Following the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) regulations, all entities must undergo identity and authorization checks to send SMS using a specific name.

This guide outlines the step-by-step process we will guide you through for registering your Australian Sender ID if you have an Australian Business Number. 

Step 1: Verify Your Use Case

Your requested Sender ID must have a clear “identification match” with your registered business details. It must be the same as, or a contraction/acronym of, one of the following:

• Business Name: Registered in the Business Names Register.
• Company Name: Active in the Australian Business Register (ABR).
• Trademark: Registered in IP Australia’s Trade Mark Search.
• Domain Name: Registered on WHOIS and used for a legitimate website or email.

Avoid Restricted Words: You cannot use terms like “alert,” “bank,” “billing,” “notice,” or “urgent” in isolation. These are only permitted if combined with characters that clearly identify your brand.

We will need to verify the use case using the relevant registration details. You may need to provide us with evidence of your valid use case to support the verification process.

Action to take now: Review your Sender IDs to ensure they comply with the above requirements.

Step 2: Initial Application for registration of a Sender ID (Our Role)

We will initiate the application on your behalf as the Originating Telco. We will:

• Validate your ABN: We check that your ABN exists and matches your customer name via the government registry.
• Submit Details: We enter your sender ID, ABN, address, website, telephone number and the name and email address for your Entity Representative.

Note: This representative will receive the final notifications for ID checks from the ACMA Assist platform and needs to be listed in the Australian Business Register as an authorised contact for your business. Once the sender ID is registered, the authorised contact can access the ACMA Assist portal to assign other individuals authority to manage future registrations. 

Action to take now: provide us with the contact details of a representative listed in the Australian Business Register.

Step 3: Identity Verification of your Entity Representative (Your Role)

The ACMA is responsible for the final identity and authorisation checks.

• ACMA Assist Login: Your representative will receive an email from ACMA Assist and must log into the ACMA Assist portal.
• Identity Check: The individual must pass ID checks (typically requiring Australian ID documents).
• Confirmation of Registration: The ACMA will confirm when the Sender ID has been registered.

Action to take now: ensure your representative is aware of this requirement.

Step 4: If you are sending on behalf of another company

If you are sending for another company you are classified as an Entity Associate and we must also:

1. Obtain Authorisation: We require a confirmation letter from the Sender ID owner, on their company letterhead using the template we provide here, giving you permission to use the Sender ID.
2. Entity Associate Registration: We will register you as an Entity Associate in the ACMA Assist portal.
3. Owner Registration: We can register the Sender ID on behalf of the owner by following the steps above.
4. Final Notification: We will notify you once the registration is complete.

Action required now: provide us with the completed letter of authorisation using the template here.

What we need from you now

To ensure we meet the 1 July deadline, please reply to this email with the following information:

1. Authorised Representative: The name and business email of an individual officially listed as an “Authorised Contact” for your business in the Australian Business Registry.

Note: This person must have a Standard strength myID (the Australian Gov digital ID app) to complete the final ACMA verification.

2. Letter of authorisation: A signed letter of authorisation from any Sender ID owners you send on behalf of.

We will be in touch soon to confirm the commencement of the registration process.

FAQ

What is an alphanumeric SenderID?

• A sender ID is the name recipients see when they receive your SMS, identifying who has sent the message. 
• This applies to all SMS messages & surveys sent using  our portal, our API, email to SMS or via an automation.
• Sender IDs are used for sending one-way messages only and do not support replies. If you require two-way conversational messaging, you will need to purchase a Virtual Mobile Number (VMN) or a Short Code.

Why do I need to get the SenderID(s) I want to use approved?

• Certain countries now require that you register a sender ID for approval, prior to you sending messages.  This allows numbers to be identified and traced and will help to prevent text messages that seek to defraud recipients by using senderIDs based on:
• A well known brand name that is not their own
• Another company’s phone number
• A generic name (e.g. DELIVERY or UPDATE)
• The regulations cover all text messages sent to Australia using a sender ID, whether they are used to communicate externally with customers or internally with employees. 
• In many countries, SMS providers (like Esendex) are now obliged to report any material misuse of a sender ID to the correct regulatory body and freeze suspected accounts.

What format does a sender ID need to be in, to be approved?

• An alpha-numeric SenderID can be between 4 and 11 characters, including spaces.
• It must not:
  • Contain only numbers and/or present itself as a phone number*.
  • Use a generic name (e.g. DELIVERY or UPDATE).
  • Ensure you comply with ACMA’s restricted words
• It must:
  • Identify the sender – i.e. your brand name/company.
• Please download our factsheet, to see examples of sender IDs which are compliant and non-compliant with the Australian regulations.

* A Virtual Mobile Number (VMN) or a Short Code you purchase from Esendex can still be used.

I am already using a sender ID. Do I need to get it approved?

• Yes. Even if you believe that your current sender ID  meets regulatory standards, you must still register it for approval. 
• If you realise that your current sender ID  does not meet the required standards, you will need to change it and register your new ID for approval. 

Can I continue to use the default sender ID WEB SMS, that was given to me when I opened my account?

• No. You will need to register a new SenderID(s) for approval.
• The default WEB SMS sender ID can only be used as part of a free trial when an account is first opened.

Why it’s necessary of registering a sender ID?

• You need to register to send text messages to Australia, using a sender ID.
• The regulations are there to protect you and your reputation, by reducing the likelihood of anyone impersonating and using your company credentials to defraud your customers or staff.
• As the regulations now ask that you clearly identify your brand/company in the senderID, this will help to maximise transparency and recipient engagement.

Can I register more than one SenderID for approval?

• Yes. Multiple sender IDs can be registered.
• Each sender ID will need to be registered separately the appropriate evidence attached.

How will I know when my sender ID has been approved or rejected?

• We will notify you by email when the process is complete. 
• You can start sending messages using the sender ID, as soon as it is approved.

I am an existing customer. Will I still be able to use my current sender ID(s) while I am waiting for it to be approved?

• Yes. However we  strongly recommend that you register your sender ID(s) for approval, as soon as we notify you by email that you can do so.
• All sender IDs must be approved by 1st July 2026, so please allow sufficient time for approval and for a second application, in the event of a refusal.
• If you have not received sender ID approval by 1st July 2026, your messages to or within Australia will be either “Unverified” or blocked.

What happens if a sender ID I tried to register is rejected?

• Please refer to the guidelines on this support page, and re-register with a different sender ID, using the same online process.
• If you did not submit sufficient evidence when you registered, you will be notified to email our support team at support@esendex.com.

Once approved, will I be able to edit my sender ID?

• No. You will need to register a new sender ID using the same online process, if you make even a slight change to your approved sender ID.

Where can I view sender ID(s) that have been approved?

• A list will be available to view on the Esendex portal, after you have logged in. 
• For sending messages, you can set a default sender ID. If you have more than one approved sender ID, you can also select which one to use, from a drop down menu.

What will happen if I try to send messages using a sender ID that has not been approved?

• Your messages will either be sent as “Unverified” or blocked, if they are being sent to, or within, a country, that requires approved sender IDs.
• Whether you send messages using the Esendex portal, our API, email to SMS or via an automation, you will be able to track messages that have failed to send, using the reporting tools within your Message History. The error message Failed – SenderID Not Allowed will be displayed in the reporting.
• If you send messages using our API, you can also call the API, to check the status of each  message.
• If you send a message to multiple contacts in one bulk send, which contains a range of destinations, including for example, Australia, only the messages intended for Australian recipients will be “Unverified” or blocked. All other messages will be sent.
• You will be charged for all messages you attempt to send. This includes messages which are blocked, due to use of a non-approved sender ID.

Can I still create my own sender IDs, when sending within/to countries that do not require them to be approved?

• Yes. You can still create a customised sender ID and use it straight away, when using the Esendex portal, our API, email to SMS or via an automation. 

Do I need to register a sender ID before I can start sending messages?

• Yes, if you want use one to send to, or within Australia.
• However, you can still  send messages instantly, if you purchase a Virtual Mobile Number (VMN) or a Short Code from Esendex. Both of these are normally used for two-way conversational messaging, to provide  your staff or customers with an opportunity to respond.

Are Virtual Mobile Numbers (VMNs) and shortcodes affected by the regulations covering sender IDs ?

• No. You can purchase a Virtual Mobile Number (VMN) or a Short Code from Esendex and begin to use it straight away to send and receive messages.

Re-sellers – is the process the same for registering a sender ID?

If your company sends SMS on behalf of someone else (e.g. you are a re-seller), you will need to obtain a letter from the sender ID owner authorising you to send messages on their behalf. Please use this template and once complete send it to us by email support@esendex.com.