If your platform powers SMS messaging for political campaigns, PACs, or advocacy groups, navigating A2P 10DLC compliance is critical—but often confusing. 

At Telgorithm, we help political software companies stay ahead of these requirements. Below, we answer the most common questions we’ve been hearing in this space. 

What is 10DLC and why does it apply to political software?

10DLC (10-digit long code) is the sanctioned messaging channel for A2P (application-to-person) messaging in the U.S. It’s required for any business—or political organization—sending SMS or MMS messages to consumers via software.

If your platform sends SMS on behalf of political clients—whether for fundraising, voter outreach, or volunteer recruitment—your messages are regulated with additional layers of scrutiny, and Brands must meet special requirements to be approved. 

Can political organizations register for 10DLC?

10DLC registration through The Campaign Registry (TCR) is mandatory for all 10DLC messaging, and yes, political organizations are eligible—but there are special Brand vetting requirements for political use cases. To qualify, a Brand must:

• Be a non-profit organization (selected during Brand registration during the Legal Form of the Organization selector. 
• Be either 1) a verified 501(c)(3), (4), (5), or (6) organization, or 2) have completed a Political vet (online through the CSP portal, through the CSP API, or through an external partner).  

During Brand registration, if a Brand’s Tax Exempt Status is confirmed as a 501(c)(3), (4), (5), or (6), the Brand can immediately start registering Campaigns with the Political use case. 

If the Tax Exempt Status is “N/A”, then the Brand’s status is not confirmed and they must complete a Political vet. 

How do I request a Political Vet? 

If a Brand’s Tax Exempt Status was not confirmed during Brand registration, the next step is to complete a Political vet to be able to submit Campaigns.

Political vets can be requested through TCR (via the CSP portal or CSP API) with Aegis Mobile. The purpose of these third-party vets is to validate that the political Campaigns are exactly what they say they are. 

If a Brand wishes to use Campaign Verify as their vetting partner, they must contact them directly and then import a token. Note: after verifying with Campaign Verify, the organization will receive a single-use token that expires after 90 days. If a second token is needed, your customer (the Brand) can request a new one directly from Campaign Verify. 

Aegis Mobile and Campaign Verify are the only political vetting partners supported by TCR. 

At Telgorithm, we walk our partners through this process to avoid missteps that could stall approvals.

What are the approved use cases for political messaging?

Under 10DLC, political messaging is a distinct use case category. It includes:

• Voter outreach
• Fundraising
• Volunteer recruitment
• Polling and surveys
• GOTV (Get Out The Vote) efforts

Campaigns must clearly disclose their messaging purpose during registration, and all traffic must remain compliant with CTIA and carrier guidelines.

What happens if we skip registration?

Unregistered messaging is no longer viable on U.S. long codes. No messaging provider or Direct Connect Aggregator (DCA)  will allow unregistered traffic into the ecosystem. 

How can Telgorithm help?

Telgorithm is a 10DLC-first API provider that helps political software companies:

• Register and launch compliant Campaigns fast
• Navigate political Brand verification and Campaign vetting 
• Optimize throughput and deliverability
• Stay ahead of regulatory changes

We work exclusively with registered Campaign Service Providers (CSPs) and are multi-threaded with three major DCAs, giving our partners the flexibility and visibility they need to scale political messaging with confidence.

Need help getting your political SMS campaigns compliant? We’re happy to walk you through the process—contact us today to get started.