Definition
10DLC, short for 10-digit long code, is the US carrier registration system for business text messages sent from standard 10-digit phone numbers. Businesses register their brand and each texting campaign with The Campaign Registry through their messaging provider, and carriers can filter or block texts from unregistered senders.
Pasch Group Dealer Glossary · checked against primary sources October 2026
What it means for a dealership
Registration lets carriers vet business senders before their texts reach customers. A dealership doesn’t register directly. Its texting provider, which may be the CRM, a texting platform or an AI assistant vendor, submits the store’s brand details and a description of each campaign, such as sales follow-up or service reminders.
Most dealers text from several tools, and each sending number needs to sit under a registered campaign. Carriers can filter or block traffic from unregistered numbers, so a gap in registration can hurt lead follow-up and service reminders.
Registration isn’t consent. 10DLC decides whether carriers will deliver a dealership’s texts. The TCPA and state laws decide whether the dealership may send them, so marketing texts still need the right consent and a way to opt out.
Sources
This explains the rule in plain English. It isn’t legal advice: check how it applies to your dealership with your counsel.
Updated October 11, 2026