10-Digit Long Code (10DLC) is the US framework for sending application-to-person business text messages from standard 10-digit local phone numbers. Under 10DLC, a business registers its identity (its brand) and each type of messaging it plans to send (its campaigns) through its messaging provider, and US mobile carriers use that registration to decide how much traffic to accept and how closely to filter it. If your cloud phone system, contact center or messaging platform sends texts from local numbers, 10DLC is likely what governs whether those texts get through.
At a glance
- Applies to business texting from US local (10-digit) numbers sent through software platforms, cloud phone systems and contact centers.
- Requires registering the business and each messaging use case; numbers are linked to approved campaigns.
- Unregistered or mismatched traffic is likely to be filtered or blocked by US carriers.
- Registration, vetting and campaign fees apply, and some carriers add per-message surcharges; amounts change over time.
- It’s one of three main US options for A2P messaging, alongside verified toll-free numbers and short codes.
What problem it solves
Local phone numbers were designed for person-to-person texting. As businesses began sending reminders, alerts and marketing from those numbers through software, carriers had no reliable way to tell legitimate business traffic from spam, so they filtered aggressively and good messages were caught along with bad ones.
10DLC gives carriers that missing information. Registered senders are identified, their use cases are declared, and carriers can apply throughput limits and filtering based on how trustworthy the sender looks. For businesses, it creates a sanctioned path to text customers from a local number with more predictable delivery, at the cost of an upfront registration process and ongoing fees.
How it works
Brand registration. Your messaging provider submits your business details, such as legal name, tax ID, address and website, to an industry registry used by US carriers. Some brands go through additional vetting, which can affect throughput.
Campaign registration. For each use case, such as customer care, appointment reminders, account notifications or marketing, you describe what you will send, provide sample messages, explain how recipients opt in and confirm opt-out handling. Campaigns are reviewed and can be approved, rejected or sent back for changes.
Number assignment. Approved campaigns are linked to the phone numbers that will send them. Messages sent from those numbers are expected to match the campaign.
Throughput and filtering. Carriers set message limits based on the registration, vetting results and use case. Traffic that doesn’t match its campaign, generates complaints or uses risky content can still be filtered.
Fees. Expect registration and vetting fees, recurring campaign fees and, with some carriers, surcharges on registered messages. Your provider typically passes these through.
Compliance. 10DLC is a carrier framework, not a law, but it sits alongside laws such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and industry messaging guidelines that govern consent and opt-outs. Confirm your messaging program with counsel.
If you’re adding texting to a phone system, our Unified Communications as a Service page explains what to check with providers.
When it matters for buyers
- Turning on texting in a cloud phone system or contact center. Registration is usually a prerequisite, and approval takes time.
- Messages suddenly stop arriving. Registration status, campaign mismatches and carrier filtering are common causes.
- Moving providers. Registrations and number assignments may need to be transferred or redone.
- Adding a new use case. Marketing texts sent under a customer-care campaign can be filtered; a new campaign may be needed.
Questions to ask vendors
- Do you handle brand and campaign registration for us, and what information do you need?
- What fees will we pay for registration, vetting, campaigns and messages, and are they passed through at cost?
- What throughput will our registration allow, and how can we raise it?
- How do you tell us when messages are filtered, and how quickly can you help fix a rejected campaign?
- If we leave, can our registration and numbers move with us?
- Would toll-free or short code messaging fit any of our use cases better?
How it differs from toll-free messaging
Both are registered US channels for business texting. 10DLC uses local numbers and requires brand and campaign registration through the registry carriers use; verified toll-free messaging uses 8XX numbers and goes through a separate verification process. Local numbers can feel more personal and suit two-way conversations tied to a location; toll-free numbers suit national brands and notification traffic. Limits, fees and approval timelines differ, so many businesses use both for different purposes.