Have you heard about 10DLC and all the new rules around text messaging? It can sound like alphabet soup at first, so this guide walks through what 10DLC is, why it matters for SMS Marketing, and how Appointible helps keep messaging compliant.

10-digit long code (10DLC) is the telecom term for using regular-looking local phone numbers for application-to-person (A2P) messaging in the United States and Canada. In plain language, it is the system mobile carriers use so tools like Appointible can send texts such as reminders, confirmations, alerts, and SMS Marketing campaigns from local numbers.

Mobile carriers introduced 10DLC to reduce spam and give businesses a reliable, high-quality way to send text messages at scale. With 10DLC, carriers know who is sending messages and what kind of messages are being sent, which helps keep delivery rates high and unwanted spam low.

If a business sends appointment reminders, marketing campaigns, or automated messages using local numbers in the US or Canada, those messages are considered A2P traffic and must follow 10DLC rules. When a brand is registered correctly, carriers are more likely to:

If a brand is not registered but still sends A2P messages over 10DLC numbers, carriers can block or throttle messages, or stop supporting SMS for that traffic altogether.

10DLC compliance is mandatory for all businesses that send A2P text messages in the US and Canada using local long-code numbers. This includes transactional messages (like appointment reminders) and promotional SMS Marketing campaigns.

To stay compliant, I recommend keeping these basics in mind:

If compliance rules are ignored, carriers can block traffic, lower throughput, or apply additional penalties. That is why 10DLC registration is a key part of 10DLC compliance.

For 10DLC, each business is treated as a "brand" that needs to be registered with the A2P ecosystem. During registration, carriers and their partners review basic details about the business and how it plans to use SMS.

Typical information requested includes:

Once registration is complete and approved, carriers assign a trust score to the brand. This score helps determine how many messages can be sent and how likely they are to be delivered without filtering.

At Appointible, the 10DLC registration process is handled on behalf of the business. During Appointible Pro Plan onboarding and SMS setup, the platform collects the required business and messaging details and submits them to the 10DLC ecosystem.

To review or update SMS-related settings at any time, use:

Once registration is approved, Appointible uses the registered 10DLC numbers for appointment reminders, two-way SMS, and SMS Marketing campaigns so messaging stays aligned with carrier expectations.

10DLC introduces extra fees for brand registration and ongoing use of registered messaging campaigns in the United States and Canada. These are carrier and ecosystem fees that Appointible passes through at no markup.

One-time 10DLC registration fees

Recurring 10DLC fees

These fees are separate from the per-message SMS costs in Appointible. They are tied to the 10DLC brand and campaign registrations that keep A2P messaging compliant and deliverable.

To start using 10DLC-compliant messaging with Appointible, I recommend:

Once this is in place, 10DLC works quietly in the background so SMS reminders and campaigns can focus on what matters: showing up on time, not showing up as spam.