As of April 2026, the rules for sending branded SMS messages in Australia have undergone a major shift. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has implemented a mandatory SMS Sender ID Register to combat the rise of impersonation scams.
If you are a business, charity, or government agency using a branded name (Alphanumeric Sender ID) instead of a mobile number, here are the current requirements.
1. Mandatory Registration (The 2026 Deadline)
The most critical update is that all Alphanumeric Sender IDs must now be registered with the ACMA.
- Enforcement Date: From July 1, 2026, any message sent using an unregistered Sender ID will be automatically labeled as "Unverified" on the recipient's phone or may be blocked entirely by telecommunications providers.
- Action Required: You must register your Sender ID through your telco or SMS service provider. It is highly recommended to complete this by May, 2026, to avoid processing delays.
A Sender ID must follow strict formatting rules to be accepted:
- Length: Between 3 and 11 characters.
- Characters: Must use standard ASCII characters (A-Z, 0-9).
- Composition: It cannot be numbers only (that would be a short code or mobile number).
- Spacing: It cannot contain spaces or underscores at the very beginning or end.
- Prohibited Content: It cannot include the word "Unverified" or any offensive/misleading terms.
3. "Valid Use Case" Requirements
The ACMA will only approve a Sender ID if you can prove you have a legitimate right to use that name. To be approved, the ID must be:
- The same as, or a clear derivative of:
- Your registered Business Name or Company Name.
- A registered Trademark (via IP Australia).
- A registered Domain Name (must be an active, legitimate website).
- Documentation: You will likely need to provide your ABN (Australian Business Number) or ACN during the registration process.
4. Restricted Terms
The ACMA maintains a list of "Restricted Terms" that cannot be used in a Sender ID because they are frequently used by scammers to create a false sense of urgency. These include:
- Generic Alerts: "Alert", "Notice", "Important", "Update".
- Action Words: "Verify", "Authorize", "Login".
- Industry Terms: "Banking", "Delivery", "Payment".
If your brand name is generic (e.g., "The Bank"), you will face much stricter verification hurdles to prove that your specific entity owns that identity.
5. The Registration Process
- Appoint an Authorized Representative: This person must be listed on the Australian Business Register (ABR) as a contact for your entity.
- Contact Your Provider: Reach out to your "Participating Telco" (the company you use to send SMS). They act as the bridge between you and the ACMA.
- Identity Check: The ACMA performs an identity and authority check to ensure the person requesting the ID is who they say they are.
- ACMA Assist: Most registrations are managed through the ACMA Assist portal, where you will agree to the Register's terms of use.
6. Ongoing Compliance (Spam Act 2003)
Registration is only half the battle. You must still comply with the core pillars of the Spam Act 2003:
- Consent: You must have express or inferred consent from the recipient.
- Identity: The message body must clearly identify your business.
- Unsubscribe: You must provide a functional, low-cost opt-out (e.g., "Reply STOP"). Note that Alphanumeric Sender IDs cannot receive replies, so you must provide a dedicated mobile number or a link for the opt-out.
Updated: 27 April 2026