A2P Rejections: Why They Happen and How to Fix Them
You completed the form and then waited a few days before receiving the email which said "Your campaign was rejected."
If you're in that situation, take a deep breath. Rejections from A2P are one of the most common problems faced by US businesses that send texts to their customers, and nearly all of these problems can be solved. The issue is that the rejection message usually doesn't indicate what the actual problem is.
The same small number of errors are responsible for the majority of these failures. As soon as you know what the carriers and reviewers expect, the solution is generally straightforward. Let me explain it.
Exactly what is an A2P rejection?
A2P is short for application-to-person messaging, which is the method by which businesses can send text messages to their customers using software instead of sending them from a personal phone. In the United States, the carriers require such businesses to sign up before they can send messages, and that process is known as 10DLC registration.
An A2P rejection occurs when the reviewer had a look at your brand or your campaign and rejected it; in this case, either something didn't fit, something was missing, or it appeared to be risky.
There are two places you can get rejected:
For registering a brand, your business identity is what is being established. It is checked by the reviewers to make sure that your legal name, tax ID, address, and other details agree with those in the official records.
As far as the campaign registration is concerned, this is the situation you're in; the reviewers look at what you plan to send, who you'll be sending it to, and the way in which people agreed to be contacted by you.
It's important to know which one failed since the solutions in each case are entirely different.
Why are A2P registrations rejected?
The reasons that I most frequently come across are roughly in the same order of frequency.
The business details are not in agreement with your official records.
The leading reason for brands being rejected is that your legal business name, EIN, and address must match exactly what the IRS or your state has on file. It doesn't have to be similar; it has to be a exact match.
If the name under which your business is registered is 'Smith Home Services LLC', yet you entered 'Smith Home Services' or a brand name such as 'Smitty's Plumbing', this minor discrepancy could be sufficient to cause failure. You should therefore refer to your EIN confirmation letter and copy the details exactly as they are.
Your website is missing, not working, or does not match.
Reviewers will come to your website; if the site is still under construction, if it redirects you to a strange place, or if it displays a different business name from the one you have registered, then you should expect problems. The website should clearly indicate who you are, what you do, and how one can get in touch with you.
It is not clear how to give your consent.
Many people make the mistake of not including a request for consent when completing campaign registrations. In order to comply, the form should mention SMS services and ask people to agree to receiving texts if it simply has a 'Submit' button.
The opt-in message should state the name of the person sending the texts, specify the type of messages the user will receive, mention that message and data charges may apply, explain how they can stop the messages (by replying STOP), and include information on how to obtain help. It should be placed right beside the checkbox or the submit button, not tucked away in the footer.
Your privacy policy and terms of service do not include SMS.
Having a privacy policy alone is not sufficient; it must explain how you treat mobile numbers and state that you do not pass on data which users have given their consent to for marketing purposes. A generic template taken from another industry usually fails to include this.
Your campaign description is unclear.
The message on marketing to customers will almost always be returned. Be more specific: just whom are you contacting? Why are you contacting them? And what situation triggers the message?
Compare these two:
We provide our clients with updates.
Strong stated that appointment confirmations and reminders are sent to customers who have booked a service using our website form, and that the customers opt in at the time they fill in the booking form.
The second account tells the reviewer precisely what is taking place.
Your example messages do not fit your use case.
You will be rejected if you select 'appointment reminders' but the sample messages state 'Huge sale this weekend, 50% off'; the messages in the samples must correspond with the use case you have chosen and should also contain the name of your business together with details on how to opt out.
You have used content that is prohibited or of high risk.
Certain categories are subject to additional examination or are completely blocked; this applies to all content related to adult material, hate speech, illegal drugs, firearms, tobacco, and specific kinds of lending or debt offers. Cannabis often comes as a surprise since it is legal in many states but remains restricted on carrier networks. When you fall into a grey area, you can expect a more rigorous review.
You have used shortened or public links.
The links from public URL shortening services tend to set off the filters since spammers use them extensively. Instead, use a domain that is branded by you in the example messages.
What do you do when an A2P message is rejected?
The procedure that I would carry out is as follows.
Carefully read the reason for the rejection since it is generally brief and a bit obscure, although it will indicate a brand or a campaign and often a specific field as well.
Compare your details with official records. Get your EIN letter and check each character.
Check your website to ensure that it is live, corresponds with your business name, and displays your contact details.
Rewrite the language that you use when obtaining consent and place it next to the form button. Include a screenshot or a live URL that illustrates this.
Make sure that your privacy policy and terms of service refer to the handling of SMS and mobile data.
Rewrite the campaign description and the sample messages so that they are more specific and stay consistent with one another.
Submit it once and make sure you do it correctly, since carrying out multiple hasty resubmissions can have the effect of slowing things down and making the review process more difficult.
The timelines differ and the carriers can be unreliable, so wait a few business days following your resubmission before panicking.
A Quick Example
Envision a roofing business in Texas. They sign up with GoHighLevel, select 'customer care', and put in 'We text our customers'. The example message is 'Get 20% off a new roof this month!' and the form does not include an SMS consent message.
In a single submission there are three issues: a description that is unclear, a promotional example which does not fit the use case, and no obvious opt-in.
The solution was to use a proper marketing or mixed-use case, to prepare a clear explanation of when the messages are sent, to include consent wording in the quote request form, and to amend the privacy policy; even though it was the same business and the same messages, the resubmission had a much better chance of success.
Does rejection harm your business?
It can, indirectly. Since unregistered or rejected traffic is filtered or blocked by the carriers, your appointment reminders, lead follow-ups, and request for reviews might never get through to anyone. If texting plays a major role in your process of closing leads, then each week of delay means you lose conversations.
Which is why most business owners choose to get an A2P registration expert to deal with it rather than continually submitting and being rejected. An individual who handles these cases every week will know which phrasing works and which doesn't, as well as how to align your brand, website, and campaign so that there are no contradictions.
Should you hire an expert in A2P registrations?
In the case of your first rejection and if the cause is clear—for instance, because of a typo in your business name—you might well be able to sort it out yourself.
Hiring help makes more sense when:
You've been rejected more than once
The reason for the rejection is not clear.
You are attempting to register several brands or clients.
You are an agency which manages accounts for other businesses.
Your income comes from texting and so you cannot afford any downtime.
Find a person who knows both about compliance and about your platform; if you're using GoHighLevel, then choosing a GoHighLevel Certified Partner ensures that the registration process and workflows are set up at the same time, so your texts are not only approved but also sent out correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is meant by an A2P rejection?
That indicates that the reviewer has rejected your application to register your brand or campaign for 10DLC messaging; something didn't conform, was omitted, or appeared to be risky. You should correct the problem and resubmit it.
2. How long does it take to register for 10DLC?
It depends. In some cases and with certain brands and campaigns clarity is achieved within a few business days, while in other instances it takes longer, particularly when additional vetting is required. [Add your typical turnaround here if you want to give a firm range.]
3. Is it possible to resubmit after a rejection by an A2P service?
Yes, you can go ahead and correct the issues and resubmit, but you should sort out all the problems you can first, since it is rare for sending the same poor application around again to be effective.
What is the most frequent cause of rejection for A2P messages?
Mismatched business details on the brand side, and unclear opt-in or vague campaign descriptions on the campaign side. Those three cover a large share of failures.
5. What's the difference between brand and campaign rejection?
Brand rejection is about your business identity and records. Campaign rejection is about what you're texting and how people consented. You fix them in different places.
6. Do I need a website for 10DLC registration?
In most cases, yes. Reviewers use it to confirm you're a real business. A missing or mismatched site is a common reason for rejection.
7. What should my opt-in language include?
Your business name, the type of messages, a note that message and data rates may apply, how to opt out with STOP, and how to get help. Place it near the form button.
8. Will using a URL shortener get me rejected?
It can. Public shorteners are often flagged by carriers. Use a link on your own branded domain instead.
9. Can I text customers while my registration is pending?
Risky. Unregistered traffic can be filtered or blocked, so you shouldn't count on your messages reaching people until you're approved.
10. When should I hire an A2P registration expert?
If you've been rejected more than once, can't tell what's wrong, or need to text live quickly, an expert usually saves time. Agencies handling several clients benefit the most.
Get Your Texts Approved and Delivered
An A2P rejection feels like a wall, but it's really just a checklist you haven't finished yet. Fix the mismatches, tighten your opt-in, and make your campaign details specific.
If you'd rather skip the guesswork, our team handles 10DLC registration from start to approval, including cleaning up rejected applications. Reach out, and we'll get your messaging moving.
