Sending texts for another organisation

The SMS Sender ID Register uses the term ‘entity associate’ to refer to a business or organisation that sends text messages using a sender ID that belongs to another organisation.

For example, an entity associate could be:

• a research company that has been engaged by a bank to send text messages on its behalf using the bank’s sender ID
• a sports club that is authorised to send text messages using a sender ID that is owned by a sports league
• an advertising or marketing agency engaged by a business to run advertising and promotional campaigns using a sender ID owned by that business.

From 1 July 2026, you cannot send messages using another organisation’s sender ID unless:

• you have been approved to participate in the register
• the sender ID is registered
• the sender ID owner has confirmed that you have their consent to send text messages with the sender ID on their behalf.

To continue to use another organisation’s sender ID, you must contact an approved telco before 1 July 2026. The telco will need to submit 2 applications:

1. An application for you to participate in the register.
2. An application for the sender ID owner to register the sender ID, and consent for you to use that sender ID.

Have an arrangement in place

You must be authorised by the organisation that owns the sender ID to send text messages on their behalf using that sender ID.

Advise the sender ID owner

You need to: 

• advise the sender ID owner that you will apply to register their sender ID
• confirm with them that you have their consent to send text messages with the sender ID on their behalf.

If the sender ID owner has already registered the sender ID, you must still apply to register the sender ID as an entity associate. This is so:

• you can provide your telco with the information you received from the sender ID owner
• we have a record that the sender ID owner has given consent for you to use that sender ID.

Information you need about the sender ID owner

When you submit an application to register a sender ID, you will need to provide the following information about the sender ID owner: 

• Their business or organisation name.
• Their ABN or, if they do not have an ABN, a unique identifier associated with the sender ID owner’s official recognition or certification by a governing body, regulatory authority or accreditation organisation in the country in which the organisation is based
• Their website or online presence on a social media platform.
• Their business or organisation address:
  • If it is company, the full address of its registered office.
  • If it is not a company, its principal place of business, operation or administration.
• The name, email and telephone number of the sender ID owner’s representative.
• Evidence that the sender ID owner has a ‘valid use case’ for the sender ID:
  • There are different requirements for a valid use case depending on whether the sender ID owner has an ABN.
  • Read more about the types of sender ID you can register.

Your telco will submit the application for you to participate in the register.

You will need to provide your:

• business or organisation name
• ABN or, if you do not have an ABN, a unique identifier associated with your official recognition or certification by a governing body, regulatory authority or accreditation organisation in the country in which you are based
• website or online presence on a social media platform
• business or organisation address:
  • if you are a company, the full address of your registered office
  • if you are not a company, your principal place of business, operation or administration
• name, email and telephone number of your representative.

After the telco has submitted the application:

• if you have an ABN: you will receive an email with a link to the register – you must follow that link to confirm your application
• if you do not have an ABN: your telco is responsible for confirming your application.

After the application is confirmed, the ACMA will advise you and your telco if your application to participate in the register has been approved.

Your telco will submit an application to register the sender ID that you are using on behalf of another organisation.

If the sender ID owner has already registered the sender ID, you must still apply to register the sender ID as an entity associate. This is so:

• you can provide your telco with the information you received from the sender ID owner
• we have a record that the sender ID owner has given consent for you to use that sender ID.

If the sender ID owner has an ABN

After your telco has submitted the application to register the sender ID, the representative of the sender ID owner will receive an email with a link to the register. The email will list the sender ID and indicate that the application was made by your organisation. 

The sender ID owner’s representative must follow the link in the email to confirm the application. By confirming the application, they are agreeing to register the sender ID and confirming you have permission to use that sender ID on their behalf. 

Your telco will contact you to advise if the ACMA has approved the application to register the sender ID.

If the sender ID owner does not have an ABN

Before your telco submits an application to register the sender ID, it must confirm that the sender ID owner:

• agrees to register the sender ID
• consents for you to send text messages with the sender ID on their behalf.

Your telco may do this by contacting the sender ID owner directly or obtaining proof from you that the sender ID owner has provided this consent. 

After your telco has submitted the application to register the sender ID, the representative of the sender ID owner will receive an email advising if the ACMA has approved the application. The email will list the sender ID and indicate that the application was made by your organisation. 

Your telco will contact you to advise if the ACMA has approved the application to register the sender ID.

The Telecommunications (SMS Sender ID Register) Industry Standard 2025 defines an entity associate and sets out the rules relating to how telcos can register sender IDs for an entity associate.