Why your SMS needs DLT registration in India, what you need to prepare, and how to avoid the most common rejections.
If you send SMS to customers in India, you will hear the word DLT very quickly. It sounds technical, but the idea is simple: telecom operators keep a registry of businesses, sender names and message templates so that only approved messages reach customers. It exists to reduce spam and protect people from fraud.
What exactly gets registered?
- Your business (the entity), using documents such as PAN and address proof like GST or TAN details, plus a letter of authorisation
- Your sender ID, also called a header, which is the name customers see (for example, your brand name)
- Your message templates: the exact wording of each message, with variables for names, amounts or dates
These rules apply to SMS and RCS messages sent to Indian mobile numbers, and they apply to transactional messages and OTPs as well as promotions.
Transactional vs promotional
Transactional messages are alerts and OTPs for people who are already your customers: payment confirmations, delivery updates, login codes. Promotional messages carry offers and marketing, and they follow customer preference (DND) and time-window rules. Using the wrong category can get messages blocked.
Common reasons messages get rejected
- Template wording that does not match what is actually sent
- Business names that differ across documents and the application
- A sender ID that does not clearly represent your brand
- Promotional content sent on a transactional route
A simple checklist before your first campaign
- Complete entity registration on a DLT portal.
- Get your sender ID approved.
- Register every template you plan to use.
- Clean your contact list and honour opt-outs.
- Send a small test batch before the full campaign.
One Web Click handles registration, templates and sending through one dashboard and API, so you can focus on the message instead of the paperwork.