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TL;DR — A2P 10DLC is the required US carrier registration to send SMS from GoHighLevel — mandatory, not optional. Two parts: Brand (who you are) + Campaign (what you send, auto-submitted after brand approval). Pick Standard (have an EIN, higher limits) or Sole Proprietor (no EIN, stricter limits). Cost ~$24.50 one-time + small carrier fees (no GHL markup). Approval ~3 business days. The #1 rejection cause: weak/missing SMS opt-in evidence — fix that first.
What is A2P 10DLC?
A2P 10DLC (Application-to-Person, 10-digit long code) is the US carrier registration required to send business text messages from standard local numbers. In GoHighLevel it's mandatory before you can reliably text US recipients (including from Canadian numbers). Skip it and carriers filter or block your messages. It has two parts: a Brand (verifies your business identity) and a Campaign (describes your message types).
Standard Brand vs Sole Proprietor — pick the right path
| Standard Brand | Sole Proprietor | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Registered business with an EIN (LLC, corp) | Individual / one-person, no EIN |
| Sending limits | Higher throughput | Stricter daily caps |
| Best for | Agencies, established businesses | Solo operators just starting |
Have an EIN? Go Standard. No EIN and texting under your own name? Sole Proprietor.
Step-by-step registration
- Choose brand type (Standard vs Sole Proprietor, above).
- Submit brand registration in LC Phone / Phone Numbers settings — use your exact legal business name, EIN (Standard), address, and contact details that match public records.
- Campaign auto-submits once the brand is approved — GoHighLevel handles it; you don't submit manually.
- Wait ~3 business days (with the Fast Track fee) for Standard approval, then send a test SMS.
HighLevel's official A2P registration guide has the exact screens; confirm current steps and fees there.
The #1 reason registrations get rejected (fix this first)
Weak or missing SMS opt-in evidence is the most common rejection cause. Carriers want proof that recipients agreed to be texted. Before you register: add clear SMS opt-in language to your lead forms (e.g. "By submitting, you agree to receive SMS from [Business]. Reply STOP to opt out."), publish a privacy policy that states you don't share data for SMS marketing, and make sure your legal business name and EIN match public records exactly. Get those right and most rejections disappear.
- Business name/EIN that doesn't match records → rejection.
- No visible SMS opt-in on forms → rejection.
- Missing or non-compliant privacy policy → rejection.
- Message samples that look like unsolicited promotion → rejection.
What it costs
About $24.50 one-time for brand registration (includes the $3 Fast Track fee), plus small monthly campaign fees and per-message carrier charges — passed through with no GoHighLevel markup. You pay carrier rates, not a platform surcharge. Budget the one-time fee and minor ongoing SMS usage costs into your plan math.
Do this before you build SMS automations: register A2P first, get approved, then build your missed-call text-back and follow-up workflows. Building SMS flows before approval means they'll silently fail to deliver.
Start GoHighLevel Free & Register A2P Early →30-day trial · get SMS compliance done before you build flows
Frequently asked questions
Is A2P 10DLC required?
Yes, for US SMS — carriers block unregistered business texting. Mandatory regardless of volume.
Standard or Sole Proprietor?
Standard if you have an EIN (higher limits); Sole Proprietor if you don't (stricter caps).
How much does it cost?
~$24.50 one-time + small carrier/campaign fees, no GHL markup.
How long for approval?
~3 business days for Standard with Fast Track.
Why was I rejected?
Usually weak SMS opt-in, mismatched business/EIN details, or a missing privacy policy. Fix opt-in evidence first.