GuideTexting basicsReviewed October 5, 2026
10DLC registration, explained: the two forms we file before your number can text.
Every business that texts from a normal phone number registers twice: once for the business, once for what it sends. Here is what goes on each form, filled in for a made-up dental practice, and what the carriers check.
Fig. 1What a registration ties together
- BrandRiverbend Family Dental, LLC
- CampaignAppointment reminders and replies
- Number(555) 010-0142
- ResultTexts the carriers can trace to a checked business.
REFAt a glance
The short version, in five lines.
- What it is
- Two records: your business, and what you text
- Applies to
- Any business texting customers from a 10-digit number
- Who checks it
- The Campaign Registry and the mobile carriers
- With SPARK
- $150 one time, carrier filing fees included
- If it is sent back
- We fix what was flagged and resubmit, at no extra charge
TL;DRThe short answer
If you read one paragraph, read this.
A 10DLC registration is two records in The Campaign Registry. The brand record says who your business is, checked against your federal tax ID. The campaign record says what you will text, how people agree to it and how they stop. The carriers review both before your number can text, and texts from unregistered numbers are blocked or filtered. SPARK files both for you for $150 one time.
§The process
Five steps. The carriers set the pace of two of them.
Registration runs in order. Your business is checked first, then what you plan to send. Nothing can text until both are approved.
- StopYour detailsLegal name, EIN, address, website and support contact, sent once
- StopBrand recordWe file it. The registry checks the name against the EIN.
- StopCampaign recordWe file what you send, how people opt in and how they stop.
- StopCarrier reviewThe carriers read the campaign and approve it or send it back.
- StopNumber linkedYour number is tied to the campaign and texting is turned on.
Sent back?We fix what was flagged and resubmit. The $150 covers it.
Approval times are set by the carriers and vary by business.
§Form one: the brand
The brand record says who is texting.
This is the business itself. The details are checked against public records, so they have to match your IRS paperwork exactly, not your sign or your logo.
Trade names. If you trade under a different name, it has to tie clearly to the legal name.
No website? A business Facebook or Instagram page is usually accepted in its place.
Sole proprietors. We register businesses with a federal tax ID. We verify every business we file, following the FCC’s know-your-customer guidance.
| Field | Sample entry | Checked against |
|---|---|---|
| Legal name | Riverbend Family Dental, LLC | The IRS EIN letter (CP-575) |
| EIN | 12-3456789 | IRS records |
| Address and website | 1200 River Rd, Springfield · riverbenddental.example | Business listings and the website |
| Support contact | (555) 010-0100 · office@riverbenddental.example | Must belong to the business, not a personal Gmail |
Sample. Fictional practice, numbers and addresses.
§Form two: the campaign
The campaign record says what you will send, and how people agreed to it.
One campaign per kind of texting. Appointment reminders and replies to customers can be one campaign. Promotions need their own, with consent to marketing specifically.
Opt-in wording. Beside the checkbox: your business name, how often you text, “Msg & data rates may apply”, “Reply STOP to opt out”, “Reply HELP for help”, and links to your terms and privacy policy. For marketing texts, add “Consent is not a condition of purchase.”
Privacy policy. It must say mobile numbers and opt-in information are not shared or sold to third parties for marketing.
Say exactly what you send. A campaign described narrowly is easier to approve than one marked for everything.
| Field | Sample entry | What the carriers look for |
|---|---|---|
| Use case | Customer care: appointment reminders and replies to patient questions | A use case that matches the sample messages |
| Description | Riverbend Family Dental texts patients to confirm and remind them of appointments, and answers questions patients text in. | Who sends, to whom, and why |
| How people opt in | A checkbox on the new-patient form, unchecked by default, with the full disclosure beside it | A real opt-in, shown by a link or a screenshot |
| Sample message | Riverbend Family Dental: Reminder, your cleaning is Tue 9/14 at 10:30am. Reply C to confirm. Reply STOP to opt out. | Names the business and matches the use case |
Sample. Fictional practice, numbers and addresses.
§The replies
Three automatic replies are part of the filing.
The carriers also review the messages people get when they join, ask for help or stop. We write them with you.
| Reply | Sent when | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Opt-in confirmation | Someone joins | Riverbend Family Dental: You will get appointment texts, about 2 a month. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to opt out. |
| HELP | Someone texts HELP | Riverbend Family Dental: For help call (555) 010-0100 or email office@riverbenddental.example. Reply STOP to opt out. |
| STOP | Someone texts STOP | Riverbend Family Dental: You are unsubscribed and will get no more texts from us. |
Sample. Fictional practice, numbers and addresses.
§What SPARK does
You send the details once. We file the rest.
We collect your details, check every field against what the carriers look for, write the campaign description, sample messages and replies with you, and file both records. Once they are approved we link your numbers and turn texting on in 3CX, and in NexText if you send to lists.
If the carriers send anything back, we fix it and resubmit. The $150 covers that, along with the carriers’ one-time filing fees. Their monthly campaign fee is billed separately and listed on your quote.
§Checklist
Eight things to have ready.
Missing one? Send the rest anyway. We can usually help you fix it before we file.
§Check it yourself
Read your opt-in the way a carrier will.
Before you send us anything, look at the place where customers agree to get texts from you.
ProcedureRead your opt-in the way a carrier will.
- FindThe form, sign-up sheet or keyword where people opt in
- ReadFor your business name, how often you text, the rates notice, STOP and HELP
- CheckThat the box starts unchecked and the privacy policy link works
- SendA link or a photo of it to us, with your details
§Questions
What people ask before they call.
What happens if we text without registering?
US carriers block or filter business texts from numbers that are not registered. Separately, texting people who did not agree to it can break the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which allows damages of $500 to $1,500 per message.
How long does approval take?
The carriers set the pace, and it varies by business, so we do not print a timeline. We tell you where your registration stands.
Do we need a separate campaign for marketing?
Yes, if you send promotions. Marketing needs its own campaign, and customers who agreed to marketing texts specifically.
Does this cover toll-free numbers?
No. Toll-free numbers go through their own carrier verification instead of 10DLC. We offer toll-free texting and set that up too.
What does SPARK charge?
$150 one time for the registration, including the carriers’ one-time filing fees and any resubmission. The carriers’ monthly campaign fee and your texting are quoted on your volume.
§Who it matters to
Where texting does the most work.
Medical, Dental and Vet Appointment reminders, and patients texting back.
Home Services and Trades On-my-way texts and job updates from the truck.
Automotive Service status by text, so the phone stops ringing.
§Sources
Where this comes from.
- The Campaign Registry
- CTIA: Messaging Principles and Best Practices
- Telephone Consumer Protection Act: 47 U.S.C. § 227
- FCC: stop unwanted robocalls and texts
This guide explains the rules in plain language. It is not legal advice.
Last reviewed October 5, 2026.
Want us to read your opt-in before we file?
Send us your details and where customers sign up. We will tell you what the carriers are likely to flag, and quote texting on your volume.
Or call (888) 223-1094