Overview
The Short Code Registry made three primary updates on October 15, 2024
- Adding new data fields to enhance the vetting of common short code lessees (“CSC Registrants”), Content Providers, and Brand Clients
- Defining and adding conditions for the leasing and assignment of Parked Codes
- Defining and adding conditions for the leasing of Demo Codes.
New Data Fields for CSC Registrant, Brand Client, and Content Provider
Point of Contact | Organization Legal Name |
Name | Organization Entity Type |
Organization Physical Location Address | |
Phone Number | Organization URL |
Physical Address | Organization FEIN |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it changing?
The Short Code Registry has been a trusted messaging channel for over twenty years. The updates to the Short Code Registry are designed to further protect consumers, and promote greater transparency through enhanced vetting and monitoring, which will ultimately benefit all messaging stakeholders.
What are the key dates associated with the changes?
As of October 15, 2024, the Short Code Registry was updated to include the additional required fields for CSC Registrants and Brand Clients, as well as with the requirements for Parked Codes and Demo Codes. To help CSC Registrants comply with the Short Code Registry changes, only codes that are newly leased or manually renewed on or after October 15, 2024, are immediately required to provide the additional fields as part of those processes.
Existing codes that auto-renew will be subject to changes beginning on March 31, 2025. Thirty calendar days prior to the existing leased code’s auto-renewal date, the Short Code Registry will send an email to the CSC Registrant notifying them of the auto-renewal date, as well as the requirement to provide the required fields for the short code (e.g., new fields for Brand Client and Content Provider).
The Short Code Registry begun sending the auto-renewal reminder emails out to CSC Registrants in mid-December 2024. CSC Registrants and their Brand Clients will have a sixty (60) calendar day period after the auto-renewal date of the code to provide the requisite fields. Those codes that are not updated with the requisite information within this timeframe will be subject to compliance enforcement and may be suspended or terminated.
Between the dates of October 15, 2024, and March 31, 2025, the registry offers a Grace Period for lessees to update their Brand Client Libraries and allocate Brand Client information to individual short codes. Bulk upload options are available to help expedite data entry.
What are the changes to Parked Codes and Demo Codes?
Parked Codes are codes that are leased but the CSC Registrant has not identified an associated Brand Client. Parked Codes are not active. Beginning on October 15, 2024, CSC Registrants will be required to indicate whether the code that they are leasing does not yet have an identified or successfully vetted Brand Client by indicating that the code is “Parked” during the registration process. Parked Codes will be subject to enhanced monitoring to ensure compliance.
Demo Codes are codes that may only be used for marketing, promotional, or testing purposes. Demo Codes should never be assigned a Brand Client and will be subject to enhanced monitoring to ensure compliance. Beginning on October 15, 2024, CSC Registrants will be required to indicate whether the code that they are leasing is intended for marketing, promotional, or testing purposes.