10 DLC registration

10 DLC registration

10DLC (10 Digit Long Code) or long codes are the normal 10-digit phone numbers that can be used to send bulk SMS messages and make voice calls. It is somewhat similar to the phone numbers we have for personal use, except these 10DLCs are used for business purposes.
 
It is also referred to as A2P (Application to Person) 10DLC, as business messages are sent to prospective customers via an application. They are approved by mobile network operators in the US for A2P SMS messaging.
Info
What is the purpose of 10DLC?
The objective of 10DLC  is to protect consumers from unwanted spam, as well as enabling  businesses to better connect with their customers. This will also enhance deliverability, as 10DLC allows for higher messaging throughput than normal long code traffic.

How is the 10 DLC registration beneficial? 

There are some advantages to using a 10DLC-approved long code:
  1. These long codes can support moderately large volumes of text messages compared to the long codes which aren't 10DLC approved.
  2. They are cost-effective alternatives to dedicated short codes. It is beneficial to businesses that can’t afford a short code number or don’t send sufficient messages to justify paying for a short code.
  3. Pre-approved 10DLC numbers have better deliverability. Messages sent on these numbers are more likely to reach the recipient than with regular local long codes.
Alert
What happens if I don't register for 10DLC?
 You won't be able to send SMS messages unless you are 10DLC-verified, so we recommend that you complete this process to assure better deliverability.

Prerequisite 

Before you start the registration process, you need to have sufficient SMS credits for brand and 10DLC campaign registration. There will be a one-time fee and registration cost for each steps respectively that will be charged as soon as you register.
Payment will be debited as SMS credits from your organization.
Idea
You can refer to the pricing information here to determine how many credits you might require for your specific case.
Notes
Note:
  1. In case your brand or 10DLC campaign registration request is rejected due to some reasons like spelling mistakes, spacing errors, or an invalid email address, you'll have to register all over again and pay the registration fee again as well. So, check multiple times before submitting for registration to avoid rejection and follow the best practices.
  2. If you want to make any changes in your brand or 10DLC campaign registration data after submission, before they are verified, or after they have been approved, you have to pay the registration fee again.

Registration process 

10DLC registration involves three steps:
  1. Registration of the brand.
  2. Registration of 10DLC campaign template (along with use case).
  3. Associating the campaign with the long code.

How to register a brand for 10DLC with Zoho Marketing Automation

Here are the steps to register your brand or business with Zoho Marketing Automation:
  1. Click the Settings icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
    Settings icon
  2. Click SMS under Marketing channels. Navigate to 10 DLC tab.
  3. Click Start Registration.
    Start registration
  4. Enter all your business information like company name, brand name, type of legal entity, brand industry, EIN (Employer Identification Number), company website, and country. Click Next.
    business information
  5. Enter your contact details and address to proceed with the brand registration. A note about the charge for this process will be mentioned. Click Submit.
    billing address

Brand registration

Fields*
Description
Company name
This should be your company's name under which your EIN is issued. The EIN number should be the same as mentioned in your Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Certificate.
Brand name
This field is required, even if your brand name is the same as your company name.
Type of legal entity
Zoho Marketing Automation supports the following type of legal entity your brand represents. Choose from:
  1. Charity/Non-profit
  2. Government
  3. Private
Brand industry
The industry vertical which best matches your brand.
EIN
Enter the EIN of your business.
Country
The country in which your brand is registered. Zoho Marketing Automation supports only US-based brands.
Company website
A URL directing to your company's website.
* - All fields are mandatory

Billing and contact details

Fields*
Description
Address, city, state/region, and zip code
The official and detailed address of your company.
Email address
The email address of an authorized representative for your business.
Phone number
The phone number of an authorized representative for your business.
* - All fields are mandatory.
Notes
Note:
  1. Brand verification typically takes a week's time. If your brand is not verified for more than one week, please contact support@zohomarketingautomation.com
  2. The reason for a brand not being verified is mostly because there was an error in the information provided. Be careful when you fill in the data and verify everything before submitting the request.

How to register a 10DLC campaign for 10DLC with Zoho Marketing Automation 

You can proceed to register a 10DLC campaign template only after the verification of your brand. 
  1. Click the Settings icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
    Settings icon
  2. Click SMS under Marketing channels. Navigate to 10 DLC tab.
  3. Click Create Campaign under 10DLC Campaign.
  4. Enter the correct data in the open fields.
    10DLC Campaign fields*Description
    Name
    Enter a name for your 10DLC Campaign.
    Brand
    Choose the brand you registered during the previous process. You can choose it only after it's been verified.
    Use case
    Marketing.
    Campaign description
    Provide a description for your 10DLC campaign template explaining the nature of SMSs you want to send and the purpose for sending those.
    (There are character limits for the description: A minimum of 40 characters and a maximum of 100 characters.)
    Contacts source
    Describe the source of your contacts in a detailed manner. Please note that this information is verified by the mobile network operators, which will approve your template only if your contact source is genuine.
    (There are character limits for the description: A minimum of 40 characters and a maximum of 300 characters.)
    Signup form link
    Provide the signup form link used by the contacts to subscribe to your campaigns. Try to use your brand name and keep it clear and with a professional template.
    Sample message templates
    Enter a sample message under this field. This refers to your 10DLC campaign template, so enter all the words and information accurately

    10 DLC Campaign creation

    10 Campaign page
    10DLC Campaign fields*Description
    Name
    Enter a name for your 10DLC Campaign.
    Brand
    Choose the brand you registered during the previous process. You can choose it only after it's been verified.
    Use case

    In this context, use case refers to the purpose or type of message you want to send to your contacts.
    If you want to send SMS campaigns, then choose Marketing.
    Zoho Marketing Automation supports only Marketing use casesContact us if you’re planning to register any other use case outside of Marketing. We’re here to help!
    Campaign description
    Provide a description for your 10DLC campaign template explaining the nature of SMSs you want to send and the purpose for sending those.
    (There are character limits for the description: A minimum of 40 characters and a maximum of 100 characters.)
    Contacts source
    Describe the source of your contacts in a detailed manner. Please note that this information is verified by the mobile network operators, which will approve your template only if your contact source is genuine.
    (There are character limits for the description: A minimum of 40 characters and a maximum of 300 characters.)
    Signup form link
    Provide the signup form link used by the contacts to subscribe to your campaigns. Try to use your brand name and keep it clear and with a professional template.
    Sample message templates
    Enter a sample message under this field. This refers to your 10DLC campaign template, so enter all the words and information accurately

  5. Enter the possible responses from your brand for the following cases:
    1. Opt-in: If your brand supports opt-in auto-response messages, enter that content. It should have a brand name, opt-in confirmation, and keywords to get help and to opt-out.
    2. Opt-out: If your brand supports opt-out auto-response messages, enter that content. The message should confirm the opt-out information and explain that no further campaigns will be sent to them.
    3. Help: If you have an auto-response when your contact types in a keyword for help, enter that content. This content should have a link for the users to contact support.
      Notes
      Note:
      As of now, Zoho Marketing Automation does not track the replies or responses of your campaigns.
  6. Confirm the proposed campaign and the content elements you would use in your SMS messages:

    Field Name

    Description

    Contact opt-in

    It is better to have a contact opt-in option to appear legitimate. This option will be set to "Yes" by default in Zoho Marketing Automation and you cannot change it.

    Contact opt-out

    It is better to have a contact opt-in option to appear legitimate. This option will be set to "Yes" by default in Zoho Marketing Automation and you cannot change it.

    Help

    It is better to provide a help link for users to refer to if they need clear instructions about something. This option will be set to "Yes" by default in Zoho Marketing Automation and you cannot change it.

    Number pooling

    You can choose this option if you've to link multiple phone numbers to a single campaign. This option will be set to "No" by default in Zoho Marketing Automation and you cannot change it.

    Embedded link

    If you plan to add any kind of embedded links or hyperlinked content, choose "Yes."

    Embedded phone number

    If you plan to provide a link or button which will initiate a call to your support or sales team, choose "Yes."

    Affiliate marketing

    If you plan to do affiliate marketing for some other products and brands, click "Yes."

    Age-gated content

    If your message has any age-gated content, click "Yes."

    Lending or arranging loan

    If your brand is a financial institution and you can lend money or arrange loans, click "Yes."

  7. Read through the billing information carefully and click I agree with the payment terms checkbox to proceed.
    10 DLC Campaign elements
  8. Click Submit.

How to associate long code with a 10DLC campaign 

  1. Click the Settings icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
    Settings icon
  2. Click SMS under Marketing channels. Navigate to 10 DLC tab.
  3. Open the verified 10DLC campaign under 10DLC Campaign.
    verified 10 DLC Campaign
  4. Click Assign Number.
    assign number
  5. Choose one of the long codes that have already been added to your organization from the dropdown.
  6. Click Assign. Your long code association will be approved after which you can start sending 10DLC registered SMS campaigns. 
Alert
You'll be charged on a monthly basis for the registered 10DLC campaign template and it will be deducted from your SMS credits. Please note that the credits will be charged as soon as you submit for a brand and 10DLC campaign template registration. Kindly verify all your data before submitting your brand and 10DLC campaign template registrations.
Notes
Note:
Starting August 7, 2025, TCR is introducing Authentication+ 2.0, a mandatory verification process designed to strengthen brand authentication for Public and Non-profit entities. According to this update, authentication and identity verification are handled as separate steps, and includes a new $12.50 fee for the combined Authentication + Verification process.

FAQs

1. What is a campaign use case?

 In the 10DLC campaign registration process, use case refers to the purpose or type of message you want to send to your contacts.
 Zoho Marketing Automation only supports Marketing use cases. Contact us if you’re planning to register any other use case outside of Marketing. We’re here to help!

2. How many use cases do I need to register?

This depends on your brand or company's requirements. Some companies may only need to register one campaign use case, and some may need more than one.
For example, if you are a company that sends OTPs to validate users while logging in to your application, but you also send marketing messages, you should register two campaign use cases.

3. How long does it take for my brand and 10 DLC campaign registration to be approved?

Brand and 10DLC campaign verification typically takes a week respectively. If your 10DLC campaign is not verified for more than one week, please contact support@zohomarketingautomation.com

4. What happens if my 10 DLC campaign request is rejected?

Please follow all best practices and be careful when you are requesting for a 10DLC Campaign. If your 10DLC campaign is not approved within a week or it gets rejected, please reach out to  support@zohomarketingautomation.com
Our team will help you resolve issue in the existing submission or to make a new request.

5. What happens if my brand request is rejected?

The reason for a brand not being verified is mostly because of an error in the information provided. If your brand is not verified, review all of the brand information for any typos, EIN that was entered incorrectly, and other mistakes.
If you are not able to determine the possible reason for rejection, please reach out to support@zohomarketingautomation.com