If 10DLC looks like a lot, there is another path. Toll-free verification (TFV) lets you text US and Canada numbers from a toll-free number after a single, shorter form. Carriers still require it before you send, but approval takes days rather than weeks and does not depend on a trust score.
Number. 10DLC uses a local number (+1 404 ...). TFV uses a toll-free number (+1 855 ...).
Feel. Local reads like a colleague texting. Toll-free reads like a bank or airline.
Setup time. 10DLC: brand vetting plus campaign registration, often one to three weeks. TFV: one form, usually one to three business days if clean.
Throughput. 10DLC scales with your trust score. TFV is flat, around three messages per second by default, with increases on request.
Fees. 10DLC has one-time carrier registration fees. TFV has none beyond the number. Any carrier fee is passed through at cost and shown before you confirm.
Geography. A local area code can match the recipient's. Toll-free is location-neutral.
You send low to medium volume. Three messages per second covers typical sales and support work.
You sell nationally, so a local area code matters less.
Your business is new or small, or your web presence is thin. 10DLC brand vetting is harder in that case.
You want to be texting this week.
Most of your messages are transactional: confirmations, reminders.
You need a local area code for credibility (real estate, local services, regional sales).
You send high volume and need more than TFV's default throughput.
You run marketing at scale. Carriers filter toll-free promotional traffic more aggressively.
Buy a toll-free number in Settings → Phone & Voicemail, then start verification from the same page. You provide:
Business name and address, matching your website.
Website URL. Reviewers visit it. It needs a clear business description, Privacy Policy and Terms.
Use case. Be specific: "appointment reminders and quotes for our HVAC business" beats "customer communications".
Opt-in method, with a screenshot of the form if you have one.
Sample messages, two or three, each identifying your business and ending with "Reply STOP to opt out."
Estimated monthly volume.
Expect one to three business days if everything is clean, one to two weeks if the reviewer asks for clarification, and a rejection if your site does not load, your opt-in language is missing, or your use case is restricted.
Unverified toll-free numbers can send a small trickle, enough to test your flow and no more. Do not push volume before approval or you will fail verification.
Website missing elements. Add a business description, contact info, Privacy Policy and Terms, then resubmit.
Opt-in evidence weak. Add the screenshot. Make the consent language explicit.
Restricted category. Lending, debt relief, crypto, gambling and adult services get extra scrutiny. Provide licensing and a business model explanation.
Samples lack opt-out. Every sample needs "Reply STOP to opt out" or equivalent.
Resubmit from the same page. You keep the number.
No brand registration with The Campaign Registry, no per-campaign registration, no trust score gating throughput, and sole proprietors can register without an EIN. The messaging hygiene from the 10DLC guide still applies: identify yourself, include opt-out instructions, get consent first, skip generic link shorteners.
A2P 10DLC registration guide
Buy or port a phone number
Send your first SMS
