To ensure compliance, it's important to be familiar with the TCPA and CTIA, and bear in mind that each Mobile Network Operator (MNO) may have their own rules and codes of conduct.

TCPA stands for the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and it is the federal legislation originally written in 1991 that governs telemarketing, text messaging, and the Do-Not-Call list.

Although these laws do not explicitly mention SMS, texts have been ruled to be treated as phone calls under the TCPA. These laws exist to protect people from unsolicited text messages and phone calls.

The CTIA is the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, a trade group that represents wireless carriers and others in the telecom industry. The CTIA maintains the Short Code Monitoring Handbook which lays out additional guidelines for SMS marketing.

The CTIA guidelines align with TCPA laws to protect people from unwanted text messages, but extend further to help marketers create a better experience for consumers.

Each individual carrier network, or Mobile Network Operator (MNO) may be privately owned and operated, and as such, they reserve the right to approve, reject, question, or disable any campaign on their network.

Some carriers have their own individual Code of Conduct.

The following guides offer external compliance information and industry guidance for the USA and Canada.