How to Do DLT Registration in India to Send Bulk SMS

Before 19 July 2018, sending bulk SMS was very easy, because there was not any kind of restriction to send bulk SMS for individuals, companies or enterprenours. But now if you want to send bulk SMS in India then you need DLT registration.

What is DLT? Why is it Important?

So, let’s first understand that what is DLT. DLT stands for Distributed Ledger Technology. Let’d try to understand this with an example.

Think of DLT as a big, secure online notebook. This notebook is shared with everyone involved – businesses (like you), telecom companies (like Airtel, Jio, Vodafone Idea), and the government body TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India).

Before DLT, spam SMS was a huge problem. People got unwanted messages all the time. TRAI (the telecom rule-maker in India) brought in DLT to stop this spam.

Here’s how DLT helps:

1. Stops Spam: Every business sending bulk SMS must register on the DLT platform. No registration, no sending SMS. This cuts down on fake companies to send spam messages.
2. Verifies Sender: Your business name (called the Sender ID, like “ABCSHOP”) gets verified. So when people get your SMS, they see a trusted name, not a random number.
3. Approves Content: The actual message you want to send (like “Sale starts tomorrow!”) must be approved before you send it. This ensures messages are clear and not misleading.
4. User Consent: This is the BIGGEST part. You can only send promotional SMS to people who have clearly said “YES, I want messages from you.” You must keep proof of this consent.

In short: DLT = Permission + Verification + Approval for sending bulk SMS in India. If you skip DLT registration, telecom companies will block your messages and your SMS campaigns won’t work.

Who Needs DLT Registration?

If you plan to send bulk SMS for:

• Marketing offers (promotional SMS)
• Transactional updates (like order confirmations, OTPs, delivery alerts)
• Service messages (appointment reminders, account updates)

in all the above cases, you absolutely need DLT registration.

How to Do DLT Registration in India: Step-by-Step

Getting DLT registered involves two main parts: Business Registration and Sender ID & Template Registration. Follow these steps carefully.

Part 1: Business (Entity) Registration

This is where you register your company on the DLT platform.

1. Choose a DLT Provider: You don’t need to register directly with TRAI. You use an approved Telemarketing Aggregator or Bulk SMS Service Provider (like Bulk SMS Solutions). They have access to the DLT portal. Pick a reliable one. They will guide you and help submit your application.
2. Gather Your Documents: You will need:
   • Business Proof: Certificate of Incorporation (for Pvt Ltd/LLP), Partnership Deed (for Partnership), Shop & Establishment Certificate (for proprietorship). PAN Card copy.
   • Authorized Signatory Proof: Identity proof (Aadhaar, Passport, Voter ID) and Address Proof (Aadhaar, Passport, Utility Bill) of the person registering for the company.
   • Letter of Authorization (LOA): A letter on your company letterhead. It states who in your company is authorized to do the DLT registration. It must be signed by a director/partner/owner. Your SMS provider will give you a format.
   • Company Contact Details: Official address, phone number, email ID.
3. Fill the Entity Registration Form: Your SMS provider will give you a form. Fill in all details accurately:
   • Legal Entity Name (exactly as on documents)
   • Type of Business (Proprietorship, Pvt Ltd, etc.)
   • PAN Number
   • Registered Address
   • Details of the Authorized Signatory
   • Point of Contact details
4. Submit Documents & Form: Send the scanned copies of your documents and the filled form to your SMS provider.
5. Provider Submits to DLT: Your provider will upload everything to the DLT portal for your chosen telecom operators (like Airtel DLT, Jio DLT, Vodafone Idea DLT portal).
6. Verification by Telcos: Each telecom operator (telco) checks your application and documents. This can take 2-7 working days.
7. Approval & Entity ID: If everything is okay, each telco approves your business registration. They give you a unique Entity ID for their network. You get different Entity IDs for different telcos. Your provider will share these IDs with you. Your business is now registered on DLT!

Part 2: Sender ID and Template Registration

Now you register the name, which people will see (Sender ID) and the messages you want to send (Templates).

1. Choose Your Sender ID: This is the 6-letter name displayed as the sender of your SMS (e.g., “MYSHOP”, “URBNST”, “FLIPRT”). It must represent your brand clearly. It cannot be generic like “DEALS” or “ALERTS”. Discuss options with your SMS provider.
2. Prepare Your Message Templates: Think about the different types of SMS you will send. You need to register a template for each type of message. For example:
   • Promotional: Hello! Get 50% OFF on shoes. Use code SHOE50. Visit [Store Link]. T&C apply. - MYSHOP
   • Transactional OTP: Your OTP for login is {OTP}. Valid for 5 mins. Do not share. - MYSHOP
   • Transactional Alert: Dear Customer, Order #{OrderID} shipped. Track: [Link] - MYSHOP Use { } brackets for variables that change (like OTP, OrderID, Name).
3. Submit Sender ID & Templates: Give your chosen Sender ID and all message templates to your SMS provider. Be very precise with the wording.
4. Provider Submits to DLT: Your provider uploads your Sender ID and each template to the DLT portal for each telecom operator.
5. Telco Verification & Approval: Each telco checks:
   • Is the Sender ID relevant to your business name?
   • Is the template content clear? Does it match the purpose (Promo or Trans)?
   • Does it include variables ({ }) correctly?
   • Does it have an opt-out instruction for Promo SMS? (like “Reply STOP to opt-out”)
     Promotional templates need this. Transactional (like OTPs, alerts) usually don’t.
     Approval takes 2-5 working days per telco per template.
6. Get Your Headers & Template IDs: Once approved:
   • Your Sender ID is called a Header on DLT. Each telco gives it an approval status.
   • Each approved message template gets a unique Template ID from each telco.
   • Your SMS provider will share these Header and Template IDs with you.

Important: Consent is Key!

Remember the BIG rule? You MUST have user consent. Before sending any promotional SMS:

1. Get Clear Consent: Users must explicitly agree to get SMS from you. This could be:
   • Ticking a checkbox on your website (“I agree to receive offers via SMS”)
   • Sending a keyword like “START” to a number.
   • Giving verbal consent and you recording it properly.
2. Store Consent Proof: You MUST keep secure records of when, where, and how each user gave consent (phone number, timestamp, method). TRAI or telcos can audit this.
3. Honor Opt-Outs: If a user replies “STOP”, you MUST immediately remove them from your list. Your SMS provider helps manage this.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Wrong Documents: Using expired IDs or documents with mismatched names/addresses. Double-check everything.
• Invalid Sender ID: Choosing a name not related to your brand or using forbidden words.
• Bad Templates: Typos, missing variables ({OTP}), missing opt-out for promos, unclear content.
• Skipping Consent: Sending messages without proper permission is illegal and will get you blocked.
• Not Checking Telco Status: Each telco (Airtel, Jio, VI) approves separately. Ensure your Header and Template are approved on all major networks you target.
• Changing Templates Without Approval: If you change your SMS wording, you need to submit and get a new template approved. Don’t use old IDs for new messages.

How Bulk SMS Solutions (https://bulksmsolutions.com) Makes DLT Easy

DLT registration can feel overwhelming. That’s where we come in! At Bulk SMS Solutions, we help businesses just like yours every day.

1. Expert Guidance: We explain DLT simply and tell you exactly what documents you need. For this watch the video below or above in this page.
2. End-to-End Registration: We handle the entire process – Entity registration, Sender ID setup, Template approval – for all major telecom operators.
3. Template Help: We help you craft effective SMS templates that get approved quickly.
4. Consent Management Tools: Our platform helps you easily collect, store, and manage user consent. We handle STOP requests automatically.
5. Seamless Sending: Once registered, sending bulk SMS through our platform is fast, reliable, and fully compliant. Your approved Headers and Templates are ready to use.
6. Ongoing Support: Got questions about DLT rules? Need to add a new template? Our support team is here for you.

We take the headache out of DLT so you can focus on using bulk SMS to grow your business.

Ready to Send Compliant Bulk SMS?

Don’t let DLT registration stop you from connecting with your customers. It’s a necessary step for legitimate businesses in India. By following the steps above and partnering with a trusted provider like Bulk SMS Solutions, you can get registered smoothly.