10DLC (10-digit long code A2P registration) is required by US carriers for any business sending SMS at scale. If you skip this, your texts will be silently filtered. Here's the full walkthrough.
What you need before starting
- EIN — your employer identification number (federal tax ID). If you're a sole proprietor without an EIN, you'll register as a sole prop instead and use SSN.
- Legal business name as it appears with the IRS.
- Business address (must match what the IRS has on file).
- Stock symbol if publicly traded (skip if not).
- Authorized representative — name + title + email + phone.
- Sample messages — 3-5 sample SMS you'll be sending (booking confirmations, reminders, marketing, etc.).
- Privacy policy URL at your website explaining you'll send SMS to customers who opt in.
- Terms of service URL explaining what SMS you send.
If you don't have a website, you can use your SalesThumb booking page URL — but you'll need a privacy policy added. SalesThumb auto-generates a minimal one at booking.yourshop.com/privacy.
Step 1 — Brand registration
Settings → Messaging → 10DLC → Start brand registration. Fill in:
- Legal business name
- DBA (if different)
- EIN
- Business type (LLC, S-Corp, Sole Prop, etc.)
- Industry (use NAICS 811192 — Car Washes / Automotive Services — closest fit for aftermarket)
- Address
- Vertical (use "Professional Services")
- Authorized representative info
Submit. Brand verification runs through The Campaign Registry (TCR) and typically resolves within 1-3 business days. You'll see a "Brand verified" badge in the dashboard.
Step 2 — Campaign registration
Once your brand is verified, register a campaign. A campaign describes the type of messages you'll send. For aftermarket shops, we recommend:
- Use case: Mixed (allows both transactional and marketing) - Sub-use cases: Customer Care + Marketing + Account Notification - Description: "Booking confirmations, appointment reminders, install completion notifications, occasional promotional messages to opted-in customers." - Sample messages (provide 3-5): 1. "Hi {first_name}, your tint appointment is confirmed for Saturday 9:00 AM at {shop_name}. Reply STOP to opt out." 2. "Reminder: your ceramic install is tomorrow at 10:00 AM. We'll text when your bay opens. Reply STOP to opt out." 3. "Your install is complete. Photos + warranty: {link}. Tap to view. Reply STOP to opt out." 4. "We just opened up a Saturday slot at {shop_name}. Want to grab it? Reply YES or book at {link}. Reply STOP to opt out."
Notice every sample includes opt-out language. Carriers reject campaigns without it.
- Opt-in method: Web form (customer entered their phone in the booking flow + checked the consent box).
- Help message: Required. SalesThumb auto-populates: "Reply HELP for help, STOP to opt out. Msg & data rates may apply. Frequency varies. {shop_name}, {phone}."
Submit. Campaign verification takes 1-7 business days.
Step 3 — Phone number provisioning
Once your campaign is approved, provision a sending number. Settings → Messaging → Phone numbers → Add number.
Two options:
- Use your existing shop number — port it into Twilio. Process takes 7-14 days. Worth it because customers recognize the number.
- Get a new local number — instant, but customers won't recognize it. We auto-generate "SHOP NAME" as the sender ID so it shows up branded.
For shops with an established customer base, port the existing number. For new shops, grab a local number with the right area code.
Step 4 — Verify deliverability
Send a test SMS to your personal phone. It should arrive within 5 seconds with the proper opt-out language. If it doesn't:
- Check the sample messages were registered correctly
- Confirm your brand status is "Verified", not "Pending"
- Confirm your campaign status is "Approved", not "Pending Review"
Throughput limits
Once approved, your throughput depends on your campaign trust score:
- Standard verification: 75 msg/sec, 2,000 msg/day to T-Mobile, unlimited to other carriers
- Vetted verification (extra step): 225 msg/sec, 10,000 msg/day to T-Mobile
For a single shop sending <500 SMS per day, standard verification is plenty.
Cost
- Brand registration: $4 one-time fee
- Campaign registration: $10 + $1.50/month per campaign
- SMS sending: $0.0083 per outbound message (US/Canada), $0.0075 inbound
For a typical 200-SMS-per-day shop, total monthly cost runs $50-$80 — negligible compared to the value of confirmed bookings and reminders.
Timeline summary
- Day 1: Submit brand
- Day 3: Brand verified, submit campaign
- Day 5-10: Campaign approved
- Day 10-14: Number ported (or instant if new number)
Total: ~2 weeks to be sending production SMS. Start your 10DLC submission BEFORE you sign your shop lease — it's the most common delay for new shops.