Texting from your business line? You're probably breaking the rules.
10DLC is the carrier-sanctioned standard for business texting. If you're sending SMS from a Webex, Teams, Zoom, RingCentral, or any VoIP number, this applies to you. No SMB exemption. No grace period.
What is 10DLC, in plain English
10DLC stands for 10 Digit Long Code. It's the registration system US carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) use to fight A2P spam and hold brands accountable. You register your business (your "Brand") and each type of message you send (each "Campaign") with The Campaign Registry before you can send to US mobile numbers reliably. Unregistered messages get filtered, blocked, or charged at penalty rates.
Three regulatory layers, not one.
Kari's Law
Multi-line phone systems installed after Feb 2020 must allow direct 911 dialing without an access code (no "dial 9 first").
RAY BAUM's Act
911 calls must transmit a Dispatchable Location per device, including building, floor, and room granularity.
Both layer on top of 10DLC
Your phone system has three regulatory layers, not one. We handle all of them.
10DLC, answered straight.
Does 10DLC apply to my small business?
Yes if you send any business SMS from a non-mobile number to US recipients. There are no SMB exemptions. Religious, nonprofit, and political senders register too, under different campaign types.
What happens if I don't register?
Carriers filter or block unregistered traffic, charge surcharges, and may deactivate your number. Your customer messages stop arriving.
How long does registration take?
Brand vetting is typically 1 to 5 business days. Campaign approval is 1 to 7 business days. We've seen rejections happen, and we fix them on the second pass.
What does 10DLC registration cost?
Brand registration is $4 one-time. Each campaign has a $10 to $15 monthly fee. Carrier per-message fees vary. Our setup service is a flat fee we'll quote based on number of campaigns.
Can I use the same number for marketing and 2FA?
Technically yes, but each use case needs its own campaign registration. Otherwise carrier lookup fails.
What's a brand vetting score?
A 1-to-100 carrier rating of your business based on tax ID, age, public records. Higher score = higher throughput allowance.
Do I need a privacy policy?
Yes. It must mention SMS specifically and state you don't sell mobile opt-in data. Generic "we respect your privacy" copy is rejected.
What if my customer texts me first?
If you have documented opt-in from a customer (web form, paper form, verbal at POS), you can respond. Without it, you can't initiate.
Can VG handle the whole 10DLC submission for me?
Yes. We do brand registration, campaign submission, opt-in language drafting, privacy policy review, and Webex / Cisco platform configuration. You sign off, we file.
What if my registration gets rejected?
We resubmit with corrected information at no extra charge. Most rejections are fixable in one cycle.
Get the full checklist before you submit anything
The 10DLC Compliance Checklist walks you through brand registration, campaign setup, opt-in collateral, platform configuration, and ongoing compliance. Six steps, no jargon.
Get the checklist
PDF. Instant download.
Or skip the DIY and let us handle it
Virtual Guardians does end-to-end 10DLC registration for SMBs on Webex, Teams, Zoom, or any cloud phone platform. Flat-fee, fixed timeline. We've handled hundreds of submissions and we know what the carriers reject.