A2P 10DLC — registering so your texts actually deliver
Connecting a carrier makes texting technically possible. A2P registration makes it actually deliver. Until your brand and campaign are approved, carriers filter your messages silently — they don't bounce, they just never arrive.
Who this is for
Whoever's legal entity is sending the messages. In a captive agency that's the agency, once, for everybody. Independent agents each register under their own EIN.
Before you begin
- Your EXACT legal company name, EIN and entity type as they appear on IRS records. Not your trading name, not an abbreviation.
- A live website with a visible privacy policy and terms. Carriers check these.
- Sample messages that look like what you'll actually send.
- A description of how people opt in to hearing from you.
Telecom setup and compliance approval are different things
This is the distinction that costs people the most time. Having a carrier connected and a number bought means you CAN send. It does not mean anything will be delivered. Carriers in the US filter unregistered application-to-person traffic, and filtering is silent — from your side the message looks sent.
So 'my texts aren't working' after a fresh setup is almost always A2P, not credentials.
The three steps
Brand registration identifies your business — this is where the EIN and legal name must match IRS records exactly. Campaign registration describes what you'll send and how people consented to it. Then you assign your numbers to the approved campaign.
Brand review typically takes 1–3 business days. Campaign approval usually lands in 24–48 hours after that. You cannot speed either up, which is why you start on day one.
Consent, STOP and HELP
You must be able to describe how people opted in — and it has to be true. Common legitimate answers are a checkbox on your web form, or the person texting you first.
STOP must stop messages, and HELP must return a reply identifying who you are. These are handled for you, but they're also why you must never text someone who hasn't consented: an opt-out complaint is far more damaging to your number's reputation than one lost lead is worth.
What the statuses mean
Submitted / Pending means it's with the reviewers and there is nothing for you to do — sit tight.
Verified or Approved means you're clear.
Unverified means your identity details didn't match. Your EIN, legal company name and entity type must match your IRS records exactly; you can appeal with your SS-4 form or resubmit with corrections.
Rejected means something specific was wrong. Read the reason given rather than resubmitting the same thing.
A note on what we can and can't see
For Twilio and Telnyx we read your registration status live from your own account, so what you see here is the truth from the carrier.
For SignalHouse there's no per-account status we can read, so the status here reflects what you've told us plus any webhooks we receive. We'll say when we can't confirm something rather than showing you a green light we haven't earned.
How this differs by setup
Solo agent You run everything yourself.
Captive agency The agency owns the numbers, the A2P brand and the bill.
Independent agent You're in an agency but buy your own number and register your own EIN.
How to check it worked
- Check your registration status on the A2P page — for Twilio and Telnyx this reads live from your carrier account.
- Send a real text to a phone on a major carrier (not a test tool) and confirm it arrives.
- Text STOP from that phone and confirm you stop receiving messages, then confirm the opt-out is reflected in the CRM.
Common mistakes
- Using a trading name instead of the exact legal name on the EIN.
- Submitting with no privacy policy on the website.
- Assuming a connected carrier means you can text. It doesn't.
- Reading 'Pending' as a problem and resubmitting, which puts you back in the queue.
- Sending content that doesn't match the registered campaign.
Troubleshooting
| Texts show as sent but never arrive | Carrier filtering of unregistered or unapproved traffic. It's silent by design. Check your brand and campaign are both approved and your numbers are assigned to the approved campaign. |
|---|---|
| Brand status is Unverified | EIN, legal name or entity type doesn't match IRS records. Correct the details to match exactly and resubmit, or appeal with your SS-4 form. |
| Stuck in Pending for days | Normal — brand review runs 1–3 business days, campaigns 24–48 hours after. Wait. Resubmitting restarts the queue and makes it slower. |
Related
Where this lives in the app
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