carriers-sip
10DLC
10DLC, or 10-Digit Long Code, is a registered standard ordinary local phone numbers in the US must follow to send business text messages legitimately.
10DLC stands for 10-Digit Long Code. It is the framework that lets ordinary ten-digit local phone numbers in the United States send business text messages without being treated as spam. Before 10DLC, companies sent bulk texts from regular numbers in a gray area, and carriers blocked a lot of it. The registration process gives those numbers a sanctioned path for application-to-person messaging.
The process has two layers. First you register your brand — basic business details. Then you register each campaign, which describes the kind of messages you send, such as appointment reminders or marketing offers. Once approved, your local DID (direct inward dialing) numbers can send text at higher throughput, and a Carrier is far less likely to filter them. Skipping registration tends to get messages silently dropped or your numbers tagged as Spam Likely label.
It helps to know what 10DLC is not. It governs texting from local numbers, not voice calls and not Toll-free number messaging, which has its own separate verification track. So even a fully registered 10DLC number must still follow the calling rules under the TCPA for any voice campaigns you run from it.
For compliance, the campaign you register should match what you actually send, and your message content should reflect the consent you collected. Texting people who gave Express written consent for one purpose and then sending something unrelated is exactly the kind of mismatch that gets a 10DLC campaign suspended. Register honestly, keep your volumes within approved limits, and your messaging stays deliverable.
Related terms
Carrier
A carrier is the phone company that actually carries your calls onto the public phone network — VICIdial dials, the carrier delivers.
DID (direct inward dialing)
A DID (direct inward dialing) is a phone number you own that routes incoming calls straight into VICIdial, usually to a chosen inbound group.
Express written consent
A signed, clear agreement from a person that you may call or text them with automated or recorded marketing, naming your company and the number you'll use.
Spam Likely label
A warning that phone carriers display on incoming calls they think might be unwanted, which sharply lowers how often people pick up your calls.
TCPA
The TCPA is a US law restricting automated calls and texts, requiring consent before dialing cell phones with autodialers and limiting when and how often you may call.
Toll-free number
A toll-free number is a phone number, often starting 800 or 888, where the business pays for the call instead of the person dialing in.