10DLC Overview for Political Customers

What is 10DLC?

10DLC (10 digit long code) stands for a phone number with a local area code like 347-999-9999 that has been approved for sending texts at scale. Registration is required to access a 10DLC phone number. Please note that registrations can take upwards of 3-5 business days to be approved during normal periods and longer during busy times like the final weeks before Election Day.

illustration of a certificate for 10DLC compliance

To register for 10DLC, political campaigns, PACs, or parties will need to provide:

Legal organization name

EIN / Tax ID

Physical address

Campaign Verify Token

Explanation of why you’re texting – i.e. fundraising, event recruitment

Explanation of how people sign up for texts – i.e. by entering a phone number into a website or signing up at in-person events

Two sample text scripts

To register, first get a token from Campaign Verify, then fill out our 10DLC form.

Here’s a guide to getting registered

What is Campaign Verify?

Campaign Verify is the vetting organization responsible for confirming the identity of political campaigns, PACs, and parties. Learn more here.

When will I register for 10DLC?

While most registrations take between 3-5 days to get approved once they’re submitted to us, it can take up to two weeks to receive a Campaign Verify token depending on what information is available in your committee’s public filing. We recommend getting started with Campaign Verify early so there are no delays in texting! Once you have the token, you can register using this form.

How do I register with Campaign Verify?

To register with Campaign Verify, you’ll submit a committee public filing that can be accessed online. Get started by visiting Campaign Verify, signing up, and filling out a verification request. Full instructions are available here.

If you have specific questions about Campaign Verify, you can reach their support team at support@campaignverify.org.

Here are some handy Campaign Verify resources:

Video on registering a Federal campaign or PAC

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Video on registering a State/Local campaign, PAC, or party

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Check out the FAQ on Campaign Verify. If you have questions about Campaign Verify, you can reach their support team at support@campaignverify.org.

Do I have to register for 10DLC?

We strongly recommend registering for 10DLC for the best possible deliverability on local phone numbers. If you need to get started before your registration is approved, our Quick Start option may be for you.

Are there any costs associated with 10DLC?

Registering as a political entity for 10DLC requires paying $95 directly to Campaign Verify. Scale to Win will cover the other 10DLC fees associated with registering for 10DLC.

POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS, PACs, or PARTIES:

$95 vetting fee paid directly to Campaign Verify. This verification is good through January 2025.
Scale to Win will cover the rest!

Total upfront cost: $95

What if I can’t register for 10DLC?

If you’re a group without an online filing for Campaign Verify, without an EIN, or otherwise cannot register for 10DLC, our Quick Start option may be for you. Reach out to us at support@scaletowin.com to discuss the best approach for your use case.

What if I’m a consultant who provides texting for my customers?

Our platform is set up to make it easy to register multiple entities from your account. Note that you’ll need to register each unique sender individually. After you complete your Scale to Win contract, be sure to let our team know you’ll need to register multiple customers and we’ll be happy to walk you through the process! You can also read more here.

What about toll-free texting?

Texting with a toll-free number means that instead of texting with a local area code, you’ll text from phone numbers with area codes like 833, 844, or 866 (you won’t ever be texting with a 800 number). These phone numbers otherwise look identical to an ordinary ten-digit phone number with a local area code.

Registration is required to access a toll-free number. At present, it takes around 5 business days for toll-free registrations to be approved. You can read more about toll-free texting here.