Forbidden Message Categories for SMS and MMS in the US and Canada

The following messaging use cases are not allowed on SMS or MMS in the United States or Canada.

The following business categories are also not allowed on SMS or MMS in the United States. If your organization falls into one of these categories (despite the type of messaging you intend to do), SMS/MMS messaging in the United States will not be allowed and your US 10DLC registration will not be approved.

The below information applies to long code messaging across the A2P 10DLC system.

Please note, certain types of message content may be subject to restrictions, even when your use case is not forbidden. For example, use of shared public URL shorteners is not allowed by US carriers and will result in filtering.

Category	Examples	Notes
High-risk financial services	Payday loans Short term high-interest loans Third-party loans (e.g., auto, mortgage) Student loans Cryptocurrency Stocks and investing platforms	“Third-party” means originating from any party other than the one which will service the loan. Examples of third-party loans could include: auto, mortgage, personal, etc. First party loan content is acceptable if it is not promotional messaging. No businesses that solely operate in stocks, investing, or cryptocurrency are allowed to send SMS traffic. If there is a mixed use case where that is a partial aspect of the business it may be approved based on the other use case content.
Third-party lead generation services	Companies, NGOs or political campaigns that buy, sell, or share consumer information. Affiliate lending Affiliate marketing Deceptive marketing	Any third-party use cases are strictly forbidden. Consent must be obtained directly from end-users. Political use case customers sending SMS messages are not able to use voter registration databases to collect consent and outreach end-users. Any business with a terms of service or privacy policy that mentions sharing or selling consumer data/opt-in information is considered noncompliant.
Debt collection or forgiveness	Third-party debt collection Debt consolidation Debt reduction Debt relief Credit repair programs	“Third-party” means originating from any party other than the one who is owed the debt. For example, a hospital could send messages regarding bills for its own patients, assuming they provided opt-in to receive that messaging. While third party debt collection is not permitted, a debt collection business that has direct consent from end-users to send related content may do so. Debt consolidation, debt reduction and credit repair programs are prohibited regardless if there is first-party consent.
“Get rich quick” schemes	Deceptive work-from-home programs Risk investment opportunities Pyramid schemes Mystery Shopping Multi Level Marketing (MLM)	This is different from outreach about employment as a result of compliant opt-in practices, messages from brokerages to their members, investment news alerts, or other investment-related messages.
Illegal substances/articles	Cannabis CBD Kratom Paraphernalia products Vape/E-cigs Fireworks	Cannabis, CBD, Kratom, or drug paraphernalia product businesses are prohibited from utilizing SMS/MMS messaging in the US and Canada, regardless of content. These restrictions apply regardless of the federal or state legality. All use cases for these are disallowed from sending SMS whether it contains cannabis content or not, even for 2FA purposes it is not permissible for such entities.
Prescription drug	Drugs that require a prescription	Offers for drugs that cannot be sold over-the-counter in the US/Canada are forbidden regardless if the business is a licensed professional.
Gambling	Casino apps Websites that offer gambling Sweepstakes 50/50 Raffles Contests Betting/Sports picks	Gambling traffic is prohibited in the US and Canada on all number types (Toll Free, Short Code, Long Code). Sweepstakes are allowed on Short Code but need to go through a special review. Bingo related messages are allowed on an approved Short Code.
Phishing	Social engineering scams Deceptive "Account Alert" or "Security Warning" messages Impersonation of government agencies (IRS, SSA, USPS) or financial institutions (banks, credit card companies) Fake delivery notifications Requests for sensitive PII (SSN, Passwords, PINs)	Phishing is strictly prohibited across all number types. This includes any message intended to deceive a recipient into providing sensitive information or clicking a malicious link. Messages impersonating well-known brands, banks, or government entities to solicit private data are flagged immediately. Any use of "look-alike" domains or obfuscated URLs to hide the destination of a link is considered a violation of the Anti-Spam and Phishing policies. Additionally, any service that runs ‘Simulated Phishing’ or ‘Simulated Scams’ are also prohibited, and may result in similar violation actions being taken to actual Phishing or Fraud.
"S.H.A.F.T." use cases and electronic smoking devices	Sex Hate Alcohol Firearms Tobacco Vape/E-ciggs	Alcohol traffic is allowed on Toll Free, Short Code, and Long Code in the US, as long as proper age gating procedures are in place. Age gating means that website users must input their date of birth. It cannot be a yes or no question. Firearms, Tobacco, Vape, and E-cigarettes are not allowed on Toll Free, Short Code, or Long Code regardless of age gating. All age-gated content into Canada must be blocked across Toll Free, Short Code, and Long Code. The only way to send age-gated traffic into Canada (even with proper age-gating) is to receive a special carrier exemption. Allowed age gated content in Canada include: pocket knives, lighters, and non-alcoholic beverages
Academic Fraud	Essay Mills Exam taking services Ghostwriting Sale of unauthorized test materials	Messaging related to academic fraud or dishonesty is strictly prohibited on any number type. Messages intended to help students bypass academic requirements or engage in plagiarism are forbidden. Please note that this category does not include legitimate educational services such as tutoring, test preparation software, or licensed career counseling, provided they do not facilitate academic dishonesty.

Disclaimer: The information in this document is provided for general informational and awareness purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, accounting, technical, compliance, or other professional advice. Paylocity is not a law firm or accounting firm, and neither this document nor the Platform or Services should be construed as providing legal, tax, or accounting advice. Clients remain solely responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and use of Paylocity’s Platform or Services does not relieve Clients of those obligations. Nothing in this document constitutes a warranty of compliance or a representation or warranty regarding product functionality. The content is subject to change.

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Forbidden Message Categories in the US and Canada

Forbidden Message Categories for SMS and MMS in the US and Canada