Business texting registration (A2P 10DLC), in plain English
If your business texts customers from a regular 10-digit US number, the carriers expect that number to be registered.
Here is what that means, what you need, and what gets applications rejected.
4 minute read. Updated 15 October 2026.
What A2P 10DLC means
A2P stands for application-to-person: texts sent by a business system, not typed by one person to another.
10DLC means a standard 10-digit long code, the kind of phone number most small businesses text from.
US mobile carriers ask businesses to register those numbers so they can tell real business texting from spam.
What happens if you do not register
Unregistered business texts can be filtered or blocked by the carriers.
Often there is no error you would notice: the message looks sent on your side and never reaches the customer.
The two parts of a registration
The brand is who you are: your legal business name, business type, tax ID (an EIN in the US), address, website and a contact person.
The campaign is what you send and why: the use case (appointment reminders, customer care, marketing), sample messages, how people opt in and how they opt out.
What to have ready before you start
- Your legal business name exactly as it appears on your tax registration, and the tax ID that goes with it.
- A live website that matches the business you are registering.
- A privacy policy that says mobile numbers and consent are not shared or sold for marketing.
- A clear opt-in point, such as a form checkbox with consent wording or a keyword customers text to you.
- Sample messages that name your business and say how to opt out (Reply STOP).
Why applications get rejected
- The business name or tax ID does not match the official record.
- The website is down, unfinished or describes a different business.
- The application does not explain how people agree to receive texts.
- The privacy policy is missing the line about not sharing mobile numbers.
- The sample messages do not match the use case or leave out how to opt out.
How long it takes, and what it costs
It varies.
Brand checks can come back quickly, campaign reviews can take from a few days to a few weeks, and a rejection restarts part of the wait.
The registry and the carriers charge registration and monthly campaign fees. They change from time to time and depend on your texting provider, so check the current figures with your provider before you file.
How KBX handles it
We file the brand and the campaign, write the sample messages and the opt-in wording, and resubmit if the carriers reject it.
It is included in every Business Suite plan, or $129 as a one-off project with carrier fees at cost.
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