What is 10DLC?

10DLC stands for 10-digit long code. It's the U.S. carrier-approved path for sending application-to-person (A2P) text messages from a standard 10-digit phone number — the same kind of number your business uses to make voice calls. It's the messaging route that replaced the old free-for-all where any number could text anyone.

If you want to send SMS from a local or toll-free business number in the U.S. today, 10DLC is your path. It requires up-front registration of your business (your "brand") and each messaging use case (your "campaign") with a central registry called The Campaign Registry (TCR). Once registered, your messages flow. Unregistered, your messages get filtered out by mobile carriers.

Why 10DLC exists

For years, U.S. mobile carriers had a problem: SMS spam originating from standard 10-digit numbers was overwhelming their networks, and consumers were being abused by scams, fraud, and fake political messaging. Carriers decided they would no longer allow unvetted application-to-person traffic over 10-digit numbers.

Rather than ban all A2P traffic, the carriers and industry groups created 10DLC — a registration framework where legitimate businesses identify themselves and their use case, and in return receive higher throughput, better deliverability, and sanctioned access to carrier networks.

How 10DLC registration works

• Register your brand — your legal business name, EIN, address, website, and industry. The Campaign Registry vets this against public business records.

• Register your campaign — the specific use case (appointment reminders, two-factor authentication, sales outreach, customer care). Each campaign gets its own registration.

• Accept the carrier fees — small per-message and per-month fees paid to carriers on top of your messaging service provider's costs

• Start messaging — once registered and approved, your throughput allowances are set by the carriers based on your trust score

Brand trust scores

Your brand gets a trust score from the registry based on how well you verify against public records, your industry, and your history. Higher trust = higher throughput allowances. Lower trust = your messages may be severely rate-limited or blocked entirely.

10DLC vs. short codes vs. toll-free messaging

• 10DLC — standard 10-digit local number, requires registration, moderate throughput, lower cost per message, best for local business messaging

• Short codes — 5- or 6-digit numbers, very high throughput, much higher cost (often $1,000+/month), longer approval timelines, best for high-volume national campaigns

• Toll-free messaging — send SMS from toll-free numbers, registration required but different process (toll-free verification), good for nationwide businesses that already have a toll-free voice number

What happens if you don't register

• Your messages will be filtered by mobile carriers, resulting in extremely low delivery rates

• You may be charged unregistered-traffic surcharges by carriers

• Your number may be flagged as spam, affecting both messaging and voice reputation

• You may face fines under the TCPA if consumers complain and you can't prove consent

Common campaign types

• Appointment reminders

• Delivery and order updates

• Customer support (two-way conversations)

• Two-factor authentication (higher throughput by default)

• Marketing messages (highest scrutiny, strongest consent requirements)

• Account notifications

Different campaign types have different consent and content rules — consult our Text messaging compliance collection for the details.

Related concepts

• A2P messaging — the broader category 10DLC enables

• The TCPA — the U.S. consent law that governs when you can send messages

• Text messaging compliance help collection

See it in action

365agents handles 10DLC registration for every customer who sends text messages through our platform. Your Receptionist Agent can send appointment reminders, confirmations, and follow-up messages from your registered 10DLC number without you needing to become a 10DLC expert.