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    Short Message Service:Australian SMS compliance registration requirements

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    Short Message Service:Australian SMS compliance registration requirements

    Last Updated:Jun 22, 2026

    The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will begin requiring SMS sender ID registration on July 1, 2026. After this date, messages sent to Australia with an unregistered sender ID will be marked as "Unverified". Review the compliance registration requirements, procedures, and key deadlines below.

    Background

    To combat cross-border SMS fraud and impersonation such as brand spoofing, phishing, and text-based identity fraud, ACMA has established a centralized SMS Sender ID Register. Starting July 1, 2026, all alphanumeric sender IDs, both new and existing, must be registered. Australian mobile carriers will then apply automatic filtering and blocking policies to inbound SMS messages.

    After this date, carriers will replace unregistered alphanumeric sender IDs with Unverified, which may affect brand recognition and message deliverability.

    Scope of impact

    Starting July 1, 2026, sending messages to Australia through Alibaba Cloud SMS with an unregistered alphanumeric sender ID has the following consequences:

    • Your sender ID is replaced with Unverified, preventing recipients from identifying your brand.

    • Some carriers may apply stricter filtering or blocking policies to messages from unregistered sender IDs.

    Key dates

    Date

    Description

    June 24, 2026

    Existing Alibaba Cloud SMS customers who use alphanumeric sender IDs must submit their registration applications by this date.

    The review process is managed by the regulatory authority and requires sufficient lead time. Applications submitted after this date may not be approved before enforcement begins, which could disrupt your sender ID display.

    July 1, 2026

    The ACMA policy officially takes effect. Unregistered sender IDs will be marked as "Unverified".
    Important

    Registration involves multiple stages of manual review by the Alibaba Cloud compliance team and Australian network operators, and takes approximately one week. To avoid disruption to your production environment, submit all required materials by June 24, 2026.

    Register your sender ID

    To comply with ACMA regulations, register your sender ID through the Alibaba Cloud SMS console or by email. The registration process differs based on your entity type.

    Australian businesses (with an ABN)

    1. Log in to the Alibaba Cloud SMS console sender ID registration page, complete your business information, and submit the registration application. You can also email alicloud-intsms@alibabacloud.com for assistance.

    2. Alibaba Cloud reviews the submitted materials for completeness and compliance. After approval, Alibaba Cloud submits the registration information to ACMA. You will be notified if additional materials are required.

    3. After Alibaba Cloud submits the data to ACMA, ACMA sends an automated notification email to the primary contact listed in your business information. After receiving the email, complete the authorization through ACMA Assist.

    4. After completing the authorization in ACMA Assist, ACMA conducts a final review to add the sender ID to the national registry.

    5. Once your application is approved, the status in the Alibaba Cloud SMS console changes to Approved, and you will receive an activation confirmation email. You can then use the registered sender ID to send SMS messages to Australia.

    International businesses (without an ABN)

    If your business is registered outside of Australia (without an ABN), you must provide additional proof of company registration or a business registration excerpt from your home country. Your nominated managerial representative must also complete a digital identity verification.

    1. Log in to the Alibaba Cloud SMS console sender ID registration page, complete your business information, and submit the registration application. You can also email alicloud-intsms@alibabacloud.com for assistance.

    2. Alibaba Cloud reviews the submitted materials for completeness and compliance. The authorized representative must complete the identity verification process as instructed. You will be notified if additional materials or supporting documents are required.

    3. After approval, Alibaba Cloud submits the registration information to ACMA. You will be notified if additional information is required.

    4. After the sender ID is successfully registered with ACMA, you will receive a notification, and the registration status in the Alibaba Cloud SMS console will be updated to Approved.

    Reseller partners and ISVs

    If you operate a multi-tenant platform, SaaS infrastructure, or a distribution model to manage sender IDs on behalf of your entity associates, the sender IDs you use must be restricted to authorized brands and purposes. You must also have a formal agreement with the sender ID owner.

    1. Log in to the Alibaba Cloud SMS console sender ID registration page, complete your business information, and submit the registration application. You can also email alicloud-intsms@alibabacloud.com for assistance.

    2. Alibaba Cloud reviews the submitted materials for completeness and compliance. The authorized representative must complete the verification process as instructed. You will be notified if additional materials or supporting documents are required.

    3. After the sender ID is successfully registered with ACMA, you will receive a notification, and the registration status in the Alibaba Cloud SMS console will be updated to Approved.

    Sender ID format requirements

    Sender IDs must meet the following carrier verification rules:

    • Must be 2 to 11 characters long.

    • Must contain only standard ASCII characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9).

    • Must not contain leading or trailing spaces or underscores.

    • Must not consist solely of numbers.

    • Must not contain the word "Unverified".

    • Must not consist solely of restricted terms published on the ACMA website.

    • Brand verification: The sender ID must be clearly associated with your registered business name, a valid trademark, or a registered domain.

    FAQ

    What happens if I fail to register by the deadline?

    Starting July 1, 2026, messages sent with an unregistered sender ID will display as "Unverified" to recipients, reducing brand recognition. Some carriers may block these messages entirely.

    How do international businesses register?

    Businesses registered outside of Australia (without an ABN) must provide proof of company registration or a business registration excerpt from their home country. Their nominated managerial representative must also complete a digital identity verification. For detailed instructions, see the International businesses (without an ABN) section.

    What are the requirements for resellers and ISVs?

    When registering a sender ID on behalf of an entity associate, reseller partners or ISVs must ensure that the sender ID is used only for authorized brands and purposes and that a formal agreement is in place with the sender ID owner. For detailed instructions, see the Reseller partners and ISVs section.