A2P 10DLC for Contractors: Texting Customers Legally

If you text customers from software instead of your own phone, US carriers expect that traffic to be registered. Here is what A2P 10DLC is, which registration fits a small contracting business and what the opt-in rules ask of you.

A2P 10DLC stands for application-to-person messaging over a 10-digit long code: a normal-looking local phone number used by software to send texts. Appointment reminders, on-my-way texts, review requests and missed-call text-backs sent by an app all count. US carriers created the registration system to cut spam, and unregistered traffic gets filtered or charged extra. This guide explains it in contractor terms, using Twilio's documentation, one of the largest messaging providers.

Key takeaways

Texts sent by software from a local number are A2P traffic, and carriers expect it to be registered.
Registration has two parts: a Brand (who you are) and a Campaign (what you send and how people opt in).
No EIN? A Sole Proprietor Brand fits, with one campaign and lower daily limits. With an EIN, register a Standard or Low-Volume Standard Brand.
Every campaign needs explicit opt-in from the people you text, and you cannot ask for consent by text first.
Reviews take time: Twilio says manual brand reviews take seven business days or more, and campaign reviews 10 to 15 days.

Why it matters to a contractor

Twilio says registering for A2P 10DLC means less message filtering and higher throughput. Twilio says senders who do not register pay additional carrier fees for unregistered traffic. In plain words: if your reminders and text-backs are not registered, more of them may never arrive, and you may pay more for the ones that do.

Texting from your own cell phone, by hand, one customer at a time, is person-to-person messaging and not what this registration covers. It applies when an app or service sends the texts for you.

The two parts: Brand and Campaign

Registration has two parts: a Brand (who is sending) and a Campaign (what you send and how people opt in and out). The Brand is your business: legal name, tax ID if you have one, address and contact. The Campaign describes your messages: what kind they are, sample texts, and how customers agree to receive them and how they stop.

Your Trust Score from The Campaign Registry sets your throughput and daily limits, so the business details must match your tax records.

Sole Proprietor or Standard?

	Sole Proprietor Brand	Low-Volume Standard Brand	Standard Brand
Who it is for	US or Canadian senders without a business tax ID	Businesses with an EIN and low volume	Businesses with an EIN
Campaigns	One	Up to five, unless there is a clear reason for more	Up to five, unless there is a clear reason for more
Daily limit to T-Mobile	About 1,000 segments (about 3,000 across US carriers)	Up to 2,000 segments	From 2,000 up, set by Trust Score

Sole Proprietor registration is only for senders in the US and Canada without a business tax ID. If you have an EIN, you register a Standard or Low-Volume Standard Brand. A Sole Proprietor Brand is confirmed by a one-time code sent to your mobile, which you must answer within 24 hours. The same mobile number can be used for no more than three Sole Proprietor registrations.

Each tax ID can register up to five Standard or Low-Volume Standard Brands. The low-volume campaign type is for fewer than 2,000 message segments a day on T-Mobile, with a lower monthly fee.

The opt-in rules

Every campaign needs an explicit opt-in from the people you text, and that consent cannot be asked for by a text they have not agreed to. For a contractor, explicit opt-in usually means a checkbox on your booking or estimate form that says you will text about the appointment, or a customer texting you first to ask for help. Keep a record of how each customer agreed.

Say who you are in your texts.
Honor STOP right away, every time.
Send only the kind of messages the customer agreed to. Appointment texts are not permission for marketing blasts.
Keep sample messages in your campaign close to what you really send.

Fees and timelines

US A2P 10DLC senders pay carrier registration fees, which providers like Twilio pass through. Carriers set those fees and they change, so ask your provider for the current amounts. Twilio says manual brand reviews take seven business days or more. Twilio says campaign reviews are currently taking 10 to 15 days. Plan for a few weeks from sign-up to fully registered texting, especially if you are switching providers before your busy season.

If you use texting software

Many contractors never fill in a registration form themselves, because their software provider registers for them; Twilio calls these providers ISVs. Ask yours: Are my texts registered? Under which brand? What happens to my number if I leave? What do I need to provide? Who pays the carrier fees?

Koira's texts go out from a Koira number on the Grow plan, and its campaigns only go to customers who opted in, with STOP always working (campaigns, text and email). Read our SMS terms for how Koira handles consent.

Questions contractors ask

Do I need A2P 10DLC to text my customers?

If texts are sent by software from a local number, carriers expect them to be registered. Texting by hand from your own phone is person-to-person messaging.

Can I register without an EIN?

Yes, as a Sole Proprietor Brand if you are in the US or Canada and have no business tax ID. You get one campaign and lower daily limits.

How long does 10DLC registration take?

Twilio says manual brand reviews take seven business days or more and campaign reviews are currently taking 10 to 15 days.

What happens if I do not register?

Twilio says unregistered senders pay additional carrier fees, and registration reduces filtering, so unregistered texts are more likely to be blocked.

What counts as opt-in for a contractor?

A clear agreement to receive texts, such as a checkbox on your booking form or the customer texting you first. Consent cannot be asked for by a text the customer has not agreed to.