# SMS and RCS Registration (/docs/guides/stay-compliant/sms-and-rcs-registration)



Completing 10DLC registration unlocks SMS in careCycle. Once approved, you can
send text messages from AI campaigns and directly from the Inbox. Welcome
messages, appointment reminders, plan updates, and one-off member conversations
all run from your Receptionist's number.

10DLC, or 10-Digit Long Code, registration is a federal requirement for all
business SMS in the US. Carriers use it to verify legitimate senders, and
messages from unregistered numbers are filtered out.

Registration is a one-time setup. careCycle's carrier partners handle the
filing on your behalf with zero cost passthrough.

Submit Your Registration [#submit-your-registration]

careCycle includes a guided registration flow in the app that walks you through
every field, in four steps: **Brand**, **Verification**, **Campaign & RCS**,
and **Complete**. Your progress saves as you go, so you can leave and come
back.

Navigate to
[Settings > Messaging > Registration & Compliance](https://app.carecycle.ai/settings/sms-settings).

What You'll Need: Brand Registration [#what-youll-need-brand-registration]

The first step registers your business. Everything here must match your tax
records exactly, so have a recent tax document handy:

* **Business information**: display name, legal company name, company type
  (private or public), business email, and website (must be a working
  `https://` address).
* **Tax information**: your EIN in `XX-XXXXXXX` format. Public companies also
  provide a stock symbol, exchange, and business contact email.
* **Primary contact**: first name, last name, and phone number of the person
  responsible for the registration.
* **Business address**: street, city, state, and 5-digit ZIP.

After you submit, brand verification usually completes in under a minute, and
the page updates automatically.

What You'll Need: Campaign & RCS [#what-youll-need-campaign--rcs]

Once your brand verifies, the second step describes how you message members:

* **Campaign description**: what you send and who your audience is, at least
  40 characters.
* **Message flow**: how members opt in, what types of messages they receive,
  and how they opt out. This is where your compliant opt-in story (below)
  gets written down.
* **Terms & Conditions URL** and **Privacy Policy URL** from your website.

{/* video: sms-registration-flow.mp4 - In-app SMS registration flow showing field-by-field guidance */}

**Timeline:** Brand verification is typically under a minute, and campaign and
RCS carrier review typically completes within 24 hours. Occasionally carriers
take longer, so start this in parallel with selecting your Receptionist's
number, so you are cleared for SMS by the time your book of business is
imported.

If carriers raise issues with your submission, our team will reach out directly
with what needs to be adjusted. There is no need to chase status. We will keep
you informed.

You can also customize the opt-out message appended to your texts from the
final status screen. Custom opt-out messages are capped at 160 characters and
must include the word STOP.

If you run into major questions, confusion, or blockers while filling out the
form, contact your careCycle representative or
[support@carecycle.ai](mailto:support@carecycle.ai).

<Callout title="Heads up">
  Until 10DLC is approved, your Receptionist can take inbound calls and place
  outbound calls, but SMS will be paused. Voice campaigns are unaffected.
</Callout>

FAQs [#faqs]

<FAQ>
  <FAQItem id="migrate-existing-10dlc-registration" question="Can I migrate an existing 10DLC registration from another platform?">
    No. Registrations cannot be transferred between platforms. You will need to
    complete careCycle's registration flow fresh.
  </FAQItem>

  <FAQItem id="send-messages-while-registration-is-pending" question="Can I send messages while registration is pending?">
    No. Carriers block all messages from unregistered numbers.
  </FAQItem>

  <FAQItem id="separate-registrations-for-message-types" question="Do different message types need separate registrations?">
    Usually no. Most agency use cases, including welcome messages, appointment
    reminders, member care, and plan updates, fall under a single campaign
    category.
  </FAQItem>
</FAQ>

Optionally Register for RCS [#optionally-register-for-rcs]

While registering for 10DLC, you can also opt into RCS, or Rich Communication
Services, in the same flow.

RCS is the modern successor to SMS, supported natively on iPhone and Android,
and it transforms what your messages can do.

**Benefits of RCS**

* **Verified branding.** Messages display your logo, business name, and brand
  colors, with a verified checkmark.
* **Rich media.** Send images, PDFs, carousels, and quick-reply buttons.
* **Better deliverability and read receipts.** RCS messages show delivered/read
  status and route over data rather than the SMS network.
* **Higher engagement.** RCS messages typically see significantly higher
  response rates than plain SMS.

To register for RCS, the Campaign & RCS step collects your agent branding,
with a live phone preview as you fill it in:

* **Agent identity**: display name, agent type (Multi Use is recommended and
  covers both marketing and member care), a short description shown in
  members' messaging settings, and a longer description submitted to carriers.
* **Branding assets**: a square logo (224 x 224 pixels recommended, JPEG or
  PNG), a banner image (1440 x 448 pixels recommended), and your brand color.
* **Contact & links**: contact email, website, and optional phone number and
  terms/privacy links (these default sensibly if left empty).

careCycle handles the rest.

For carriers and devices that do not yet support RCS, your messages
automatically fall back to standard SMS, so there is no downside to enabling it.

{/* image: sms-rcs-comparison.png - Side-by-side comparison of the same welcome message rendered as plain SMS and RCS. */}

Proving Compliant Opt-In [#proving-compliant-opt-in]

Carriers require proof that your members consented to receive SMS.

The number one reason 10DLC registrations get flagged is coupling SMS opt-in
language with TCPA voice opt-in language. They must be separate, with their own
checkbox or verbal capture.

Every opt-in must meet five requirements:

1. **Optional.** Not a condition of submitting a form, completing a call, or
   making a purchase.
2. **Revocable.** Members can opt out at any time with clear instructions.
3. **Clear.** It must be obvious that the member is consenting to SMS.
4. **Self-contained.** SMS opt-in cannot be bundled with voice or TCPA opt-in.
5. **Specific.** Describe the types of messages members will receive.

careCycle supports two opt-in paths: landing page and verbal.

Path A: Landing Page Opt-In [#path-a-landing-page-opt-in]

If you collect leads through a web form, you need a compliant landing page.

We built a reference implementation at [carecycle.ai/esh](https://carecycle.ai/esh)
that you can use as a model, including the privacy policy, terms of service, and
the checkbox structure carriers expect.

Your form needs two separate checkboxes, each unchecked by default.

Checkbox 1: Marketing and SMS Opt-In [#checkbox-1-marketing-and-sms-opt-in]

This checkbox is optional.

> By checking this box, I consent to receive marketing and promotional text
> messages from \[Company Name], including information about insurance services
> and coordination with a licensed agent. Message frequency may vary. Message
> and data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help or STOP to opt out. Consent is
> not required for purchasing products or services.

Checkbox 2: Terms and Privacy Agreement [#checkbox-2-terms-and-privacy-agreement]

This checkbox is required.

> I agree with the \[Terms of Service] and \[Privacy Policy].

Replace `[Company Name]` with your DBA, and link Terms of Service and Privacy
Policy to your own pages. If you do not have compliant Terms and Privacy pages
yet, you can model yours on the example site. Your account manager can share
source templates.

{/* image: sms-opt-in-landing-page.png - carecycle.ai/esh landing page with the optional and required checkboxes highlighted. */}

Path B: Verbal Opt-In [#path-b-verbal-opt-in]

If your agents capture consent during enrollment calls, that verbal opt-in
counts, provided the script meets the five requirements above and the consent is
documented on a publicly accessible landing page, such as
`https://yourwebsite.com/sms-consent`.

**Recommended agent script**

> You will receive a text from one of our virtual assistants to welcome you to
> your plan, provide next steps, and give you a space to ask any questions
> before your package arrives from the carrier. Any questions you ask will go
> directly to me, your agent, so we can help you faster. You can reply STOP to
> opt out or HELP for help. Terms and Privacy are at \[yourwebsite.com]. Do you
> agree?
>
> Member: "Yes."
>
> Great, you will receive informational text messages from our agents at the
> phone number you provided.

The call recording becomes your record of consent. careCycle stores these
recordings in the customer's record for audit purposes.

Automatic SMS Compliance [#automatic-sms-compliance]

Once you are registered, the platform handles ongoing compliance in every
message:

* **Sender identification.** Your business name or consumer-facing DBA is
  prepended to each message automatically.
* **Opt-out handling.** "Reply STOP to opt out" is appended automatically, and
  members who reply STOP are added to your `doNotSMS` list instantly.
* **Deliverability monitoring.** For large-scale campaigns, we proactively
  monitor SMS deliverability and intervene with carriers when rates drop.

{/* video: sms-compliance-send-flow.mp4 - SMS being sent through careCycle with sender ID prepended and STOP suffix appended automatically. */}

Related [#related]

<Card title="Campaigns Pulse" href="/docs/guides/campaign-toolkit/pulse">
  Use SMS nodes and pre-call SMS in your Pulse workflows.
</Card>