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SMS Compliance Guide

Everything you need to know about SMS compliance, TCPA regulations, and A2P 10DLC requirements when using SMS Relay for your business communications.

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Table of Contents

1. TCPA Overview2. Consent Requirements3. A2P 10DLC Compliance4. Best Practices5. Opt-out Management6. Record Keeping7. Common Violations8. SMS Relay Features

1. TCPA Overview

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) is a federal law that regulates telemarketing calls, auto-dialed calls, prerecorded calls, text messages, and fax messages. It was enacted to protect consumers from unwanted communications.

⚠️ Important

TCPA violations can result in fines of $500-$1,500 per message. Compliance is not optional.

Key TCPA Requirements for SMS:

  • Prior express written consent for marketing messages
  • Clear identification of the sender
  • Easy opt-out mechanism (STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, etc.)
  • Immediate processing of opt-out requests
  • Proper record keeping of consent and opt-outs

3. A2P 10DLC Compliance

Application-to-Person (A2P) 10DLC is a system in the United States that allows businesses to send Application-to-Person (A2P) messaging via standard 10-digit long code (10DLC) phone numbers.

📱 SMS Relay A2P 10DLC Status

SMS Relay maintains registered A2P 10DLC campaigns with major carriers to ensure reliable message delivery and compliance with carrier requirements.

A2P 10DLC Requirements:

  • Business registration with The Campaign Registry (TCR)
  • Campaign registration describing message use cases
  • Consent collection mechanisms must be verifiable
  • Opt-out handling must be automated and immediate
  • Message content must match registered campaign description

✅ How SMS Relay Helps

  • • Pre-registered campaigns for common business use cases
  • • Automatic opt-out handling (STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL)
  • • Consent collection tools and documentation
  • • Message content filtering to ensure campaign compliance

4. Best Practices

✅ Do's

  • Always obtain proper consent before sending messages
  • Include clear sender identification in every message
  • Provide easy opt-out instructions
  • Honor opt-out requests immediately
  • Keep detailed records of consent and opt-outs
  • Send messages during reasonable hours (8 AM - 9 PM)
  • Use clear, professional language
  • Test your opt-out mechanisms regularly

❌ Don'ts

  • Never send messages without proper consent
  • Don't use misleading or deceptive content
  • Don't ignore opt-out requests
  • Don't send messages to numbers that have opted out
  • Don't send excessive message volumes
  • Don't use URL shorteners that hide destinations
  • Don't send messages outside reasonable hours
  • Don't assume consent transfers between businesses

5. Opt-out Management

Proper opt-out handling is critical for TCPA compliance. Recipients must be able to easily stop receiving messages.

🚨 Critical Requirement

Opt-out requests must be processed immediately and automatically. Manual processing is not sufficient.

Standard Opt-out Keywords:

STOPSTOPALLUNSUBSCRIBECANCELENDQUITREMOVEUNSUB

SMS Relay Opt-out Features:

  • Automatic recognition of opt-out keywords
  • Immediate processing and confirmation messages
  • Permanent opt-out list maintenance
  • Integration with Slack for opt-out notifications
  • Detailed opt-out reporting and analytics

6. Record Keeping

Maintaining detailed records is essential for demonstrating compliance and defending against potential claims.

Required Records:

Consent Records

  • • Date and time of consent
  • • Method of consent collection
  • • Phone number and customer information
  • • Specific consent language used
  • • IP address and user agent (for web forms)

Opt-out Records

  • • Date and time of opt-out request
  • • Method of opt-out (SMS reply, web form, etc.)
  • • Exact opt-out message received
  • • Confirmation message sent
  • • Processing time and status

📋 Retention Period

Keep all consent and opt-out records for at least 4 years. Some states may require longer retention periods.

7. Common Violations

Understanding common TCPA violations helps you avoid costly mistakes and maintain compliance.

🚫 Lack of Proper Consent

Sending messages without obtaining proper prior express written consent for marketing messages.

🚫 Inadequate Opt-out Mechanisms

Not providing clear opt-out instructions or failing to process opt-out requests immediately.

🚫 Poor Record Keeping

Failing to maintain adequate records of consent collection and opt-out processing.

🚫 Misleading Content

Using deceptive subject lines, sender names, or message content that misleads recipients.

8. SMS Relay Compliance Features

SMS Relay is designed with compliance in mind, providing tools and features to help you maintain TCPA compliance.

🛡️ Built-in Compliance

  • • Automatic opt-out keyword recognition
  • • Immediate opt-out processing
  • • Consent collection form tools
  • • A2P 10DLC campaign management
  • • Message content filtering

📊 Reporting & Analytics

  • • Detailed consent and opt-out logs
  • • Message delivery reports
  • • Compliance dashboard
  • • Audit trail maintenance
  • • Export capabilities for records

🚀 Get Started with Compliant SMS

Ready to start sending compliant SMS messages? Use our tools to collect proper consent and maintain compliance.

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⚖️ Legal Disclaimer

This guide provides general information about SMS compliance and TCPA requirements. It is not legal advice. SMS compliance requirements can vary by jurisdiction and may change over time. Consult with qualified legal counsel for specific compliance guidance related to your business and use case. SMS Relay provides tools to help with compliance but cannot guarantee compliance for all use cases.