You send a load update and the driver never sees it. You text a job applicant an hour after they apply, and hear nothing back. A customer swears they never got their appointment reminder.
If your business texts people from a regular local phone number, there's a good chance the problem isn't the people you're texting. It's A2P 10DLC registration. Since early 2025, US carriers block business texts from local numbers that aren't registered, and they usually do it without telling you. Your system says "sent." The message never arrives.
This guide explains, in plain English, what A2P 10DLC is, who needs it, what it costs, how long it takes, and how to avoid the mistakes that get registrations rejected.
What is A2P 10DLC?
The name sounds technical, but the idea is simple:
- A2P means application-to-person: a text sent from business software (a CRM, a marketing tool, or a business phone system) rather than typed on a personal phone.
- 10DLC means 10-digit long code: an ordinary local phone number, like (815) 555-0100.
A2P 10DLC is the system US carriers use to verify businesses that text from local numbers. You register two things with The Campaign Registry, the industry database the carriers rely on:
- Your brand: who your business is (legal name, tax ID, website).
- Your campaign: what you text people about, and how they agreed to receive those texts.
Once both are approved, carriers treat your messages as trusted business traffic. Your texting platform usually submits the registration for you, but you supply the information, and that's where most problems start.
Who needs to register?
If you send texts from business software to US phone numbers using a local number, you need it. That includes:
- Trucking companies texting drivers about loads, pickups and paperwork
- Recruiters texting CDL or job applicants
- Cleaning, home service and other local businesses sending reminders, quotes and follow-ups
- Anyone using a CRM, marketing platform or VoIP phone system (RingCentral, Nextiva, Vonage and similar) to send texts
You don't need it for one-to-one texts typed on your own phone. Toll-free numbers and short codes have separate verification processes.
What happens if you don't register
Twilio, one of the largest US messaging providers, began blocking unregistered 10DLC texts in July 2023 and blocked them completely after August 31, 2023. Since early 2025, the major carriers block unregistered business texts across the industry (Telnyx, Salesforce).
The warning signs:
- Drivers or customers say "I never got that"
- Applicants seem to "ghost" right after your first text
- No-shows go up because reminders aren't arriving
- Your system shows messages as sent, but nobody replies
Which registration type do you need?
| Type | Who it's for | Main limits |
|---|---|---|
| Sole Proprietor | Individuals with no tax ID (EIN) | 1 campaign, 1 phone number, about 1,000 texts/day to T-Mobile |
| Low-Volume Standard | Businesses with an EIN sending modest volume | Up to 5 campaigns, up to 2,000 texts/day to T-Mobile |
| Standard | Businesses with an EIN that need more volume | Up to 5 campaigns; daily limit based on your vetting score |
Source: Twilio, A2P 10DLC brand registration.
If your business has an EIN, register as Standard or Low-Volume Standard, not Sole Proprietor. Sole Proprietor is meant for individuals without a tax ID. Almost every trucking company and cleaning company with employees should use Standard. Your legal name and EIN must match your IRS records exactly.
How registration works, step by step
- Business profile. Legal name, EIN, address, website and a contact person.
- Brand registration. Your business is submitted to The Campaign Registry.
- Brand vetting (Standard brands). An outside service scores your business. The score decides how many texts you can send per day.
- Campaign registration. You describe what you'll text about, show how people opt in, provide sample messages, and link your privacy policy and terms. A person reviews it.
- Connect your numbers. Your phone numbers are attached to the approved campaign, and texts start flowing.
New campaigns now need both a privacy policy and a terms and conditions page on your website. If you don't have both, fix that before you apply.
What does it cost?
Less than most owners expect. Fees are set by The Campaign Registry and the carriers. According to Twilio's A2P 10DLC fee schedule:
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Brand registration (Sole Prop or Low-Volume) | $4.50 one-time |
| Brand registration, Standard (includes vetting) | $46 one-time |
| Campaign vetting | $15 per campaign |
| Monthly fee, standard campaign | $10 per month |
| Monthly fee, low-volume mixed campaign | $1.50 per month |
| Monthly fee, Sole Proprietor campaign | $2 per month |
Carriers also add a small surcharge to each text, usually a fraction of a cent (Twilio US SMS pricing). Your texting platform may bundle these into one setup fee.
The registration isn't the expensive part. The expensive part is weeks of texts that never arrive before anyone notices.
How long does it take?
- Brand: often minutes, sometimes up to a day. Manual reviews can take a week or more (Twilio).
- Campaign: usually up to 5 business days.
- After approval: carriers can take a few more days to recognize the change.
Plan on one to two weeks when everything is right the first time. Each rejection adds another review.
The most common reasons for rejection
Most rejections come down to a handful of mistakes, based on Twilio's campaign rejection codes and the industry's messaging rules:
Website problems
- No real website, or a single landing page, an "under construction" page, or a site behind a login
- The website name doesn't match your registered business name
Privacy policy problems
- No privacy policy, or one that says you may share phone numbers or opt-in data with third parties
Consent problems
- Reviewers can't see how people agree to receive texts
- The texting checkbox is missing, pre-checked or required to submit the form
- Marketing texts and service texts are bundled into one consent
Sample message problems
- Samples don't match what you said you'd send
- No business name or opt-out instructions in the samples
- Shortened links (bit.ly and similar)
Business identity problems
- Legal name or EIN doesn't match IRS records
- A Gmail or Yahoo address as the business contact
Consent rules in plain English
The industry's messaging guidelines boil down to this:
- If someone texts you first, you can reply.
- For service messages (reminders, load updates, order status), you need their permission. A form, a text or a verbal yes counts.
- For marketing messages (offers, promotions), you need written permission, like an unchecked box they tick themselves.
Wherever people sign up, say who you are, what you'll text about, how often, that message and data rates may apply, and that they can reply STOP to opt out or HELP for help. When someone replies STOP (or "end," "cancel," "unsubscribe" or "quit"), send one confirmation and then stop texting them. Under federal rules, opt-outs must be honored within 10 business days.
Not legal advice. Rules and fees change. Check the linked sources before you rely on them.
Checklist before you apply
- Legal business name and EIN match your IRS letter exactly
- Business email on your own domain, not Gmail or Yahoo
- A real website that matches your business name
- A privacy policy that says you don't share mobile numbers or texting consent
- A terms page with a texting section (what, how often, rates, STOP/HELP)
- Web forms with a separate, unchecked, optional texting checkbox
- Sample messages that match your use case, include your business name, and say "Reply STOP to opt out"
- No shortened links in your samples
Need a hand?
We'll get your business number registered for you.
Bizura TruckPro handles A2P registration and builds the professional website it depends on.
Fix my textsWhere Bizura fits
Most rejections aren't about texting at all. They come from a missing website, privacy policy or opt-in form. That's why Bizura TruckPro pairs A2P registration with a professional website, so your registration has a real site to point to. Recruiters use the same registered number in TruckPro to follow up with CDL applicants within minutes. Cleaning companies using Bizura CleanPro send reminders, missed-call text backs and review requests from a registered number too. If you're texting from a phone system that isn't connected to your CRM, see all-in-one platform vs. separate tools.