Sole Proprietor brands are designed for individuals and small businesses in the United States and Canada who don't possess a business Tax ID (such as an EIN). To qualify for Sole Proprietor registration, you must meet the following criteria:
No Tax ID: If you have a Tax ID, you should opt for a Low Volume Standard Brand instead.
OTP Verification: Confirm your identity using a One-Time Password (OTP) verification step.
Valid Details: Ensure that your Starter Brand includes accurate and valid information, including your business name, first name, last name, email address, phone number, and a valid U.S. address (including P.O. boxes).
Please note: only addresses in the U.S./Canada are permitted for Sole Proprietor registration.
Follow these steps to determine the right registration path for your A2P brand:
If your business has a Tax Number (EIN for the US, CCN for Canada, etc.), choose "Yes, my business has a US EIN."
If your business doesn't have a Tax Number but operates from a valid Business Address in the US/Canada, select "No, my business doesn't have a US EIN" (Sole Proprietor Brand Registration).
If your business lacks a Tax ID and its address isn't in the US/Canada, unfortunately, A2P Brand Registration isn't possible. In such cases, consider using Toll-Free numbers after completing the registration process. Explore Toll-Free Number Registration.
Make sure you are following the correct process in your campaign depending on whether you have an EIN or not.
The following fees apply for Sole Proprietor brands:
One-time Sole Proprietor Brand registration fee: $4.41 (Starter Brands converted by Twilio are exempt from this fee)
One-time Campaign vetting fee: $16.55 (existing Campaigns are exempt from this fee at this time)
Monthly Sole Proprietor Campaign fees: $2.25 (applicable to both existing and new Campaigns)
Sole Proprietor brands have specific limitations:
One Sole Proprietor Campaign per Brand.
One Phone Number per Campaign.
A throughput limit of 1 Message Per Second (1 MPS).
We've simplified the A2P brand registration process. Follow these steps:
Go to Sub-Account Settings ➡️ Phone Numbers ➡️ Trust Center in your account.
Click on Start Registration on the card labeled "A2P Brand and Campaign Registration (SMS)."
Select "No, the business I'm registering does not have a Tax ID (E.g., EIN, CCN, etc.)."
Fill in the required information:
Email: Use a valid, well-formatted email address.
Phone number: Provide a valid U.S. or Canadian business/contact phone number. This can be a landline, mobile, or other number.
Address: Ensure the address is valid and in the U.S. or Canada. It can be a PO Box.
Under "Brand name," use your real business name if you're a Sole Proprietor business. If you're an individual (e.g., a hobbyist or college student), provide your first and last name. Do not use unique identifiers like an account ID or email address.
For the "Mobile number," provide a valid U.S. or Canadian mobile number. This number will be used for SMS verification, so it must be reachable and not acquired from a CPaaS provider like Twilio.
You may use the same number for both the Phone Number field and the Mobile Number field, provided that this number satisfies all of the requirements here
Click on Next and proceed through the registration process.
Click on See examples to take a look at the templates
Keep an eye out for an SMS from TCR requesting your approval. Respond with "Yes" to approve your brand for messaging.
Important Note: Your mobile number is crucial for the registration process and will be used for One-Time Password (OTP) verification. Ensure it is a valid U.S. or Canadian mobile number, as it can only be used a maximum of three times across all A2P Brand registrations with TCR.
Your email address and business address can only be used a maximum of 10 times across all A2P Brand registrations with TCR. If your customer is registered for A2P 10DLC with another vendor, that counts towards this limit.
If your Sole Proprietor registration failed, here are some common reasons:
Using custom variables: Ensure you use actual names and the correct company name.
Opt-out language not included: Include opt-out language in message templates.
Usage limits: Avoid using the same email, phone number, or address in more than ten A2P Sole Proprietor registrations. Avoid using the same number for OTP verification in more than 3 cases.
Invalid email: Use a public domain for your email (e.g., Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo) as private email domains are typically not eligible for Sole Prop Brand registration.
Invalid phone number: Use a direct line (hard number) rather than a Google Voice or other VOIP number for OTP verification.
Please Note: If your brand doesn't qualify for Sole Proprietor registration (e.g., you have a registered Tax ID or are not located in the U.S. or Canada), your submission will continue to fail. In such cases, consider registering as a Standard Brand instead.
