Australia is introducing mandatory registration for alphanumeric SMS Sender IDs from 1st July 2026 as part of a broader effort to reduce impersonation scams and improve trust in business messaging. This is following a trend of many other countries worldwide.
The registration is done under ACMA’s SMS Sender ID Register.
Dotdigital can currently register sender IDs on behalf of customers that have their business registered in Australia (Australian Business Number (ABN) holders).
We're working on a solution for customers without an ABN.
What is a Sender ID?
A Sender ID is the alphanumeric name shown as the sender of an SMS message such as a brand or organisation name.
It is the unique identification that appears on the recipient’s mobile device as the sender of the message, enabling recipients to recognise the origin of the message and supporting trust.
ACMA supported sender IDs:
Must be between 2 and 11 characters in length.
Use standard ASCII characters (codes 32-126 only).
Have a valid business link. They must be clearly tied to your business, for example, a registered company name, trademark or domain name.
Can not contain restricted terms, for example verify, notice, banking, alert or anything that could impersonate a trusted organisation. See the complete list on the ACMA website
Can not contain numbers only.
Do not have leading/trailing spaces or underscores.
Do not contain offensive or deceptive wording.
Are case insensitive (uppercase/lowercase makes no difference).
ACMA will approve sender IDs with these criteria that:
Are the same as your organisation name, or a shortened version, for example, Australian Taxation Office – ATO.
Are an acronym, contraction, abbreviation or initialism of your organisation name, for example Australian Communications and Media Authority – ACMA.
Include extra words that relate to your organisation’s function, location or the purpose of the message, for example ACMA Alerts.
If the sender ID does not meet these criteria, ACMA will reject the registration.
What is required for Sender ID registration
Audit your sender IDs to ensure these comply with ACMA requirements.
Review your business information:
Australian Business Number (ABN) or Business Registration Number (if no ABN)
Registered Company Name
Registered Business Address
Business Website
Telephone number
Authorised Business Representative details, who will receive an email directly from ACMA requesting confirmation of the sender ID registration. They will need access to ACMA Assist and confirm the registration:
First and Last name
Email address
Contact telephone number
Sender ID registration process
Dotdigital manages the Sender ID registration on your behalf, guiding you through each step to ensure a smooth experience.
Complete our simple Sender ID registration form, which collects the information required for us to submit the Sender ID registration on your behalf.
Dotdigital will submit this information to ACMA.
ACMA will send a confirmation email to the company’s authorised business representative with a request to confirm this registration through ACMA Assist.
A guide to access ACMA Assist is available onthe ACMA website.Once you confirm the registration request, ACMA will review the Sender ID and confirm the registration.
Sender ID registration status in ACMA Assist
Pending
The application is awaiting brand owner confirmation.Under review
ACMA has flagged your application for review. You will be notified of the outcome once the review is completeRegistered by [date]
ACMA has approved the application and the sender ID will be registered by the specified date and time.Complete
ACMA has approved the application and the sender ID is registered.
What happens if a Sender ID is not registered?
If an alphanumeric Sender ID is not registered:
Messages may be labelled as Unverified, or
Messages may be blocked by Australian mobile networks.
Enforcement is applied by networks in line with ACMA requirements.
Global trend
Australia is not alone. The sender ID registration approach reflects a broader international move towards sender verification:
Singapore – introduced in 2023.
Ireland - introduced in 2025.
Spain – upcoming in 2026.
Philippines – introduced in 2019.
United Arab Emirates - alphanumeric sender ID registration has been in place since mid-2010.
Register your sender IDs
Use the registration form to submit your sender ID registration request to Dotdigital.
Need help?
If you have questions about Sender ID registration or SMS sending in Australia, contact your Customer Success Manager or email support@dotdigital.com.