Stay compliant with US carrier regulations. Latest fee updates, registration deadlines, and how Zavu handles the compliance headache for you.
A2P A2P stands for Application-to-Person messaging — any SMS sent by a business or application to a consumer. 10DLC 10DLC refers to 10-Digit Long Code, which are standard US phone numbers like (312) 555-1234.
In 2021, US carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) created the 10DLC system to combat SMS spam and improve deliverability. Businesses must now register their brand and campaigns with The Campaign Registry (TCR) before sending messages.
Register your business with TCR using your EIN and company details.
Describe your use case (OTP, marketing, notifications) for carrier approval.
Get assigned a throughput limit based on your vetting and campaign type.
Key dates and regulatory changes affecting SMS messaging in 2025.
All major US carriers now block unregistered A2P SMS traffic. Registration is mandatory.
Toll-free pass-through fee increases from $0.003 to $0.004 per message segment.
The Campaign Registry (TCR) increases brand and campaign registration fees.
Breakdown of carrier pass-through fees and TCR registration costs.
These fees are charged by carriers for every SMS segment sent to their network.
| Carrier | Fee | Note |
|---|---|---|
| AT&T | $0.003 | per message segment |
| T-Mobile | $0.003 | per message segment |
| Verizon | $0.003 | per message segment (increasing to $0.004 Jun 2025) |
| US Cellular | $0.002 | per message segment |
Fees charged by The Campaign Registry for brand and campaign registration.
| Item | Fee | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Brand Registration | $4 | one-time |
| Standard Campaign | $15 | one-time + $10/month |
| Low-Volume Campaign | $2 | one-time + $2/month |
| Brand Vetting (optional) | $40 | one-time |
* Zavu includes TCR registration fees in your plan. You only pay carrier pass-through fees.
Focus on building your product. We handle the registration, vetting, and compliance monitoring.
We handle the entire registration process with TCR. Just provide your business info.
Our team reviews and optimizes your campaign registration for faster approval.
TCR fees are included in your plan. You only pay carrier pass-through fees.
We monitor carrier policy changes and automatically update your registration.
Create a sender in the dashboard and we'll handle the 10DLC registration automatically.
Get Started FreeLearn more about A2P 10DLC compliance and SMS best practices.
Common questions about A2P 10DLC compliance.
A2P 10DLC (Application-to-Person 10-Digit Long Code) is a system that allows businesses to send SMS messages using standard 10-digit phone numbers. It was created by US carriers to combat spam and requires businesses to register their brand and messaging campaigns with The Campaign Registry (TCR).
Yes, if you're sending business SMS messages in the US using a 10-digit phone number. As of February 2025, all major carriers block unregistered A2P traffic. Without registration, your messages won't be delivered.
10DLC uses standard 10-digit numbers and is best for moderate volume. Short codes (5-6 digits) offer the highest throughput but cost more. Toll-free numbers (1-800) are good for customer support but have higher per-message fees.
Brand registration typically takes 1-2 business days. Campaign registration takes 1-5 business days depending on your use case. High-risk use cases like financial services may require additional vetting.
Your messages will be blocked by carriers. Some carriers may also apply penalties or suspend your number entirely. It's critical to register before sending any business SMS.
Yes! When you create a sender in Zavu, we automatically handle the TCR registration process. You just need to provide your business information and describe your use case.
Let Zavu handle 10DLC registration, carrier relationships, and compliance updates. You focus on what matters — building great products.