Text Messaging Compliance Made Simple
AlertBolt is built to meet all legal requirements for text messaging in the USA (TCPA) and Canada (CASL). We handle the complex regulations so you can focus on your message.
What This Means for You
Text messaging laws exist to protect people from spam. Here's how we help you follow the rules without the headache.
Get Permission First
Only send texts to people who've explicitly agreed to hear from you. We help you collect and track this consent.
Make Opting Out Easy
If someone wants to stop receiving your messages, they should be able to easily. We handle "STOP" requests automatically.
Register Your Business
To send business texts in the USA, you must register with The Campaign Registry. We guide you through this step-by-step.
United States Requirements
TCPA & 10DLC Registration (Updated October 2025)
What is TCPA?
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) is a US federal law that protects people from unwanted calls and texts. It requires businesses to get permission before texting and makes it easy for people to opt out.
- • Get written permission before texting
- • Honor "STOP" requests within 10 business days
- • Don't text before 8 AM or after 9 PM (local time)
- • Identify yourself clearly in messages
$500 to $1,500 per message sent without permission. A single campaign could result in millions in fines.
10DLC Registration: MANDATORY for All US Business Texting
10DLC stands for "10-Digit Long Code" - that's the standard phone number format you're used to seeing. CURRENTLY ENFORCED: ALL unregistered 10DLC numbers are BLOCKED by US carriers. Messages from unregistered numbers will not be delivered.
Phone carriers (AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon) created this system through The Campaign Registry (TCR) to reduce spam and ensure only legitimate businesses send texts. ALL businesses sending A2P (Application-to-Person) SMS/MMS messages to US numbers via 10DLC must register, regardless of message volume. Unregistered numbers are automatically blocked.
Tell us about your business: legal name, address, tax ID (EIN), and website. This proves you're a real, legitimate company. Must match IRS records exactly.
Describe what kind of messages you'll send (appointment reminders, marketing offers, security alerts, etc.) and show example messages. Each use case needs its own campaign.
The following industries are NOT eligible for 10DLC registration and will be rejected: Cannabis/Hemp, Firearms, Payday loans, Third-party debt collections, and other high-risk verticals.
- ✓ Simple forms - We ask plain-English questions, no technical jargon
- ✓ We submit for you - No need to navigate government websites
- ✓ Track status - See approval progress in your dashboard
- ✓ Fees included - Your first brand and campaign are free on Professional plans
Toll-Free Number (TFN) Verification: MANDATORY for All SMS/MMS
CURRENTLY ENFORCED: ALL unverified toll-free numbers (1-800, 1-888, etc.) are BLOCKED from sending SMS/MMS. Only fully verified TFNs can send traffic.
ALL toll-free numbers regardless of use case. This applies to both newly purchased and existing hosted TFNs. Required for all SMS-related traffic to ensure proper message delivery.
Effective December 31, 2025, the following additional fields will be REQUIRED for toll-free verification:
- Business Registration Number
- Issuing Country of Business Registration
- Entity Type
All toll-free SMS messages must include:
- Clear opt-out instructions in every message (e.g., "Reply STOP to unsubscribe")
- Auto-responses for keywords: START, STOP, HELP
- Company identification
Not-Registered/Unverified: All messages are BLOCKED by carriers. Newly purchased TFNs are fully restricted from sending SMS until verification is approved. Unregistered toll-free traffic is filtered or blocked to prevent spam.
- ✓ Guided forms - We collect all required information upfront
- ✓ We submit for you - Direct submission to carrier verification systems
- ✓ Status tracking - Monitor verification progress in your dashboard
- ✓ Automatic compliance - STOP/HELP keywords handled automatically
- ✓ No fees - Toll-free verification is FREE (included in all plans)
10DLC vs. Toll-Free: Key Differences
| Feature | 10DLC | Toll-Free |
|---|---|---|
| Number Format | 10-digit local numbers | 1-8XX numbers |
| Registration Body | The Campaign Registry (TCR) | Carrier-managed registry |
| Processing Time | 3-7 days (up to 4 weeks total) | 2-10 business days |
| Cost | $4 brand + $15 campaign | FREE verification |
| Throughput | Campaign-dependent (varies by trust score) | Typically 3 msg/sec unverified, higher when verified |
| Use Cases | All A2P messaging | Customer service, notifications, marketing |
| Prohibited Industries | Yes (cannabis, firearms, etc.) | No explicit prohibitions |
New Rules (Effective April 2025)
10-Day Opt-Out Window (Reduced from 30 Days)
When someone texts "STOP", you now have 10 business days (not 30) to remove them from your list. AlertBolt does this instantly - within seconds, not days.
Accept Any Opt-Out Request
It's not just "STOP" anymore. You must honor any reasonable opt-out request, like "UNSUBSCRIBE", "CANCEL", "REMOVE", "QUIT", or even "leave me alone".
One-to-One Consent (No More Shared Consent)
Permission to receive texts must be specific to each sender. If someone agrees to texts from "Acme Corp", that doesn't mean "Acme Marketing" or "Acme Support" can text them too.
Canada Requirements
CASL - Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation
What is CASL?
Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) is one of the strictest anti-spam laws in the world. It requires explicit consent before sending commercial messages to Canadian phone numbers. CASL applies to all commercial electronic messages (CEMs) including SMS/MMS, emails, social media messages, and instant messages that encourage participation in commercial activity.
- • 1. Consent: Get express consent before texting (specific to SMS)
- • 2. Identification: Clearly identify yourself in every message
- • 3. Unsubscribe: Provide easy opt-out mechanism (STOP/ARRÊT)
- • 4. Records: Keep detailed consent documentation (3-year retention)
Up to $1 million per violation for individuals and $10 million per violation for businesses. CASL is actively enforced.
Canadian Number Registration Requirements
Good news for Canada-only operations: If you only send to Canadian numbers, you can skip 10DLC registration entirely! AlertBolt activates Canadian numbers instantly with no waiting period.
Instant activation! No 10DLC registration required. Start sending immediately. Perfect for Canadian organizations that only serve Canada.
New Canadian 10DLC numbers require A2P registration to send messages to Canadian recipients. Applies only to 10DLC, not toll-free.
Toll-free numbers (1-8XX) are NOT affected by Canadian A2P 10DLC registration requirements.They follow the separate toll-free verification process (2-10 business days, FREE).
All toll-free SMS must comply with CASL regardless of verification status.
Two Types of Consent
Express Consent (Best Option)
This is when someone clearly and specifically agrees to receive texts from you. This consent never expires unless they withdraw it.
- ✓ Checkbox on your website: "I agree to receive text messages from [Your Company]"
- ✓ Text-to-join: They text a keyword to your number to opt-in
- ✓ Written form: They sign a paper agreeing to texts
- ✓ Verbal with confirmation: They say yes, and you send a confirmation text
Implied Consent (Limited Time)
Under certain circumstances, you have implied consent to text someone even if they haven't explicitly opted in. But this consent expires and should be converted to express consent.
You can text customers for 2 years after their most recent purchase or transaction. This is for transactional messages related to that business relationship.
If someone gives you their phone number (business card, inquiry form), you have 6 months to follow up via text.
What Every Text Must Include
Every text must clearly identify who sent it (your business name) and why.
Provide a way to contact you (email, phone, or mailing address).
Include "Reply STOP to opt out" or similar clear instructions.
Keep detailed records showing when and how each person consented.
- ✓ Consent tracking: Record exactly when, how, and where each person opted in (date, time, source, manner of consent)
- ✓ Automatic identification: Your business name is included in every message per CASL requirements
- ✓ Bilingual support (EN/FR): STOP/ARRÊT, HELP/AIDE, INFO keywords for Quebec compliance. French-language consent tracking available.
- ✓ Built-in opt-outs: Automatic processing of STOP, END, QUIT, UNSUBSCRIBE, ARRÊT (French), and similar keywords
- ✓ 3-Year audit trail: CRTC-compliant record keeping with full logs of all consent and opt-out events
- ✓ Expiration tracking: Implied consent automatically managed with warnings (2 years for customers, 6 months for prospects)
- ✓ Double opt-in support: CWTA handset verifier compliance for carrier requirements
- ✓ Quiet hours: Respect 9 AM - 9 PM local time restrictions
All text messaging programs in Canada must comply with CWTA regulations:
- Double opt-in: Programs require opt-in with handset verifier (double opt-in)
- Mandatory keywords: STOP, INFO, AIDE, ARRÊT, and HELP must be supported
- Carrier compliance: Fido, Rogers, Telus, and Videotron networks
- CASL alignment: All programs must be CASL-compliant
Over 208,000 complaints have been filed with Canada's Spam Reporting Centre in recent months, with approximately 39% related to SMS messages.
Canadian authorities take CASL seriously. Businesses have been fined millions for violations. Don't risk it - ensure you have proper consent before texting Canadian numbers.
How AlertBolt Protects You
Compliance isn't just about following rules - it's about protecting your business and respecting your customers. Here's how we help.
Automatic Compliance Checks
Before any message is sent, AlertBolt verifies that the recipient has valid consent, hasn't opted out, and that you're registered to text them. If something's wrong, we block the message and tell you why.
Complete Audit Trail
Every message, consent event, and opt-out is logged with full details: who, what, when, where, and why. If regulators ask, you'll have proof of compliance for every single text.
Smart Opt-Out Detection
People don't always type "STOP" exactly. They might say "unsubscribe", "cancel", or "please remove me". Our intelligent keyword detection catches all variations and automatically suppresses the contact.
Quiet Hours Protection
TCPA prohibits texting before 8 AM or after 9 PM in the recipient's local time zone. AlertBolt automatically determines the time zone and either holds messages or warns you before sending.
Security & Certifications
Compliance goes hand-in-hand with security. Your data and your customers' privacy are protected.
AlertBolt is SOC 2 Type II certified, demonstrating our commitment to security, availability, and confidentiality.
All data in transit uses TLS 1.3 encryption. All data at rest is encrypted with AES-256.
Your data is completely isolated from other customers. Multi-tenant architecture with strict access controls.
Annual penetration testing, quarterly vulnerability scans, and continuous security monitoring.
Questions About Compliance?
Our compliance team is here to help you navigate TCPA, CASL, 10DLC, and any other regulations. Let's talk.