How to write a compliant 10DLC campaign description

Last updated 2026-07-10

What is a 10DLC campaign description and why does it matter?

10DLC stands for 10-digit long code, the standard US local phone number format. Since 2021, carriers have required businesses to register these numbers through The Campaign Registry (TCR) before sending application-to-person (A2P) SMS at commercial scale ^[1]. The campaign description is one field inside that registration. It is a plain-text explanation of what your messaging program does.

Carriers use the description, along with sample messages and opt-in details, to decide whether to approve the campaign, which throughput tier to assign it, and whether to flag it for human review. A thin description like "marketing messages" gives reviewers nothing. A detailed, accurate one moves you through the queue faster and cuts your odds of throttling or a flat rejection.

The stakes are real. Unregistered A2P traffic on major US carriers gets filtered hard. T-Mobile's A2P code of conduct and AT&T's equivalent policies give carriers explicit permission to block or throttle unregistered or misrepresented campaigns ^[2]. Carrier filtering is only half of it. Sending commercial texts without proper consent exposes you to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 47 U.S.C. § 227, which allows statutory damages of $500 to $1,500 per message ^[3]. A bad campaign description is more than a technical snag. It is a compliance and financial risk.

If you want the broader SMS compliance picture first, the tcpa overview on this site is a good place to start before you write a single word of your description.

What information do carriers actually require in the description?

TCR and the carriers do not publish a rigid word template, but the review criteria are documented through TCR's campaign vetting guidelines and carrier addenda ^[1]. Reviewers look for five core elements:

1. Who the sender is (business name, industry, and purpose) 2. What the messages contain (promotions, alerts, appointment reminders, transactional confirmations, etc.) 3. Who the recipients are (customers who purchased, leads who filled out a web form, subscribers, etc.) 4. How consent was obtained (the opt-in mechanism and where it appears) 5. How recipients can opt out (the STOP keyword or equivalent)

Every element needs to be present. Miss even one and you tend to draw a manual review request or a flat rejection with a generic "insufficient description" error code.

Here is the part people miss: the description must match the sample messages you submit. Say your campaign sends appointment reminders, then include a promotional discount code in the samples, and the reviewer will catch it. Inconsistency between the description and the samples is one of the most common rejection triggers outside of outright prohibited content.

The description should also match your website's terms of service and privacy policy. Carriers increasingly check whether the disclosed opt-in method actually appears on the brand's public web pages. If you say "users opt in via our checkout page," that language or a reasonable equivalent needs to show up at checkout.

How long should a 10DLC campaign description be?

TCR accepts descriptions up to 4,096 characters, but the useful target is roughly 250 to 400 words. That is long enough to cover all five required elements with real specificity, and short enough that reviewers can read it without losing the thread.

Descriptions under 100 words almost always fail on detail. "We send promotional SMS to opted-in customers" tells a reviewer nothing about your opt-in flow, your cadence, your business category, or your opt-out path. Descriptions over 600 words tend to bury the key facts, which hurts you when reviewers skim.

The 250-400 word range is an industry working estimate, not a published TCR requirement. Several aggregator platforms (Twilio, Bandwidth, Sinch) publish their own guidance that lands in this range ^[4].

Format matters too. Write in paragraph form, not bullet points. The TCR field is plain text and reviewers read it as prose. Use clear topic sentences. Start with who you are, then what you send, then how people opted in, then how they opt out.

What does a compliant 10DLC campaign description actually look like?

Here is a realistic example for a home services company running a lead follow-up and appointment reminder program:

"Acme Plumbing LLC sends appointment reminders, booking confirmations, and follow-up messages to residential customers who have scheduled or requested a service call. Messages are sent from local 10-digit numbers registered under our brand. Message volume is typically 2-4 messages per service interaction. Recipients opt in by completing a service request form at acmeplumbing.com/schedule, which includes a clearly labeled checkbox disclosing that they will receive SMS updates about their appointment. The checkbox is unchecked by default. Customers also opt in at the point of booking by phone when our dispatchers verbally disclose the SMS program and confirm consent, which is logged in our CRM. All messages include instructions to reply STOP to opt out. Recipients who reply STOP are immediately removed from all SMS sends and receive a single confirmation message. HELP returns our support number. We do not share or resell contact data. Message and data rates may apply. Our privacy policy is available at acmeplumbing.com/privacy."

That example runs roughly 175 words, which sits at the lower end. A real submission would gain from one or two sentences on the customer relationship, the business category (home services, licensed contractor), and the states of operation. But the bones are right: sender identity, message types, opt-in mechanism, opt-out mechanism, and a pointer to public documentation.

Notice what is absent. No vague "marketing communications." No claim of consent that cannot be verified. No mention of message categories the company does not actually use.

This is also where text message marketing rules meet the technical registration. The description you write becomes the compliance record for how your program runs. If you ever face a TCPA lawsuit, your campaign registration can be subpoenaed.

What are the most common reasons 10DLC descriptions get rejected?

Published carrier and aggregator guidance points to a handful of repeat offenders ^{[1] [4]}:

Vague or generic language. "Marketing messages" or "business communications" says nothing about the actual use case. Reviewers need to know what kind of messages, sent to whom, on what consent basis.

Prohibited content signals. Some verticals require extra vetting or are banned outright. Descriptions that mention cannabis, firearms, payday loans, debt collection, or sweepstakes often draw enhanced review or rejection, even when the underlying business is legal ^[2]. That does not mean those businesses cannot register. It means they run through TCR's special handling process and may need a compliant aggregator.

Mismatched samples. If the description says "transactional only" but the samples carry promotional language or affiliate links, the campaign fails review.

Missing opt-in mechanics. "We have consent" without the specific method is not enough. Reviewers want the mechanism: web form, keyword opt-in, point-of-sale disclosure, verbal consent with CRM logging.

Missing opt-out instructions. STOP has to be named as the universal opt-out keyword. Describe a custom unsubscribe method without STOP and you get rejected.

URL mismatches. The website in the brand registration must match the domain in the description. Register the brand under acmeplumbing.com but reference acme-plumbing.net in the description, and reviewers flag it as a possible spoofing risk.

One thing to know: rejection reasons are often thin. TCR and carriers return codes like "failed content review" with no specifics. If you get a rejection, check all six failure modes above before resubmitting. Resubmissions without changes just cost you another vetting fee.

How do opt-in and opt-out disclosures affect the campaign description?

The opt-in description gets scrutinized hardest, because it maps straight to TCPA consent requirements. The TCPA requires prior express written consent for autodialed or pre-recorded marketing calls and texts to cell phones ^[3]. The FCC's 2012 order (FCC 12-21) clarified that this consent must be signed (electronic signatures count) and must clearly authorize the specific sender ^[5].

In your campaign description, state the opt-in method precisely. Examples that work:

• "Recipients complete a web form at [URL] with a checkbox that reads: I agree to receive SMS messages from Acme Plumbing at the number provided. Checking the box is voluntary and not required to complete the request."
• "Recipients text START to [shortcode or 10DLC number] to enroll in alerts."
• "Customers provide written consent at the point of sale via a paper or digital form that includes the SMS disclosure language."

Examples that do not:

• "We obtain consent through our website."
• "Customers agree to receive messages when they sign up."
• "We have consent on file."

The opt-out description needs to be equally specific. State that STOP removes recipients immediately, that you send a single opt-out confirmation, and that you honor opt-outs within the timeframe your platform supports (most major platforms process STOP in real time or within minutes).

The CTIA Messaging Principles and Best Practices document, which carriers treat as a de facto standard, specifies that STOP, STOPALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, and QUIT must all trigger opt-out ^[6]. Your description does not need to list all of them, but your system must honor them.

If you manage consent lists by hand or across multiple platforms, scrubbing against the do not call list and your internal suppression file before each send is still good practice, even though the national DNC registry technically covers voice calls, not SMS. Courts read the TCPA broadly, and several settlements have involved texts to numbers on the DNC list.

Which message categories require special handling in the description?

TCR sorts campaigns into use case types. The common ones are marketing, mixed, customer care, polling, public service announcement, and a handful of verticals that need separate registration through TCR's special programs ^[1]. The use case type you pick has to match your description.

Use Case	Description Requirements	Vetting Level
Marketing	Must describe promotional content and consent basis	Standard
Transactional / Customer Care	Must clarify no promotional content; consent basis required	Standard
Mixed	Must explain both promotional and non-promotional sends and the trigger for each	Standard
Charity	501(c)(3) EIN documentation required; description must reference nonprofit status	Standard
Emergency Alerts	Must describe the triggering events; no promotional content	Standard
Politically Exempt	Political campaigns and ballot measures; special registration path	Enhanced
SHAFT (Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco)	Restricted; requires special vetting and age-gating description	Enhanced
Cannabis	Restricted; not permitted in most standard aggregator paths	Enhanced / Carrier-specific

Get the SHAFT category right in the description. Sell alcohol and run a campaign for event invitations, and you must describe age verification at the opt-in point. Leave that out and the campaign draws enhanced review no matter how clean the rest of the description reads ^[2].

For political messaging, the description needs the candidate or ballot measure, the committee name, the FEC registration where it applies, and the opt-in basis. Political texts have generated a heavy volume of TCPA cases, including class actions with settlements in the millions.

What should you never include in a 10DLC campaign description?

Some content does more than slow your approval. It gets your campaign permanently blocked and can drag your brand registration into scrutiny.

Do not include claims you cannot verify. If you say consent came through a specific URL, that URL must exist and must carry the disclosed language. Carriers check.

Do not describe message types you are not actually sending. Write "transactional only" and then send promotional blasts, and you have a registration violation and, if recipients never gave marketing consent, a possible TCPA violation. The cash app tcpa class action settlement is a reminder that courts do not treat mislabeled consent lightly.

Do not use coded language for prohibited categories. Calling a cannabis dispensary a "health and wellness retailer" without disclosing the actual product is the kind of misrepresentation that gets brand registrations revoked.

Do not copy a description from another company's registration. Some platforms pass around sample descriptions, and if two brands submit identical text, both can get flagged.

Do not mention third-party lead sources if your real opt-in runs through a web form you own. The FCC's 2024 one-to-one consent rule, which took effect in January 2025 after litigation-related delays, tightened requirements around lead generator consent so each seller must be named individually in the opt-in disclosure ^[7]. If you buy leads, your description needs to address how those contacts were told that your specific company would contact them.

How does the FCC's 2024 one-to-one consent rule change what you need to write?

The FCC adopted a one-to-one consent order in December 2023 (FCC 23-107) ^[7]. The rule amended 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200 to require that prior express written consent for robocalls and robotexts be given to one seller at a time, not to a list of marketing partners through a single checkbox.

This matters for your campaign description because it changes how you describe the consent basis. The old model, where a consumer checked a box consenting to contact from "our partners," no longer holds for TCPA-covered communications. Your description needs to reflect a consent path where your company is named at the point of opt-in.

The practical effect: if you bought a list or used a lead aggregator, and the opt-in form did not name your company, you may not have valid consent under the new rule. Your description should not claim consent you do not actually have. Writing "customers consented via our website" when they really consented through a co-registration form naming 50 partners creates both a registration misrepresentation and TCPA exposure.

The rule has faced legal challenges. The 11th Circuit vacated portions of the order in January 2025, specifically the one-to-one consent requirement for comparison shopping websites, finding the FCC exceeded its authority in that narrow application ^[8]. The core one-to-one principle remains FCC policy and is actively applied in enforcement. Write your description as if the rule is fully in force, because the FCC treats it that way outside the narrow exception the 11th Circuit carved out.

LeadCompliant's compliance kit includes a consent language worksheet that maps to these updated disclosure requirements, if you want a structured way to build the opt-in section of your description.

How do you write the description differently for different campaign types?

The structure holds across campaign types, but the emphasis shifts.

For a pure transactional campaign (order confirmations, shipping updates, appointment reminders), lead with the transactional nature and state flatly that no promotional content is included. Carriers apply less scrutiny to transactional campaigns, but if a reviewer spots promotional language in your samples, the "transactional only" label works against you by making the inconsistency look intentional.

For a marketing campaign, the consent description needs to be airtight. Specify the exact opt-in mechanism, the disclosure language used, and whether the opt-in is double (confirmed via reply) or single. Double opt-in is not required by law, but say so if you use it, because it signals higher consent quality to reviewers.

For a mixed campaign, explain the trigger logic. "Recipients receive a transactional confirmation immediately after purchase. If they have also opted in to marketing communications via the checkbox on our account creation page, they may receive promotional messages no more than twice per week." That kind of detail tells reviewers you have actually thought through the consent flow.

For a B2B campaign targeting business landlines, the TCPA treatment differs. The autodialer restrictions apply to calls and texts to cell phones, not to business landlines. But if any B2B contacts get messages on personal mobile numbers, the full TCPA framework applies ^[3]. Your description should acknowledge this if it fits your use case.

If you run cold calling alongside your SMS campaigns, remember the voice and SMS consent records are separate. A contact who agreed to a sales call has not automatically agreed to marketing texts.

What happens after you submit the description?

After you submit through your connectivity partner (an aggregator like Twilio, Bandwidth, Vonage, or a direct carrier connection), TCR runs an automated vetting pass. As of 2023, TCR charges a one-time campaign vetting fee of $15 to $25 depending on the use case, plus a recurring monthly fee of $10 to $15 per campaign, per carrier that accepts it ^[4]. Some aggregators pile their own fees on top.

Automated vetting checks for prohibited keywords, missing required fields, and obvious category mismatches. If the automated pass clears, the campaign moves to the carrier-level review queue. T-Mobile and AT&T each run additional review layers. AT&T historically takes 1-3 business days for standard campaigns. T-Mobile can take up to 5 business days for anything that hits an enhanced review trigger ^[2].

If your campaign is rejected, you get an error code. Common ones:

• 409 / Description Insufficient: Reviewers could not determine the use case from the description alone.
• 407 / Opt-in Mechanism Unclear: The description did not explain how consent was obtained.
• 410 / Prohibited Content: The description or samples reference a restricted category without the required special handling.

You can resubmit with corrections, but you pay the vetting fee again. Some aggregators offer a pre-screening review before formal submission, worth the cost if your use case sits in a gray area.

Once approved, the description is locked. If your program changes materially, say you add a promotional component to a previously transactional-only campaign, you are supposed to update the registration. Sending content that differs materially from the approved description is a terms-of-service violation with your aggregator and possible TCPA exposure if the change also affects the consent basis.

How can you audit your existing description before problems arise?

Pull your current campaign registration from your aggregator's portal and read the description against the five core elements: sender identity, message types, recipient definition, opt-in mechanism, opt-out mechanism. If any element is absent or vague, fix it.

Then pull three or four recent messages your system actually sent and check them against the description. Ask this: if a carrier reviewer read the description and then saw these messages, would anything look off? Watch for promotional language, URLs, and any content that implies a different use case than what you described.

Check the opt-in URL in the description. Load it in a browser. Confirm the disclosure language is still visible, still matches the description, and is not buried in fine print.

Check your suppression list. Any contact who replied STOP or otherwise opted out should be permanently removed from sends under that campaign. If you cannot verify this easily in your platform, that is a process gap to fix before a regulator or plaintiff's attorney asks about it. The mobile phone do not call list resource explains how DNC and internal suppression lists interact for mobile contacts.

LeadCompliant's free TCPA checker tools can help you spot gaps in your opt-in language and consent documentation before they turn into problems.

Run this audit at least every six months, or any time you change your message content, your opt-in flow, or your CRM platform. Campaigns approved in 2022 under looser vetting standards may not hold up under the tighter review carriers apply today.

Frequently asked questions

How many characters can a 10DLC campaign description be?

TCR accepts up to 4,096 characters in the campaign description field. In practice, 250 to 400 words hits the sweet spot between giving reviewers enough detail and keeping the description readable. Descriptions under 100 words almost always get kicked back for insufficient detail. There is no official minimum, but aggregator guidance from Twilio and Bandwidth consistently recommends staying in the 250-400 word range.

Can I use the same campaign description for multiple 10DLC numbers?

Yes, multiple phone numbers can be associated with a single campaign registration. But the description must accurately cover everything those numbers send. If different numbers send materially different content or use different opt-in paths, they should be registered under separate campaigns with separate descriptions. Bundling mismatched use cases under one description is a common audit failure point.

What happens if my 10DLC campaign description does not match my sample messages?

The campaign will likely fail review. Reviewers check sample messages against the description for consistency. If your description says transactional only but a sample includes a promotional offer, reviewers treat the inconsistency as a red flag, not a minor oversight. Fix the description to match what you actually send, or fix the samples to match the description, before resubmitting. You pay the vetting fee again on resubmission.

Do I need to mention STOP in the campaign description?

Yes. The description should explain that recipients can reply STOP to opt out and that your system honors that immediately. CTIA messaging guidelines require that STOP, STOPALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, and QUIT all trigger opt-out. You do not need to list every keyword in the description, but STOP must be referenced as the primary opt-out mechanism. Missing opt-out information is one of the most common rejection reasons.

How long does it take for a 10DLC campaign description to get approved?

Standard campaigns typically clear automated vetting within hours and carrier-level review within one to five business days. AT&T historically processes standard campaigns in one to three business days. T-Mobile can take up to five business days for campaigns that trigger enhanced review. Campaigns in restricted categories like alcohol, firearms, or political messaging take longer and may require additional documentation beyond the description itself.

What is the difference between a 10DLC campaign description and a brand description?

Brand registration and campaign registration are separate steps in the TCR process. The brand description covers who your company is: legal name, EIN, business category, and website. The campaign description covers what a specific messaging program does. You can have one brand registration with multiple campaigns under it. The campaign description is where the details about message types, consent, and opt-out live.

Can a bad campaign description lead to TCPA liability?

Indirectly, yes. The description itself is a registration document, not a legal consent record, so it does not create or eliminate TCPA liability on its own. But a description that misrepresents your opt-in method can surface in litigation as evidence that your consent practices were inadequate. The TCPA, 47 U.S.C. § 227, allows $500 to $1,500 per message in statutory damages, so the downstream exposure from poor consent documentation is serious.

Does the FCC's one-to-one consent rule affect what I write in the campaign description?

Yes. The FCC's December 2023 order (FCC 23-107) requires that TCPA consent name each seller specifically rather than a broad list of partners. Your campaign description should reflect an opt-in path where your company is identified by name at the point of consent. If you purchased leads from a co-registration source that did not name you, claiming that consent in your description creates both a registration misrepresentation and a TCPA exposure. Write what your consent flow actually says.

What should I do if my 10DLC campaign gets rejected without a clear reason?

Start by checking all six common failure modes: vague description, prohibited content signals, sample message mismatch, missing opt-in detail, missing opt-out instructions, and URL mismatch between brand registration and description. Carrier rejection codes are often generic. If you have addressed all six and are still getting rejected, contact your aggregator's support team and ask for manual review escalation. Some aggregators offer pre-submission review services that can identify problems before you spend another vetting fee.

How often should I update my 10DLC campaign description?

Update the description any time your messaging program changes materially. Adding promotional content to a transactional campaign, changing the opt-in URL, switching from web form to keyword opt-in, or expanding to a new message category all require an updated description. As a baseline practice, audit the description every six months against your actual message content and opt-in flow. Campaigns approved under 2022 vetting standards may not reflect today's carrier expectations.

Do I need a separate 10DLC campaign for marketing versus transactional messages?

Not necessarily. A mixed-use campaign allows both promotional and non-promotional messages under one registration, but the description must explain both content types and the consent basis for each. Many compliance professionals prefer separate campaigns for marketing and transactional sends because it makes consent audits cleaner and reduces the risk that a single carrier rejection disrupts all message types at once.

Can I write one campaign description and reuse it across multiple clients or brands?

No. Each brand that registers through TCR gets its own brand registration, and campaign descriptions must be specific to that brand's use case, website, opt-in URL, and message content. If you are an agency or platform managing multiple clients, each client needs their own registration with a description that accurately reflects their specific program. Copy-pasting descriptions across brands is a red flag in carrier review and can trigger rejections for both.

What is the cost to register a 10DLC campaign, and does the description affect it?

TCR charges a one-time campaign vetting fee of roughly $15 to $25 depending on use case, plus a monthly recurring fee of approximately $10 to $15 per campaign per carrier. The description itself does not change the fee tier, but a rejected description means you pay the vetting fee again on resubmission. Special-handling campaigns in restricted categories may carry higher fees set by TCR's vetting partners.

Sources

1. The Campaign Registry, TCR Documentation: TCR requires brand and campaign registration for A2P 10DLC messaging; campaign descriptions are reviewed against use case type, opt-in mechanics, and sample messages
2. T-Mobile, A2P 10DLC Code of Conduct: Carriers including T-Mobile give themselves explicit authority to block or throttle unregistered or misrepresented A2P campaigns; restricted categories include SHAFT content and cannabis
3. U.S. Congress, Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 47 U.S.C. § 227: The TCPA allows statutory damages of $500 to $1,500 per violation for unsolicited autodialed or pre-recorded calls and texts to cell phones; prior express written consent is required for marketing messages
4. Twilio, A2P 10DLC Overview and Campaign Registration Guide: TCR campaign vetting fees range from $15 to $25 one-time plus $10 to $15 monthly per carrier; aggregator guidance recommends 250-400 word descriptions
5. FCC, Report and Order FCC 12-21 (2012 TCPA Prior Express Written Consent Order): FCC 12-21 clarified that prior express written consent under the TCPA must be signed (including electronic signatures) and must clearly authorize the specific sender, as codified at 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200
6. FCC, Report and Order FCC 23-107 (One-to-One Consent Order, December 2023): FCC 23-107 amended 47 C.F.R. § 64.1200 to require that TCPA consent name each seller individually rather than a broad list of partners; effective after implementation period
7. U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit, Insurance Marketing Coalition v. FCC (January 2025): The 11th Circuit vacated the one-to-one consent requirement specifically as applied to comparison shopping websites in January 2025, finding the FCC exceeded its authority in that narrow application
8. Bandwidth, 10DLC Campaign Registration Best Practices: Bandwidth aggregator documentation identifies vague descriptions and sample message mismatches as the top two reasons for 10DLC campaign rejection