Registering your SMS Sender ID with ACMA

Registering your SMS Sender ID with ACMA

From 1 July 2026, new ACMA rules apply to any business sending SMS using a branded Sender ID (your business, venue, or group name instead of a phone number). This guide explains what you need to do to keep your branded Sender ID active and what happens if registration is not completed in time.

Who this applies to
This only applies to Australian venues/accounts that send SMS using a branded SMS Sender ID. If your venue does not send SMS, does not use a branded Sender ID, or outside of Australia, no action is required.

Topics

  1. Why you need to register your Sender ID
  2. How to confirm your registration
  3. If you send SMS on behalf of another organisation
  4. If the ACMA email went to the wrong contact
  5. FAQ

Why you need to register your Sender ID

An SMS Sender ID is the name that appears as the sender of an SMS, instead of a phone number. For example, a venue might send SMS campaigns from its brand name rather than a number.

ACMA now requires branded Sender IDs to be registered and verified. If registration is not completed, messages sent from that Sender ID may show as "Unverified" or be affected from a delivery perspective.

ℹ️ Note, to help protect delivery, where registration has not been completed we may temporarily move your SMS sending to a dedicated phone number. Once your Sender ID registration is approved, we will switch sending back to your branded Sender ID.

How to confirm your registration

An authorised representative from your business needs to complete the ACMA verification process.

  1. Locate the email from ACMA with the subject line "SMS Sender ID Register: request to confirm your application"
  2. Open the email and follow ACMA's steps to confirm the Sender ID registration
  3. If you are a new ACMA Assist user, log in using myID (Digital ID) to set up your account
  4. Once setup is complete, your account is ready to use

💡 Tip, check your junk or spam folder if you can't find the email in your inbox.

If you send SMS on behalf of another organisation

If an agency, group, or third party sends SMS using another organisation's Sender ID, ACMA refers to this as an entity associate arrangement.

From 1 July 2026, another organisation's Sender ID can only be used where all of the following apply:

  • The entity associate is approved to participate in the register
  • The Sender ID is registered
  • The Sender ID owner has confirmed consent

For these scenarios, review ACMA's guidance on sending texts for another organisation or contact ACMA directly for advice.

If the ACMA email went to the wrong contact

The ACMA verification email is sent to the contact provided when the Sender ID request was lodged. If that contact is no longer with the business, or the email went to the wrong person, contact our Support team. We can check the details available on our side and work with our SMS provider to see whether the request can be resent to the correct contact.

FAQ

I don't have an SMS Sender ID. What do I do?

Fill out this form and our team will help you get one set up.

Does this apply to all venues?
No. This only applies to Australian venues/accounts that send SMS using a branded SMS Sender ID.

Will my SMS campaigns still send if I haven't registered yet?

Where possible, yes. If your branded Sender ID is not registered in time, we may move SMS sending to a dedicated phone number so campaigns can keep sending without relying on an unverified Sender ID.

Can I switch back to my branded Sender ID later?

Yes. Once your Sender ID registration is approved, we can switch SMS sending back to your branded Sender ID.

Who should complete the ACMA registration?

This depends on your business setup and ACMA's authority requirements. Generally, it should be completed by an authorised representative of the business that owns or is responsible for the Sender ID. For questions about ABN ownership, myID access, or which legal entity should register, contact ACMA directly.

Do I need myID to complete this?

Yes, ACMA's instructions state that new users need to log in using myID (Digital ID) when setting up ACMA Assist. See ACMA's myID and ACMA Assist instructions for the full setup steps.

I can't find the ACMA email. What should I do?

Search your inbox and junk or spam folders for the subject line "SMS Sender ID Register: request to confirm your application". If you still can't find it, contact Support and we can check which email address was used where that information is available.

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