What is A2P 10DLC? Brand & Campaign Registration

A2P 10DLC (Application-to-Person 10-digit long code) is the US carrier registration required for businesses to send text messages to customers using standard 10-digit local numbers. Registration ties your messaging activity to a verified identity.

Why is this required? U.S. cellular carriers (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile) enforce this to verify sender legitimacy, consent integrity, and message transparency, ensuring contacts receive only the messages they actually want.

Core Components

A2P 10DLC registration is built around two required components:

1. Brand Registration: Identifies the business sending messages to carrier networks. (Who you are).
2. Campaign Registration: Describes the type of messages being sent, such as notifications or marketing, and proves how you collect opt-in consent. (What you send).

Sole Proprietor Brand

Use this registration type only when the applicant does not have an EIN or another business Tax ID, operates as an individual sole proprietor, has one employee, and can complete mobile OTP and identity verification.

Eligibility Requirements

No EIN or other business Tax ID available.
Operates under the owner's legal identity.
Requires a valid US/CA mobile number for OTP (No VoIP/Google Voice).

Important Limit: A Sole Proprietor campaign supports exactly one linked local number. Attempting to link multiple numbers will cause messaging errors.

Standard Brand

Standard Brand registration is designed for businesses registered with an EIN or other accepted business registration number. It allows greater messaging throughput and supports multiple phone numbers.

Accepted Business Registration Numbers

Country	Required ID	Notes
United States	EIN	Must match CP-575 or 147C exactly. Do not use DUNS.
Canada	BN-9	First 9 numeric digits only.
United Kingdom	Company Number	Registered with Companies House.
Australia	ABN	Australian Business Number.

Trust Center Walkthrough

When starting registration in HighLevel, confirm the business has a Tax ID to route them to the Standard Brand path.

Quick Setup (Chat Widget Method)

The Quick Setup relies entirely on the HighLevel chat widget to satisfy carrier opt-in requirements. It is the most streamlined way to get approved.

✅ Pros

Fastest path to approval (~48 hours).
Pre-filled fields — no manual configuration needed.
Lower risk of compliance mistakes.

❌ Cons

Limited customization.
Cannot have other custom opt-in forms collecting phone numbers on the website without triggering manual review.

Manual Setup Method

The Manual Setup requires you to submit specific URLs, opt-in flow descriptions, and sample messages. It is required if you capture leads via web forms, Facebook Lead Ads, or physical paper forms.

✅ Pros

Supports custom opt-in methods (web forms, funnels).
Full control over all compliance fields.
Required for advanced marketing setups.

❌ Cons

Higher chance of rejection due to data entry mistakes.
Takes significantly longer for carrier approval.
Requires strict alignment between campaign description, use case, and opt-in text.

Pro Tip: Your campaign description must directly align with your consent checkbox language. If you mention "promotional offers" in your campaign use case, your website form checkbox must explicitly say "promotional offers."

Toll-Free Verification

Toll-Free messaging (numbers starting in 800, 888, 833, etc.) remains an attractive alternative to A2P 10DLC. It does not rely on Brands and Campaigns, but it does require a separate Verification process to lift messaging limits.

Compliance Checklist

Business Use Case: A clear description of why you are messaging customers.
Opt-In Image/URL: A screenshot or direct link to where the customer enters their phone number and checks the consent box.
Message Content: Sample messages that match the stated use case.

Privacy Policy Guidelines

For A2P approval, your website must have a publicly accessible Privacy Policy linked in the footer. Carriers review this specifically for data sharing clauses.

Required A2P Clause (Sample)

"No mobile information will be shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. Information sharing to subcontractors in support services, such as customer service, is permitted. All other use case categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties."

Strict Prohibition: The policy should never mention affiliation, selling, or buying of leads.

Terms of Service Guidelines

Your Terms & Conditions (TnC) must be easily accessible (usually in the footer) and must explain the SMS program rules to the consumer.

Required SMS Terms (Sample)

"By opting in to receive SMS text messages from [Your Business Name], you agree to the following:

1. You will receive [Marketing/Transactional] messages regarding [Your Service].
2. You can cancel the SMS service at any time by texting 'STOP'. Upon sending 'STOP', we will confirm your unsubscribe status via SMS.
3. If you experience issues, reply with 'HELP' for assistance.
4. Message frequency varies.
5. Message and data rates may apply."

Common A2P Error Codes

When sending messages fails, carrier error codes help identify the compliance issue.

Error Code	Description	Resolution
30034	Message from an unregistered number (A2P 10DLC)	Ensure the sending number is successfully linked to an approved A2P Campaign in the Trust Center. (Sole Props are limited to 1 number).
30032	Toll-Free number has not been verified	Submit the Toll-Free verification form. Unverified numbers are heavily restricted or blocked entirely by carriers.
30007	Message filtered by carrier	The carrier flagged the message as spam, or the content violated SHAFT policies (Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco).
30004	Destination number blocked	The recipient has previously replied "STOP" and must reply "START" to receive messages again.