10DLC FAQ

What is 10DLC?

10DLC registration is a regulatory requirement by the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs, or Carriers) for all outbound messaging from local area code numbers to the US & territories.

All A2P (Application to Person) messaging to the US/territories requires registration of some kind.

  • 10DLC registration required is for local phone numbers.

As your cell phone is registered to your person, your business line(s) must registered with your Brand (EIN) and Use Case.

If you are sending messages exclusively to Canadian area codes, you do not have to register.

Looking for registration guidance?

Please see our 10DLC Registration Guide for helpful information on completing the 10DLC registration forms.

What are my alternatives to 10DLC?

Toll-free messaging is an alternative to messaging from a local phone number in the United States. Messaging from a Toll Free number still requires a verification process per number, but there is no registration fee.

No messages can be sent on a Toll Free number prior to registration approval.

If this is something you would like to add, please reach out to our team at help@sakari.io to update your account to a Toll-Free phone number. 

Why is 10DLC registration required?

Carriers want to have visibility into the "who" and "what" of each messaging campaign which allows them in turn to provide a better quality of service for 10DLC messaging.

Consumers benefit from an overall sanctioned and accountable ecosystem that will drive more relevant trusted messaging to their device

What are the fees/costs for 10DLC?

There are several fees that are passed on from the carriers to the business. These fees are passed-through from the carriers and are  subject to change.

Fee Description
Brand Registration $4, one-time fee
Campaign Verification Fee $15 per verification attempt
Campaign Monthly Fee $30 per quarter ($10/mo per campaign, paid quarterly)
Carrier Per Message Fees $0.002-0.005 per message; currently being paid by Sakari.
Additional Secondary Vetting $40, one-time fee (Optional).

How do I register to use 10DLC messaging?

10DLC registration can be completed directly from the senders page within your account.

Please see our 10DLC Registration Guide.

How long does registration take? 

The average review time for 10DLC submissions is 5 - 7 business days.

Any rejected or non-compliant submissions will restart the registration timelines.

Can I just register one time for my business?

For most businesses, a single Brand and Campaign is sufficient.

Carriers require Brand and Campaign registrations align the specific brand that messaging is being communicated about.  

  • Direct Brand - Your company sends messages for your own products and services. For example, you are Shoe Company A and you send messages related to your products, order updates, etc. In this case you need to register just your single parent Brand name.
  • Agency - Your company sends messages on behalf of another organization (typically a marketing agency working for a brand). In this case you need to register separate Brands and Campaign registrations for each of the Brands you work with.

What types of campaigns can be registered?

Please see our article on Use Case selection.

I'm based out of Canada, do I need to register?

If you're messaging from a Canadian number only to Canada, you do not need to register.  If you want to send messages to the United States, even from a Canadian number, registration will be required.

What happens if I don't register my brand?

Registration is not optional.  Messages attempted without registration are blocked entirely. 

What is additional vetting?

Additional vetting is a review of your Registered Brand done by a trusted (by carriers) 3rd party that allows for potentially higher daily messaging limits and maximizes throughput per campaign.

Additional Vetting is optional and is an additional $40 fee.  There is no guarantee that additional throughput will be granted, and the $40 fee is non-refundable. 

Additional vetting is recommended for any Brand sending more than 6000 messages a day.

To request secondary vetting, please email our support team at help@sakari.io

How can Sakari help?

Our team can work with you to help identify the best options for your organization. Reach out to us at help@sakari.io with any questions or to explore the option of getting a Toll-Free number.

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