Deliverability
A2P 10DLC registration for regulated businesses
If you send business texts from a regular 10-digit number in the US, you have to be registered. Here is what A2P 10DLC is, why it exists, and how to get it right without your messages getting filtered.
This is practical operator guidance, not legal advice. Registration requirements and vetting are handled through your messaging provider - confirm current specifics with them and your counsel.
What A2P 10DLC is
A2P means application-to-person messaging - texts sent from software rather than a person typing on a phone. 10DLC is a standard 10-digit long code, the kind of normal local number most businesses already use. A2P 10DLC is the US carrier framework that requires businesses to register both the brand and the messaging campaigns behind their business texting.
It exists to reduce spam and fraud on consumer phones. Since carriers fully enforced it, unregistered A2P traffic on long codes is heavily filtered or blocked - so registration is no longer optional if you want to reach customers.
Brand registration vs campaign registration
- Brand registration identifies your business to The Campaign Registry (TCR) using your legal name, EIN or tax ID, address, and contact details.
- Campaign registration describes how and why you message - your use case, sample messages, and opt-in flow - and is vetted before approval.
Note
Accuracy is everything. Mismatched business details - legal name, EIN, or address that don't match official records - are the most common reason brand registration gets a low trust score or gets rejected.
Trust scores and throughput
After brand registration, you are assigned a trust score that influences how many messages per minute you can send and how carriers treat your traffic. A higher score generally means higher throughput and better deliverability.
- Verified, consistent business identity across official records.
- Established business history and, where offered, additional vetting.
- Low spam and complaint rates once you are live.
- A clearly described, legitimate messaging use case.
What regulated senders need to know
Registration is necessary but not sufficient. It does not override SHAFT or other prohibited-content rules. A registered cannabis brand still cannot reliably send cannabis promotions over SMS, because content rules apply on top of registration.
Important
Be skeptical of deliverability promises. If a vendor tells you registration alone will make restricted content like cannabis SMS deliver, treat it as a red flag. Carrier content rules sit above your registration status.
Getting it right
- Confirm your exact legal business details and EIN before you start.
- Register your brand with TCR through your messaging platform or provider.
- Register each campaign with real sample messages and an accurate opt-in description.
- Document consent and make opt-out (STOP) effortless.
- Monitor deliverability and complaint rates after launch, and adjust.
Where CapraCX fits
CapraCX helps operators get registration, consent, and channel strategy right inside platforms like Alpine IQ, Springbig, and Klaviyo - so the texting you are actually allowed to send is the texting that lands.
Key takeaways
FAQ
Common questions
Do I really need A2P 10DLC registration?
If you send business or automated texts from a standard 10-digit US number, yes. Unregistered traffic is filtered or blocked by carriers, so unregistered campaigns increasingly fail to deliver.
How long does registration take?
Brand registration is often quick, while campaign vetting can take from hours to several days depending on the use case and provider. Regulated use cases may face additional review.
Will registration get my cannabis texts delivered?
No. Registration improves trust and throughput, but it does not override carrier content rules that restrict cannabis and other SHAFT categories. Plan compliant channels for restricted content.
What is a trust score?
It is a rating assigned after brand registration that influences your sending throughput and how carriers treat your messages. Accurate business information and vetting help raise it.
The other half of CapraCX
Regulated CRM support inside your existing stack
CapraCX also helps operators get more from Alpine IQ, Springbig, Klaviyo, and similar tools through recurring support, clearer retention execution, and stronger website-to-CRM handoffs.
Next step
Registration is the floor, not the finish line.
CapraCX helps regulated operators register correctly, keep consent clean, and build a channel mix that actually reaches customers inside the platforms they already use.
SHAFT & SMS compliance
Why regulated SMS gets silently blocked, and what content carriers will and won't carry.
Springbig consulting
Loyalty and messaging execution for cannabis retail inside Springbig.
Dispensary CRM & retention
Compliant retention strategy for dispensary operators inside their existing stack.