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A2P 10DLC registration for a small business.

A2P 10DLC registration is how a business gets permission to send texts from an ordinary 10-digit local number in the United States: you register who you are (the brand) and what you send (the campaign) through your texting provider. Until both are approved and your number is linked to the campaign, your business texts from that number are not cleared to send on this channel.

Marcus Barber, Digital Solomon ยท Updated

What A2P 10DLC is

A2P 10DLC is the system that lets a business send texts from a standard 10-digit local number, after the business and its messaging have been verified. A2P means application to person: texts sent by a business system rather than typed by one person to another. 10DLC means ten-digit long code, an ordinary local phone number.

The Campaign Registry, which runs the registry behind it, describes 10DLC as a channel in which brands and their messaging providers are verified before they are allowed to send messages[1]. In that system, your business is the "brand"[1].

You do not register with the registry yourself. Direct registration is not available for brands; you work with a registered messaging provider who handles it on your behalf[1]. Often that provider is the phone and texting service inside your CRM.

Why unregistered business texting runs into trouble

Unregistered business texting runs into trouble because, on this channel, brands and their messaging providers are verified before they are allowed to send messages[1]. Registration ties a sender to a verified business and a declared purpose, which is what lets carriers separate wanted messages from spam.

The messaging use case you declare is part of that. One provider's registration guide puts it plainly: carriers require accurate use-case classification to filter spam, enforce compliance, and maintain recipient trust[2].

For a service business, the practical cost of skipping this is quiet: appointment reminders and missed call texts that fail, often noticed only when someone reads the message log or a customer says they never got one. That is why registration belongs before any texting feature is switched on, including missed call text back.

What to have ready before you register

Have your legal business details, a live website and a written description of how people agree to receive your texts ready before you start. Registration goes faster when what you submit matches what a reviewer finds on your site.

  • Your business identity. Legal name, address and tax ID, entered consistently everywhere; one provider's guide asks that your website match the information in your brand registration[2]. In one provider's system, a business without a tax ID can use only single-number registration[2].
  • A live website. The same guide asks for an approved brand registration and a business website accessible to carriers for verification before a campaign can be registered[2], and says the site should display your business name and contact details[2].
  • Your use case. Decide whether your texts are informational (reminders, replies), promotional, or both, and describe them honestly.
  • Sample messages. Write two or three real examples of what you will send, each with your business name and a STOP line.
  • Your opt-in method. Describe exactly where and how a customer agrees to texts: a checkbox on a form, a reply to a keyword, or a signup at your counter.

How the registration steps run

Registration runs in two approvals, brand first and campaign second, both submitted through your provider. In GoHighLevel, campaign registration is required after brand registration approval to send texts from applicable standard local numbers[2].

  1. Submit the brand: your business identity, as it appears on your official records.
  2. Wait for brand approval.
  3. Submit the campaign: use case, sample messages, opt-in description and website.
  4. Wait for carrier review of the campaign, and fix anything a rejection names.
  5. Link the approved campaign to the numbers you text from.

There are fees, set outside your provider. The help page for GoHighLevel says its registration fees are passed through from the registry and carriers with no markup[3], and on its fees page on November 1, 2026 a low volume standard brand was listed at $22.50 one-time for brand, campaign and fast track, with up to 6,000 segments a day[3]. The same page listed a recurring monthly campaign fee of $10.00 a month for standard campaign use cases[3], charged as long as the campaign is active. Check the current page before you budget; fees change.

Opt-in and STOP basics

Registration does not replace consent: you still need a clear opt-in before you text and a working way to stop. The wireless industry's guidance covers both.

  • Say what they are signing up for. The call to action should tell people the program, the number the texts come from, who is sending, any fees, and how to opt out[4].
  • Keep a record. Industry guidance says senders should document opt-in consent, including a timestamp of consent acquisition[4], the method used and the phone number.
  • Confirm recurring messages. For recurring texts, send a confirmation that says they are enrolled and how to opt out[4].
  • Honor STOP in plain words. Under the FCC's rule, replies such as "stop," "quit," "end," "revoke," "opt out," "cancel," or "unsubscribe" are a reasonable way to revoke consent[5].

Reminders have their own consent questions; see automatic appointment reminders.

Where this guide stops

This guide stops at the general shape of registration and consent; it is not legal advice. Rules vary by state, by industry and by the kind of message you send, and they change.

Get your opt-in wording and your sample messages reviewed before you register, especially if you send promotions. Your own counsel has the final word.

Texting is part of our Conversation pillar, where follow-up texts go only to people who gave written consent and stop when someone asks.

Common questions

Do I need A2P 10DLC registration to text customers from a local number?

In the United States, business texting sent from a standard local number through a business system goes through brand and campaign registration with your texting provider. Ask your provider which of your numbers need it.

Can I register without a tax ID?

Some providers offer a sole proprietor or single-number option for businesses without a tax ID, with lower sending limits. Check what your provider offers.

Why was my campaign rejected?

Read every reason your provider lists and fix each one before resubmitting. The items reviewers check include a website that matches your registration, a use case that matches your sample messages, samples that name your business and include opt-out language, and an opt-in description that shows where people agree.

Does registration mean I can text anyone?

No. Registration verifies who you are and what you send. You still need each person's consent and a working way for them to stop.

Sources

  1. The Campaign Registry, The Campaign Registry. https://www.campaignregistry.com/, accessed November 1, 2026.
  2. HighLevel Support Portal, A2P Campaign Registration: Step by Step Guide and FAQs. https://help.gohighlevel.com/support/solutions/articles/155000004539-campaign-registration-step-by-step-guide-and-faqs, accessed November 1, 2026.
  3. HighLevel Support Portal, A2P 10DLC Messaging Fees: Registration, Monthly, and Carrier Costs. https://help.gohighlevel.com/support/solutions/articles/155000005200, accessed November 1, 2026.
  4. CTIA, Messaging Principles and Best Practices (May 2023). https://api.ctia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/230523-CTIA-Messaging-Principles-and-Best-Practices-FINAL.pdf, accessed November 1, 2026.
  5. Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (FCC rule), 47 CFR 64.1200, Delivery restrictions. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-47/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-64/subpart-L/section-64.1200, accessed November 1, 2026.

Researched and drafted with AI from the sources listed. Reviewed and approved by Marcus Barber before publishing.

Digital Solomon runs GoHighLevel, Pabbly Connect and Ranked.ai in its own work. They are the only tools these guides name. This page has no affiliate links.

Digital Solomon also builds client systems on GoHighLevel.

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