Australia's SMS Sender ID Register: What Businesses Need to Do

Text message scams that impersonate banks, delivery companies and government agencies have been a major problem in Australia. To make it harder for scammers to use trusted names, Australia has created an SMS Sender ID Register, run by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). It went live on 1 July 2026.

If your business sends SMS or MMS with an alphanumeric sender ID, such as your brand name instead of a phone number, this change affects you. This guide explains what happened on 1 July 2026, how registration works, and what to check if your messages now show as "Unverified".

What changed on 1 July 2026

According to the ACMA's guidance for businesses:

• From 1 July 2026, businesses and organisations can only send SMS and MMS with a sender ID if that sender ID is registered.
• If a message is sent with an unregistered sender ID, the sender ID is replaced with the word "Unverified".
• Messages with unregistered sender IDs are grouped together in a single "Unverified" message thread on mobile phones, which signals to recipients that they may be scams.
• Telcos must participate in the register to be able to send messages with sender IDs.

The legal framework is the Telecommunications (SMS Sender ID Register) Industry Standard 2025, which sets out the obligations on telecommunications providers.

The ACMA has also said there is no cut-off date for registration: businesses that still rely on branded SMS and have not registered should contact their messaging provider as soon as possible.

What is a sender ID?

A sender ID is the name at the top of a text message, such as "ATO", "AusPost" or "myGov", or your own brand name. It is different from sending from a mobile number or a dedicated virtual number. The register is about these alphanumeric names.

If you send texts only from a standard phone number, the register does not change how those messages display, but you still need to follow the Spam Act rules on consent, identification and unsubscribe.

How registration works

The ACMA's process is provider-led:

1. Contact your SMS provider (a telco or messaging provider that sends SMS or MMS for you) and ask it to apply to register your sender IDs.
2. The provider submits the application to the ACMA.
3. The ACMA emails you a unique link. You click it to access the register and confirm the application. If you do not confirm, the application does not proceed.
4. The ACMA tells you whether the application is approved and when your sender ID is registered.
5. Repeat with every provider you use. You must apply through each provider that sends messages for you, to authorise that provider to use your sender ID.

Keep your ABN details up to date

If you have an Australian Business Number, the ACMA says your authorised contact or service of notice email address on the Australian Business Register (ABR) must be up to date to register a sender ID. Check this before your provider applies, because the confirmation link is sent by email. Organisations without an ABN follow a separate process published by the ACMA.

Agencies and third parties: entity associates

Many businesses use agencies, research firms or platforms to send messages on their behalf using the business's sender ID. The ACMA calls these senders entity associates. Examples in the ACMA guidance include a marketing agency running campaigns with a client's sender ID, or a research company sending messages for a bank.

For entity associates, the provider must submit an application for the associate to participate in the register, and an application to register the sender ID belonging to the sender ID owner, including confirmation that the owner agrees and gives permission. If you are an agency, make sure your client is ready to confirm.

Practical checklist

1. List every sender ID you use, including variations such as "BrandName", "BrandNameAU" and campaign-specific IDs. Retire the ones you do not need.
2. List every provider that sends SMS or MMS for you: your main SMS platform, booking software, e-commerce platform, CRM, payment reminder tools and agencies.
3. Check your ABR contact email and make sure someone monitors it.
4. Ask each provider to apply for each sender ID and confirm every application promptly.
5. Test messages from each provider to confirm your sender ID displays correctly and not as "Unverified".
6. Update your internal process so new sender IDs and new providers are registered before use.
7. Tell customers how to recognise genuine messages from you, for example on your website's security or contact page.

Troubleshooting "Unverified" messages

If your messages show as "Unverified":

• Check whether the exact sender ID used is registered; small spelling or capitalisation differences may matter
• Confirm that the provider sending the message is authorised for that sender ID
• Check whether the application was confirmed via the ACMA's email link
• Ask whether the message passed through a provider or route that does not participate in the register
• For urgent messages, consider temporarily sending from a dedicated number while registration completes

How this fits with the Spam Act

The register does not replace existing rules. Under the Spam Act 2003, commercial electronic messages, including SMS, need consent, must identify the sender, and must include a functional unsubscribe facility. Our Spam Act SMS marketing guide covers these rules, and our Australia SMS compliance page summarises them.

Should you rethink your channel mix?

The register makes branded SMS more trustworthy for customers, which is good news for legitimate businesses. It is also a good moment to review which messages should go by SMS and which might work better by WhatsApp, email or RCS. For online stores, see our guide to e-commerce SMS and WhatsApp marketing in Australia.

Tips for keeping sender IDs under control

• Use fewer sender IDs. Each additional sender ID is another registration to manage with every provider. One main brand ID, plus a small number for genuinely separate brands or services, is easier to protect.
• Name an internal owner responsible for sender IDs, provider lists and the ABR contact email.
• Document approvals so you know which provider is authorised for which sender ID and when it was registered.
• Review quarterly, revoking sender IDs you no longer use and checking new tools your teams have added.
• Brief agencies and franchisees that they must not use your brand name as a sender ID without going through the proper process.

How DND Teams helps

DND Teams works with Australian businesses in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and beyond on SMS, WhatsApp and RCS programmes. We help audit sender IDs and providers, coordinate registration with participating providers, test delivery, and keep Spam Act consent and unsubscribe processes in order. See our pages for bulk SMS in Sydney and bulk SMS in Melbourne, or contact us for a free review.

This article reflects ACMA publications as of October 2026. Check the ACMA's SMS Sender ID Register pages for the latest guidance and the list of participating providers.

Get a custom quote

Working with clients in India, the US, UK, Canada, Australia and the UAE, DND Teams replies with a short written review and a clear quote, with no obligation. Get a custom quote for auditing and registering your Australian sender IDs, or message us on WhatsApp at +91 88274 09728.

Not ready for a full project? Start with our SMS pilot for US$79 (one-time, paid in advance). Price covers our setup work only. Platform, message and carrier charges are billed separately at cost. Need more? Get a custom quote. See how our pricing works for what affects your price.

Prices shown are indicative ranges in US dollars and exclude taxes and third-party charges (such as Meta or carrier fees, billed at cost) unless stated. Your price depends on your requirements; get a custom quote for an exact figure. This article is general information, not legal advice, and reflects our understanding as of October 2026.