A2P 10DLC in Plain English: Why Your Texts Are Not Delivering
You set up text follow-up, the workflow runs, but customers say they never got the message. If you text US numbers from a normal 10-digit business number, the reason is often A2P 10DLC registration.
What A2P 10DLC means
- A2P means application-to-person: messages sent by software, such as your CRM, rather than typed one by one on a phone.
- 10DLC means a standard 10-digit long code: an ordinary US phone number.
US mobile carriers ask businesses that send A2P texts from these numbers to register who they are and what they send. Registration goes through your texting provider, such as the phone system inside GoHighLevel or Twilio.
Why it matters
Carriers filter messages from unregistered business numbers. Unregistered texts can be delayed, blocked or charged at higher rates, and you may never see an error. Registration tells the carriers you are a real business sending messages people asked for.
What you register
- Your brand: your legal business name, address, website and tax details, exactly as they appear in official records.
- Your campaign: what kind of messages you send (for example, appointment reminders or customer care), with sample messages.
- How people opt in: where and how customers agree to receive texts, such as a checkbox on your form.
- How people opt out: every campaign must handle STOP and similar replies.
Common reasons for rejection
- The business name or address does not match official records
- No clear opt-in on the website form
- Sample messages that do not match the campaign description
- No privacy policy on the website, or one that does not mention text messages
- A website that is unfinished or does not show what the business does
A simple checklist before you apply
- Legal business details ready and matching your records
- Website live, with a privacy policy that covers text messages
- Opt-in checkbox and wording on every form that collects phone numbers
- Two or three sample messages that include your business name
- Opt-out wording such as "Reply STOP to unsubscribe"
How long it takes
Approval can take from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the provider and the review. Plan it before you launch any text follow-up.
Want it handled for you?
We prepare the registration details, add opt-in wording to your forms and set up opt-out handling as part of every texting project. See Missed-call text back or book a free call. This is general guidance, not legal advice.
Tell us what is slowing your team down
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