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Original 2026-01-01

Modified 2026-03-10

1 <p><strong>SMS compliance</strong>is adherence to a set of<a>region-specific laws and regulations</a>that regulate business communication via<a>SMS</a>. These laws protect consumers from receiving<a>spam</a>and other<a>unwanted messages</a>and prevent various privacy violations.</p>

2 <p>You should be aware of the nuances of SMS compliance before<a>sending SMS messages</a>. Non-compliance with these regulations may result in hefty fines and a potentially damaged brand reputation.</p>

3 <h2>7 best practices for sending compliant SMS messages</h2>

4 <p>The following recommendations will help you stay compliant with SMS marketing regulations:</p>

5 <h3>1. Get explicit consent from each SMS recipient</h3>

6 <p>Get<a>consent</a>from your SMS contacts before sending them text messages. The best way to get consent is through a sign-up form that:</p>

7 <ul><li>Lives on your website that clearly belongs to your brand</li>

8 <li>Collects a phone number</li>

9 <li>Links to your privacy policy</li>

10 <li>Follows up with an automated message that asks for a keyword opt-in to confirm their subscription</li>

11 <li>Includes disclosure language so that subscribers understand what they’re agreeing to before they sign up</li>

12 </ul><p>Some additional best practices to follow are:</p>

13 <ol><li>Send SMS messages only to people who have opted in. This rule applies to all promotional SMS types, including<a>campaigns</a>and<a>flows</a>.</li>

14 <li>Don’t assume people who have subscribed to email have opted in to receive SMS as well.<a>Subscribers</a>need to have specifically agreed to receive SMS.</li>

15 <li>Use<a>disclosure language</a>in your forms, checkout pages, emails with opt-in links, etc., to clarify what people are subscribing to.</li>

16 <li>Make sure your subscribers give their consent directly to your<a>company</a>. A single consent can’t be shared between two or more brands.</li>

17 </ol><h3>2. Make it easy to unsubscribe from SMS</h3>

18 <p>Always give your subscribers a straightforward way to<a>opt out of receiving further messages</a>from your SMS campaigns and flows.</p>

19 <p>Use one of the following methods:</p>

20 <ul><li>Add an opt-out keyword (e.g., STOP, QUIT, or UNSUBSCRIBE), or</li>

21 <li>Include an unsubscribe link</li>

22 </ul><h3>3. Don’t include prohibited content</h3>

23 <p>Mobile carriers and providers consider specific topics unacceptable and refuse to deliver them to recipients. Using<a>prohibited content</a>in your messages can result in content filtering and, in extreme cases, blocking the<a>sending number</a>.</p>

24 <p>Prohibited topics are those that mention:</p>

25 <ul><li><a>S.H.A.F.T.</a>SexHate*AlcoholFirearmsTobacco and CBD<ul><li>Sex</li>

26 <li>Hate</li>

27 <li>*Alcohol</li>

28 <li>Firearms</li>

29 <li>Tobacco and CBD</li>

30 </ul></li>

31 <li>Illegal substances</li>

32 <li>Gambling</li>

33 <li>Debt collection/forgiveness</li>

34 <li>High-risk financial services, including cryptocurrencies</li>

35 <li>Multi-level marketing</li>

36 </ul><p>*While some countries allow marketing of certain S.H.A.F.T. topics, they require strict<a>age-gating</a>. It’s important to check with your provider to see what they support.</p>

37 <h3>4. Don’t send SMS messages during quiet hours</h3>

38 <ul><li>To remain compliant with the TCPA in the US, only send SMS between the hours of 8:00 am to 9:00 pm. Note that several states (such as Florida) limit sending to between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.</li>

39 <li>There are many regional differences to quiet hours, however, so it’s important to<a>check what’s allowed</a>for the time zones you’re sending SMS messages to.</li>

40 </ul><h3>5. Include your company or brand name in the body of an SMS</h3>

41 <p>To remain compliant, your sender information must be clearly indicated in every message you send.</p>

42 <p>There are several ways to do this:</p>

43 <ol><li>Start the message with your company or brand name.</li>

44 <li>Mention your company name in the body copy of your text message.</li>

45 <li>Include a<a>branded sender ID</a>(UK or Australia only).</li>

46 </ol><h3>6. Adhere to abandonment flow guidelines (US only)</h3>

47 <p>Follow these guidelines for all shipping<a>cart abandonment</a>flows if the recipients are in the States:</p>

48 <ul><li>Always use a<a>double opt-in</a></li>

49 <li>Don’t send more than one SMS to a recipient</li>

50 <li>Send the text message no later than 48 hours after the cart abandonment</li>

51 </ul><p>While not enforced by mobile carriers, these guidelines are also recommended for other abandonment flows, including browse abandonment.</p>

52 <p>Want to make sure your<a>SMS marketing</a>messages are always compliant with global SMS regulations?</p>

53 <p><a>Klaviyo supports SMS marketing in an ever-growing list of counties</a>including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, Austria, Spain, and Switzerland and more to follow.</p>

54 <p><a>Sign up for Klaviyo</a>today to start sending compliant SMS messages that convert.</p>