United States SMS Laws And Regulations
All SMS messaging in the United States is governed by the CTIA – The Wireless Association. Strict regulations are in place for messaging within the USA, and it is crucial to work closely with your sales advisor to ensure your program complies with the latest rules. Many of these regulations also affect Puerto Rico.
Short codes are ideal for marketing messages, bulk messaging, or messages containing URLs, as they offer high throughput (messages able to be sent per second). The regulations for US short codes will be provided once your application is approved and can also be viewed in the CTIA Short Code Monitoring Handbook.
Long numbers (also known as 10-Digit Long Codes or 10DLCs) are typically used for sending person-to-person communications like appointment reminders, alerts, and announcements. As of 2023, there are stricter registration requirements overseen by The Campaign Registry (TCR), including a mandatory campaign vetting process. A key prerequisite is that end-users must willingly and visibly opt-in to receive text messages. More information is available here.
The restrictions below only apply to long numbers.
Before sending SMS messages to any international destination, please familiarize yourself with the local messaging regulations. All programs must comply with applicable laws in the target country. If you’re unsure about any regulations, please contact our support team for clarification.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| International SMS prefix | +1 |
| General Content Restrictions | • SHAFT (Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, and Tobacco) content is prohibited. • Phishing messages are not allowed. • Depictions or endorsements of violence, hate speech, or threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, libelous, deceptive, or fraudulent behavior are prohibited. • Pornographic and/or adult entertainment content is not allowed. • High-risk content (e.g., debt restructuring, payday loans, gambling) is prohibited. • Public URL shorteners (e.g., bit.ly, tinyurl.com) have a high probability of being blocked. Full URLs and proprietary URL shorteners have a better chance of success. • Recipients need to consent to receive marketing communication in writing before sending marketing messages. • The symbol for Euro (€) is not supported. |
| Sender ID Regulations | • All messages must be sent and delivered with a US short code or long code. • Message limits are described in the provided link. Exceeding this limit could result in messages being marked as spam and not delivered. |
| Sender ID Documentation Required | N/A |
| Shortcode Availability | N/A |
| Number Portability | Yes |
| Opt-in Requirements | End-users must willingly and visibly opt-in to receive text messages. |
| Opt-out Requirements | Yes. Each marketing SMS must contain an opt-out option. |
| DND Exists | No |
| Time Restrictions | No |
| Local Traffic | N/A |
Please note: It is essential to recognize that these regulations can change without notice, and it is the customer’s responsibility to stay up to date with any changes. If you have further questions or need clarification, do not hesitate to contact our support team.
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