The Basics (What, When, Why, etc)
What do you need to know?
- On April 17, 2023, Twilio re-launched the Sole Proprietor Brand registration offering (formerly known as “Starter Brand”) in accordance with the
- new industry guidelines for sending low-volume messaging.If you’re an individual or small business without a Tax ID (EIN), see our product documentation on Creating a New Sole Proprietor Brand .Customers with a Tax ID (EIN) should register Low Volume Standard or Standard Brands depending on their traffic requirements. For a deeper comparison of the Brand registration options, see our Comparison between Starter, Low Volume Standard, and Standard registration for A2P 10DLC.
What are the requirements for Sole Proprietor registration?
Sole Proprietor brands are available to individuals or small businesses that meet the following requirements:- No Tax ID: Customer brands that have a tax ID are not eligible for Sole Prop Brands - use a low-volume standard Brand instead.- OTP Verification: Confirm your identity using a one-time password (OTP) verification step.
- Valid Details: Starter Brands must include a valid and accurate business name, first name, last name, email address, phone number, and physical address.
- US and Canada Addresses: Only valid U.S. or Canadian addresses (including P.O. boxes) are allowed. Addresses in other countries are no longer permitted.
- **ERC’s Not Currently Supported:**Twilio doesn’t plan to support Externally Registered Campaigns within Sole Proprietor Use Cases.
What are the fees for Sole Proprietor registration?
The following fees apply for Sole Proprietor brands: One-time Sole Proprietor Brand registration fee: 15 (existing Campaigns will be exempt from this fee at this time)Monthly Sole Proprietor Campaign fees: $2 (applicable to existing and new Campaigns)What are the limitations for Sole Proprietor registration?
Sole Proprietor brands have the following limits: 1 Sole Proprietor Campaign per Brand1 Phone Number per Campaign1 Message Per Second (1MPS) throughput limit **You can only verify your Sole Proprietor Brands with a U.S. or Canadian number from a mobile provider. Using a VoIP number (including Twilio numbers) or any other number not associated with a mobile carrier will result in an error and will keep you from registering your Brand(s).Do Sole Proprietor Campaigns undergo the new Campaign Vetting process?
New Sole Proprietor campaigns will be subject to the changes in the Campaign Creation process , as well as the newly introduced vetting process .How do I complete OTP Verification?
For full instructions on how to register Sole Proprietor brands, including how to complete the OTP verification, see our product documentation on Creating a New Sole Proprietor Brand.What do you need to do if you have an existing Sole Proprietor Brand (Starter) that meets the new requirements?
Existing Starter brands that meet the new requirements will automatically be converted to the new Sole Proprietor offering but will need to be updated with a Brand name and complete OTP Verification. Starting on April 17, 2023, you can use the Twilio Console or Twilio API to update your existing Sole Proprietor brands with a brand name and a mobile phone number (typically your personal mobile device) that you want to use for OTP verification.**How do I complete this OTP Verification as a Direct Brand?
- **You can complete this OTP check via the Twilio Console. For a visual guide on this process, see our
- Existing Sole Proprietor OTP Verification Guide.
**How do I complete this OTP Verification as an ISV?
- **You can complete this OTP check using the Twilio API. For a full overview of how to update your existing Sole Proprietor Brands, see our
- product documentation on Updating a legacy Starter brand.