TCR SMS Compliance: What You Need to Know and Key Dates

An important new SMS law quietly went into effect on March 31st, 2023, for all 10DLC (standard 10-digit long code) business numbers. Regulated by The Campaign Registry, this initiative requires all businesses to register their brands, share associated phone numbers, and summarize how outbound SMS messages are sent to customers and co-workers. 

For the vast majority of businesses, adhering to the new requirements is straightforward. You are required by law to register your brand through your mobile network operator (MNO) or communication service provider (CSP) if you send any business SMS messages, even if they are one-to-one texts that do not pertain to marketing. While the exact steps will vary by provider, registering your brand includes providing information such as: 

• Your Federal business ID # 
• Your business category 
• Your stock symbol and logo 
• Your opt-in process 
• A summary of how you use SMS 

Once your brand is approved for SMS by your service provider, you must register any standard SMS campaign types, including both one on one messages and automated campaigns. That means providing sample messages of common texts sent and your policies for users to opt-in and out. A list of numbers from which SMS messages are sent is also required to finalize registration. 

For more information on the requirements of TCR SMS registration, visit the Campaign Registry's Resources page for detailed guides and video tutorials. Your SMS service provider should also be able to assist you with compliance before the March 31st deadline and may have a dedicated portal available for submitting any required supporting documents. 

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