A2P 10DLC for Contractors: Why Your Business Texts Get Blocked

You set up texting for your shop, sent a batch of appointment reminders, and nothing arrived. Or half of them arrived and the rest died with an error code. Nine times out of ten the reason is the same: your number was never registered for A2P 10DLC, or the registration got rejected and nobody told you.

This guide covers what A2P 10DLC is, how to register, what gets you rejected, and the consent rules you need to follow once you're approved.

What A2P 10DLC means

Break the name into two parts.

• A2P means application-to-person. A text sent by software, like a booking tool, a CRM, or a missed-call text-back system, instead of you typing on your own phone.
• 10DLC means 10-digit long code. A regular local phone number, like (555) 123-4567, as opposed to a 5-digit short code or a toll-free number.

Put together, A2P 10DLC is the set of rules US carriers built for businesses that text from normal local numbers through software. Twilio describes it as "the standard that United States telecom carriers have put in place" to keep this traffic verified and consensual.

If you text customers from your own cell phone by hand, this doesn't apply to you. The moment a tool sends texts for you, it does.

Why carriers require it

Spam. Before registration, anyone could buy a local number and blast thousands of texts. Carriers had no idea who was behind them. So they built a system where every business has to say who it is and what it plans to send before its texts get delivered.

The penalty for skipping it is real. Twilio blocks texts to US numbers sent from a 10DLC number that isn't tied to an approved campaign. That shows up as error 30034. Other providers have their own versions of the same block. Registered senders get less filtering and better delivery, according to Twilio's overview.

For a contractor, a blocked text isn't a small problem. It's a missed-call follow-up that never reached the homeowner, who then called the next plumber on the list.

How registration works

Registration has two parts: the brand and the campaign. Both go through The Campaign Registry (TCR), the central database carriers use to check who is texting. You don't sign up with TCR directly. Your texting provider submits your details on your behalf.

Step 1: Register your brand

The brand is your business. You give your legal business name, EIN, address, website, and contact info. Carriers use this to confirm you're a real company.

The details have to match. Twilio's onboarding guide says reviewers check that your brand name, website, and email domain all point to the same business. If you register as "Smith Plumbing LLC" but your texts say "Joe's Rooter," expect a rejection. A Gmail address on a registered company can get flagged too.

Step 2: Register your campaign

The campaign describes what you'll text and how people agreed to get those texts. You pick a use case (customer care, marketing, mixed, and so on), write a short description, explain your opt-in process, and provide 2 to 5 sample messages.

A good campaign description answers three questions: who is sending, who is receiving, and why. Twilio's guide gives a clear example of the difference:

• Works: "Messages are sent by {Brand Name} to customers who schedule service. Messages include appointment confirmations and vehicle ready notifications."
• Doesn't work: "We send texts to people."

Swap in your trade and that's the model. "Messages are sent by Smith Plumbing to customers who request service. Messages include appointment confirmations, arrival times, and review requests."

The sole proprietor option

If you work alone and have no EIN, you can register as a Sole Proprietor brand. Twilio's sole proprietor FAQ lists the limits:

• One campaign per brand
• One phone number per campaign
• Low throughput (one message per second)
• Identity check by a one-time code sent to a real mobile number, not a VoIP line

If you have an EIN, you can't use this option. You register as a Low Volume Standard or Standard brand instead. For most small shops with an EIN, Low Volume Standard is the fit.

What it costs

Fees are set by TCR and the carriers and passed through by your provider. Here is what Twilio's fee page listed when we checked in October 2026:

Twilio notes some of these went up on August 1, 2025. Per-message carrier fees are charged on top. Other providers may bundle or mark up these fees differently, so check yours.

Why campaigns get rejected

Most rejections come from the opt-in section. Twilio calls the message flow field "the heart of your registration" and says it's where most rejections happen. Here's what usually goes wrong.

Your sign-up form is missing disclosures

If customers opt in through a web form, Twilio's guide says it must include:

• A phone number field
• A consent checkbox that is not pre-checked
• What kind of texts they'll get
• How often
• "Msg & data rates may apply"
• Reply HELP for help
• Reply STOP to opt out
• Links to your terms and your privacy policy

Marketing consent and transactional consent need separate checkboxes. A box for agreeing to your terms has to be separate from the texting consent box.

You rely on verbal consent for marketing

A lot of contractors get permission over the phone. "Mind if we text you when the tech is on the way?" That can work for service updates if you document the script. But the guide is direct: verbal consent is not enough for marketing. Promo texts need written consent, like a checkbox, a signature, or a text-in keyword.

No privacy policy or terms page

Both are required. The privacy policy has to say you won't share mobile numbers or opt-in data with third parties for marketing. Twilio recommends this exact line: "We do not sell or share your SMS opt-in data or personal information with third parties for marketing purposes." See our own privacy policy for an example of the kind of page reviewers look for.

Your terms need your program name, a description, message frequency, the rates disclosure, support contact info, HELP and STOP instructions, and a line saying carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.

Your website doesn't load or doesn't match

Reviewers check your site. If it's down, under construction, or belongs to a different business name, you'll get rejected.

Sample messages are vague

"Here is your code" fails. Every sample should name your business. At least one should include "Reply STOP to unsubscribe."

STOP, HELP, and opt-outs

Once you're live, opt-outs matter as much as opt-ins.

Your system should respond to STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, END, QUIT, and similar words. When someone opts out, send one confirmation text, then nothing else. The FCC's 2024 order treats a reply like "stop," "quit," "end," "revoke," "opt out," "cancel," or "unsubscribe" as a reasonable way to revoke consent. It requires opt-outs be honored within a reasonable time, no later than 10 business days. It limits you to a single confirmation text with no marketing in it.

These rules are moving. In September 2026 the FCC released a fact sheet on changes to the revocation rules, including letting senders name an exclusive way to opt out and revisiting the 10-day window. The safe habit doesn't change: when someone says stop, stop.

Every recurring campaign also needs a confirmation text the moment someone opts in. Something like: "Smith Plumbing: You're signed up for service updates. Msg frequency varies. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to cancel."

Consent basics for marketing texts

There's a difference between a service text and a marketing text.

• Service texts: "Your tech is 20 minutes out." "Your estimate is ready." The customer asked for your service and expects these.
• Marketing texts: "Spring tune-up special, $30 off this week." These promote something.

Under the TCPA rules at 47 CFR 64.1200, telemarketing messages sent with autodialing technology generally require prior express written consent. That means a signed agreement, which can be electronic, that clearly says the person agrees to get marketing messages at that number and that agreeing isn't a condition of buying anything.

In practice, for a contractor:

1. Collect texting consent on your booking form with an unchecked box and the full disclosure.
2. Use a separate checkbox for promotional texts.
3. Keep a record of when and how each customer opted in.
4. Only send promos to people who checked that box.
5. Honor STOP right away, every time.

If you run missed-call text-back, the first reply goes to someone who just called you. That's a response to their call, not a promo blast. Keep it that way. Don't add them to a marketing list unless they opt in.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Texting law varies by state, and the federal rules are changing. Talk to a lawyer about your specific setup.

A quick checklist before you register

• Your legal business name matches your website and email domain
• Your website loads and shows your business name
• You have a privacy policy page with the no-sharing line
• You have a terms page with HELP, STOP, and the carrier liability line
• Your booking or contact form has an unchecked texting consent box with all disclosures
• You have 2 to 5 sample messages that name your business and include STOP language
• Marketing consent is collected separately from service consent

Get those right and most registrations go through on the first try.

How Snag handles this

Snag handles the carrier registration for you, then runs missed-call text-back, review requests, and seasonal promo texts to customers who opted in. It's $197 a month for the first six months, then $297, with no setup fee. See pricing for what's included.