A2P 10DLC registration (Messaging Compliance)

Before your business can send text messages from a US local phone number, US carriers need to know who you are and what you'll send. This process is called A2P 10DLC registration. This guide walks you through it in Spacebrain, from business details to an active sending number.

What A2P 10DLC means

• A2P means application-to-person: texts sent by a business system rather than typed on a personal phone.
• 10DLC means a standard 10-digit US local phone number.

Carriers register two things: your business (called a brand) and your campaign (what you send and how people agree to receive it). Once both are approved, you attach your numbers to the campaign. Until then, Spacebrain blocks SMS sending.

Before you begin

Who can do what:

• People with Inbox edit access can fill in and save the application.
• Paying, submitting, activating numbers, and appeals need an admin with messaging management access. Editors see: An administrator with messaging management access must pay and submit registration. Editors can prepare the application.
• Chat & Voice requires a paid plan.

What to have ready:

• Your exact legal business name and EIN or tax ID, as they appear on official records. Sole proprietors don't need an EIN.
• A live business website, a contact email and phone, and a physical street address.
• An active US local number owned by your workspace. Toll-free and international numbers use different registration processes. See Phone Numbers and Power Dialer.
• A clear description of the texts you'll send, and two or more real example messages.
• Proof of how people opt in: a signup page URL, the exact consent wording, and your confirmation text.
• Working privacy policy and terms pages.
• Purchased credits to pay the registration. Trial and plan credits can't pay carrier fees. You can buy credits during registration.

Where to find it

Open Chat & Voice → Messaging Compliance.

At the top you'll see:

• A Phone safety & health card showing registration, service connection, and delivery health for your workspace.
• Before you register, a short summary of fees, timing, and requirements. Read it before you start.
• A status alert. SMS sending is blocked explains what's missing. Carrier registration is ready means carrier requirements are met; your workspace funding and safety checks still apply.

Below that, a four-step strip shows your progress: Business, Campaign & consent, Price & submission, and Numbers. Select a step to jump to it.

Step 1: Your business

In 1. Your business, fill in:

1. Business type: Private company, Public company, Non-profit, Government, or Sole proprietor (no EIN).
2. EIN / Tax ID (not needed for a sole proprietor). If one is already saved, leave it blank to keep it.
3. Legal business name – exactly as registered.
4. Brand name customers see – the name people will recognize in your texts.
5. Contact email, Contact phone, and Website.
6. Street address, City, State / province, Postcode, and Country (United States or Canada). Use a physical address, not a PO box.
7. Industry.

Extra fields appear for some business types:

• Public company: Stock symbol, Stock exchange (for example NASDAQ), and Business verification email.
• Sole proprietor: Legal first name, Legal last name, Representative mobile phone, and a checkbox confirming they agree to receive a verification text.

Select Save business details. Spacebrain checks your entries. You'll see either Application checks passed or Fix these before submitting with a list of problems. Problems also appear under the matching fields.

Step 2: What you send and how people consent

In 2. What you send & consent:

1. Use case – the main type of texts, such as Customer care, Marketing, Account notification, or Mixed. Sole proprietors are set to Sole proprietor. If you choose Mixed or Low volume mixed, tick every type under Message types included.
2. How people opt in – Website form, Text keyword, Paper form, Facebook lead form, QR code, Kiosk, or Verbal.
3. What this campaign sends – describe your texts in plain words.
4. How consent is collected – describe step by step how someone agrees.
5. Opt-in evidence URL – where a reviewer can see your signup form or consent wording.
6. Opt-in confirmation text – the first text someone gets after opting in.
7. STOP reply and HELP reply – what people get when they text STOP or HELP.
8. Privacy policy URL and Terms & conditions URL.
9. Opt-in keywords, Opt-out keywords, and Help keywords – filled in with common defaults. Change them only if you need to.
10. Sample message 1 and Sample message 2 (up to five). Use real examples that include your brand name.
11. Tick Messages contain links (then add an Example link used in messages) or Age-gated content if they apply.
12. Confirm the four statements, including that people explicitly opt in and can reply STOP or HELP.

Select Save campaign & consent. It's available once your business details are saved.

Worked example: a consent description

For a dental clinic sending appointment reminders, a clear How consent is collected might read:

Patients enter their mobile number on our online booking form at example.com/book and tick an unchecked box that says "I agree to receive appointment reminder texts from Bright Smile Dental. Msg frequency varies. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help." The form links to our privacy policy and terms.

The matching Sample message 1 might be: "Bright Smile Dental: Reminder of your appointment on Tue 3 Oct at 2:30pm. Reply C to confirm. Reply STOP to opt out."

Step 3: Review the price and submit

In 3. Review price & submit:

1. Select Review application & get exact quote. Spacebrain saves everything, runs the checks, and asks for a quote only if they pass.
2. Read the quote. It shows the exact number of credits, what it covers, and the monthly renewal after the prepaid period. Quote status shows the state, and a quote in the quoted state shows when it expires.
3. If you don't have enough purchased credits, buy them here. See Buy missing credits during registration.
4. Tick the box to accept the exact charge and the renewal policy. Fees already paid to providers aren't refundable, including for rejected reviews.
5. Select Pay & start registration. You'll see Registration started. Follow the verification and review status.

If your business still needs to be verified, the campaign waits. When the business shows Verified, return here and select Continue registration. If you decide not to go ahead, Cancel unused funding returns funds that haven't been used yet.

Registration usually takes several business days. Approval isn't guaranteed. The page checks for updates automatically; you can also select Refresh status.

Buy missing credits during registration

While a quote is open, admins see Credits available for registration. If you're short, the page shows how many more credits you need.

1. Select the Buy button that shows the number of credits needed. If you started a purchase earlier, it reads Resume credit purchase.
2. In Buy registration credits, complete the payment. A minimum purchase may apply, and unused purchased credits stay in your account.
3. When you see Credits added. Review and accept the registration quote to continue., go back to the quote, tick the acceptance box, and select Pay & start registration. Buying credits does not accept the quote for you.

If you see Payment is processing. Check payment status below; do not pay again., select Check payment status rather than paying twice.

Step 4: Activate your phone numbers

When the campaign shows Approved, open 4. Activate phone numbers:

1. In Choose a workspace number, pick an active US local number. Sole-proprietor campaigns support one number.
2. Select Activate number. You'll see Number activation requested. Sending starts after provider confirmation.
3. Wait for the number's status to show Carrier assignment ready. Until then it shows Activation or provider check pending.
4. Check that the alert at the top says Carrier registration is ready, then send a test text to a phone you own.

If a number can't be used, a red note explains why. For example, This is a toll-free number. It needs toll-free verification. or This number does not support the required two-way SMS product.

To stop a number sending under this campaign, select Release from campaign. Sending from that number is blocked right away.

No numbers yet? You'll see No active phone numbers found. Buy a number from Chat & Voice → Phone Numbers, then come back.

Registration statuses

Fix a rejected campaign

If your campaign is Rejected, the reason appears on the campaign card. Depending on the rejection, admins may see a correction section:

1. Choose a Review type: Correct sample messages, or Appeal after an external correction (for example, after fixing your signup page). For an appeal, explain What changed and why should the campaign be reviewed again?
2. Select Get review quote.
3. Review the new quote and pay with Pay & start registration.

A correction or appeal needs a new paid review, and monthly campaign billing continues during it. Fix your public pages before you appeal.

Change or stop your registration

• Reload saved draft discards unsaved edits in this tab.
• Deactivate campaign permanently stops the campaign. Sending stops right away and future renewal is cancelled once the provider confirms. Fees already paid aren't refunded.
• Start a replacement business application or Start a replacement campaign creates a new draft and keeps your history. These are only available when no numbers are attached, so release numbers first. A replacement needs a new quote.

Renewal credits are collected shortly before each campaign anniversary. If renewal can't be funded, the campaign is deactivated.

If something goes wrong

FAQ

Does submitting mean I'm approved?

No. In review means carriers are still checking. You can send only after your campaign is Approved, your number is active, and the alert says Carrier registration is ready.

Does approval mean everyone on my list has agreed to texts?

No. Registration approves your program. You still need each person's consent, and you must honor STOP requests everywhere you send texts, including agents, campaigns, and automations.

Is buying a number the same as registering?

No. Buying or porting a number is separate, and number fees and message fees are charged separately from registration.

Can I register a toll-free number here?

No. Toll-free and international numbers use different processes.

Next step

Once a number is active, set up how it handles calls and texts: Phone Numbers and Power Dialer.