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Why was my SMS registration rejected?

In short

Why did my SMS campaign registration get rejected?

Registration is reviewed by the carrier network, not by Reply, and rejections nearly always concern the opt-in page. Reviewers need to reach a live public page that states message frequency, that rates may apply, and how to get help or stop, and consent to SMS must be optional.

Quick fix

  1. Open your opt-in page in a private browser window. If it needs a login, is behind a staging password, or 404s, the review cannot pass.
  2. Add the three disclosures reviewers look for: how often you will message, that message and data rates may apply, and how to get help or stop.
  3. Make the SMS consent checkbox optional. A form that cannot be submitted without agreeing to SMS is treated as forced consent.
  4. Check that the page describes the messages you will actually send, and matches what you submitted.
  5. Resubmit, and expect another review cycle rather than an immediate answer.

Didn't work? Contact Reply support; the team can check your account directly.

Symptom

Your SMS campaign registration comes back rejected, with an error code and often little explanation. SMS steps cannot send until it is approved.

Most likely causes

CauseHow to recognize it
The opt-in page is not publicly reachableIt is behind a login, on a staging domain, password-protected, or not yet published
Required disclosures are missingThe page collects consent but does not state message frequency, that rates may apply, or how to get help and stop
SMS consent is mandatoryThe form cannot be submitted without ticking the SMS box
The page does not match what you registeredThe described use case and the page's actual content differ
The business details do not verifyCompany information in the submission does not match what reviewers can confirm
It is still in reviewNot a rejection. Reviews take time and resubmission restarts the clock

Diagnostic checklist

  1. Open the page as a stranger – private window, no session, no VPN into your network. Reviewers have no more access than that.
  2. Read the rejection code. Different codes mean different things, and the specific one narrows this list quickly.
  3. Check all three disclosures are present and visible, not buried in a linked policy document.
  4. Try submitting your form without ticking SMS consent. If you cannot, that is a failure on its own.
  5. Compare your submission with the page. Reviewers check that the described programme matches what is visible.

Resolution

The page is not reachable

Publish it on a live, public URL and confirm it loads with no session. This alone resolves a large share of rejections, and no wording change matters until it does.

Disclosures are missing

Add them to the page next to the consent, in plain language: how often messages are sent, that message and data rates may apply, and how to get help or to stop. Keep them visible on the page rather than only inside a linked policy.

Make the SMS checkbox optional and let the form submit without it. Consent that cannot be declined is not consent.

Details do not match

Align the submission with the page. If your programme changed after you first submitted, update both together.

Still waiting

Review takes time and each resubmission starts a new cycle. Fix everything you can identify before resubmitting rather than making one change at a time.

Verification

After approval, send one SMS step to a number you control and confirm it arrives. Approval and delivery are separate things; a campaign can be approved and still fail on a number or a wallet balance.

Prevention

  • Build the opt-in page to the disclosure requirements before you submit, not after a rejection.
  • Keep the page live and unchanged while review is in progress.
  • Keep SMS consent separate and optional from the start.
  • Allow time. Registration is not instant, and planning a launch around same-day approval will not work.

FAQ

Who actually reviews this?

The carrier network, not Reply. Reply submits the registration; the decision and the rejection codes come from the review process.

How long does approval take?

It varies, and each resubmission restarts it. Treat it as a lead-time to plan around rather than a step to rush.

Can I send SMS while waiting?

No. SMS steps cannot send until the registration is approved.

Still stuck? Contact Reply support

If these steps didn't solve the problem, the Reply support team can look at your account directly. Open the Reply Help Center and send the team a message.

To get an answer faster, include:

  • the rejection code you received
  • the public URL of your opt-in page
  • whether SMS consent is optional on that form
  • when you submitted, and whether you have resubmitted

Don't send passwords, API keys, or access tokens.

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