Best Practices that the carriers enforce for A2P content and consent. Every program must honor STOP/HELP keywords for opt-out and help, and content is restricted under the SHAFT rules — no sex, hate, alcohol, firearms, or tobacco messaging.

## TCPA consent and opt-out

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) requires prior express written consent for marketing messages, while transactional messages may rely on an established business relationship. Recipients must be able to opt out at any time (STOP), and opt-outs must be processed immediately. TCPA violations carry statutory per-message damages.

## Carriers and registration lead time

BroadNet terminates 10DLC and toll-free traffic to T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon over direct connections. Brands cannot register with The Campaign Registry directly: brand and campaign registration is filed through a campaign service provider, and BroadNet coordinates it during onboarding. 10DLC registration typically takes 7–14 business days.

- Direct to T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon.
- 10DLC brand + campaign registration via TCR: typically 7–14 business days.
- Toll-free: carrier-verified business profile before sending at scale.
- Short codes: leased and provisioned through the short-code registry.

## US sender types: what each one requires

|  | 10DLC | Toll-free | Short code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand + campaign registration with TCR | Yes | No | No |
| Toll-free verification | No | Yes | No |
| Lease through the short-code registry | No | No | Yes |
| STOP/HELP keyword handling | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SHAFT content restrictions | Yes | Yes | Yes |

## Frequently asked questions

### Who regulates A2P SMS in the United States?

There is no single government regulator of message routing. Mobile carriers enforce registration through The Campaign Registry (TCR) for 10DLC, the CTIA publishes the Messaging Principles & Best Practices, and the FCC enforces the TCPA, which governs consent.

### Do I need to register to send A2P SMS?

Yes. For 10-digit long codes (10DLC) you register your brand and each campaign (use case) with The Campaign Registry; your trust score then sets per-carrier throughput. Toll-free numbers need separate verification and short codes are leased through the short-code registry. US A2P uses number-based registration — not alphanumeric sender IDs.

### What consent and content rules apply?

The TCPA requires prior express written consent for marketing messages and immediate STOP/HELP handling. Content is restricted under the SHAFT rules (no sex, hate, alcohol, firearms, or tobacco). BroadNet's compliance checks help keep traffic within carrier and TCPA requirements.

### How long does 10DLC registration take?

Typically 7–14 business days for brand vetting and campaign registration with The Campaign Registry; approval times vary by use case and by how many partners are in the chain. BroadNet coordinates the registration during onboarding.

## Related

- [United States coverage](https://www.broadnet.me/coverage/united-states)
- [All regulations](https://www.broadnet.me/regulations)

## Technical facts for the USA

Network codes, message lengths and sender-ID rules in one table. Segment lengths are the GSM standard values (3GPP TS 23.038).

| Technical facts | |
|---|---|
| Mobile country code (MCC) | 310 – 316 |
| Dialling code | +1 |
| Operators (MCC-MNC) | T-Mobile USA · 310-260; AT&T · 310-410; Verizon · 311-480; US Cellular · 311-220 |
| SMS length, GSM-7 (Latin alphabet) | 160 characters in a single SMS; 153 per part when concatenated |
| SMS length, UCS-2 (Arabic, Cyrillic and other scripts) | 70 characters in a single SMS; 67 per part when concatenated |
| Regulator | FCC + CTIA (Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and CTIA (carrier consortium)) |
| Sender-ID rules | 10DLC Brand vetting + Campaign registration via The Campaign Registry (TCR) for long codes. Toll-Free Verification via carrier-verified business profiles. Short codes leased + provisioned. |
| Sender-ID lead time | 7-14 business days (10DLC) |

## How to register a sender ID in the USA

What to prepare, who approves it and how long it takes. Send us the documents below and BroadNet coordinates the registration with the operators, the regulator or the registry, as the market requires.

- Who approves: No regulator pre-approval. For 10DLC, the brand's identity is verified in The Campaign Registry (TCR), and each campaign is reviewed by the campaign service provider and its upstream partners. Special use cases may also need carrier approval.
- Typical lead time: 7–14 business days (10DLC)

### Document checklist

- [ ] Legal company name, spelled exactly as on your IRS registration
- [ ] EIN (US), or your Business Number (Canada), or the VAT or company registration number for other countries
- [ ] Brand contact details
- [ ] A clear, detailed description of what each campaign will be used for
- [ ] Your opt-in call-to-action and privacy policy

### Steps

1. Register the brand. Brands cannot register with TCR directly: a campaign service provider files your legal company name and EIN or tax ID, and TCR verifies your identity. BroadNet coordinates this during onboarding. If another provider has already vetted your brand, its vetting token can be imported.
2. Register a campaign for each use case, with a clear and detailed description. Special use cases may need vetting, or carrier approval before or after launch, before they can send.
3. Each campaign is submitted through the campaign service provider and its upstream partners. Allow 7–14 business days; TCR notes that approval times vary by use case and by how many partners are in the chain.
4. Send only within the registered campaign. Use a clear call-to-action, apply each opt-in only to the campaign it was given for, send STOP opt-out instructions and confirm each opt-out with one final message.

### Common reasons for rejection

- An EIN or tax ID that does not match the legal company name
- A vague or unclear campaign description
- A special use case without brand vetting or carrier approval

### Official sources

- [47 CFR 64.1200 — 47 CFR 64.1200 — TCPA delivery restrictions (08:00–21:00)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-64/subpart-L/section-64.1200)
- [FCC — Federal Communications Commission](https://www.fcc.gov/)
- [CTIA — CTIA](https://www.ctia.org/)
- [TCR — The Campaign Registry](https://www.campaignregistry.com/)
- [TCR FAQ — The Campaign Registry: Resources (FAQ)](https://www.campaignregistry.com/resources/)
- [CTIA Messaging Principles — CTIA Messaging Principles and Best Practices (May 2023)](https://api.ctia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/230523-CTIA-Messaging-Principles-and-Best-Practices-FINAL.pdf)

Requirements are set by the regulator and the operators and can change. Check the official sources, or ask our team, before you file.

## Sources

- [47 CFR 64.1200 — 47 CFR 64.1200 — TCPA delivery restrictions (08:00–21:00)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-64/subpart-L/section-64.1200)
- [FCC — Federal Communications Commission](https://www.fcc.gov/)
- [CTIA — CTIA](https://www.ctia.org/)
- [TCR — The Campaign Registry](https://www.campaignregistry.com/)
- [TCR FAQ — The Campaign Registry: Resources (FAQ)](https://www.campaignregistry.com/resources/)
- [CTIA Messaging Principles — CTIA Messaging Principles and Best Practices (May 2023)](https://api.ctia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/230523-CTIA-Messaging-Principles-and-Best-Practices-FINAL.pdf)