Everything You Need to Know About Toll-Free Numbers (TFNs)

A Toll-Free Number (TFN) is a special type of phone number that allows businesses to send text messages (SMS). In the U.S. and Canada, businesses must register a TFN or 10DLC number to send texts to their customers. TFN registration isn’t just red tape, it’s an important process to make sure that businesses sending messages are legitimate. All while reducing the risk of spam and fraudulent activities for people receiving texts — because no one wants to receive unsolicited messages.

The perks of using a TFN

Let’s focus on the good stuff. Even though you need to register a number such as a TFN to send to the US and Canada, there are some perks to using this sender type.

Hot Tip: TFNs can take up to 7 days to be approved. Make sure you plan ahead and leave enough time.

1. Higher deliverability

TFNs are registered with carriers. This ensures your messages are more likely to land in customers' hands.

2. Better brand trust

When customers see a toll-free number, they recognise it as a legitimate business number. It conveys professionalism, reliability, and trustworthiness. After all, who wants to interact with a random, unverified number?

3. Regulatory compliance

Carriers require this registration to ensure that businesses follow compliance regulations. Without registration, your messages may be flagged as spam or blocked entirely.

4. No surprise charges for customers

Toll-free numbers are just that — free for the recipient. Customers can reply to your messages without worrying about unexpected charges. And at ClickSend, you won't pay for customer replies. You only pay for your outbound messages. Win-win.

How to get and register a TFN

The process of acquiring and registering a TFN is straightforward, though it involves a few essential steps:

1. Get a TFN

You can easily purchase a TFN directly through services like ClickSend. It’s a quick, hassle-free process. Just choose a number that suits your business, and you’re halfway there!

2. Fill out the registration form

After purchasing, you’ll need to fill out the registration form. This includes business details, contact information, and the crucial proof that you have permission to message your customers. This is also where you’ll provide your opt-in proof — how your customers agreed to receive messages.

3. Wait for approval

The approval process typically takes around seven days. If there’s any issue with your registration, you’ll receive a notification outlining what needs to be fixed. Be prepared to make any necessary corrections and resubmit.

Want to register a TFN, log into the Dashboard and check out our step-by-step guide to registering a TFN.

What happens if my TFN application is rejected?

Don’t panic. If you’re registering a TFN via ClickSend, our team will help you through the process and you can always chat to support.

Most issues are usually easy to resolve once you make the necessary updates, resubmit your application.

Pro tip: Ensure that your 'opt-in' method is clearly documented. Carriers want to know how you obtain consent from your recipients to text them. See our blog here on opt-in methods.

Understanding TFN compliance and restrictions

Toll-free numbers are excellent for sending certain types of messages, but there are specific compliance rules to be aware of.

What TFNs can be used for:

• Transactional messages: Appointment reminders, order confirmations, shipping updates, account alerts, etc.

• Customer service communication: Automated or live responses that help customers manage their accounts or resolve issues.

• Marketing messages: Promotional offers, discounts, loyalty program updates, product launches, event invitations, and other advertising content designed to engage customers and drive sales.

What TFNs cannot be used for:

• Personal messages: TFNs are strictly for business communications.

• Unsolicited marketing or spam: Sending mass, unsolicited messages without your customer’s consent is prohibited.

• Restricted content: TFNs cannot be used for certain industries or topics, such as stock alerts, get rich quick schemes or anything to do with drugs, firearms, etc. Some topics have a restricted scope, including loans, alcohol and tobacco. Find out more here.

If you try to send disallowed content, it’s highly likely that your messages will be blocked and you may lose access to your number.

Before you get a TFN, you need an opt in

When you're registering for a TFN, having consent (opt-in) isn’t just a good idea — it’s a must.

Pro Tip: Opt-in refers to the process whereby your audience agrees to receive messages from you. Find out more.

Carriers require businesses to prove they have explicit consent from customers before sending them messages, and that’s where opt-ins come into play.

Without proper opt-in documentation, your TFN application is almost guaranteed to be rejected. Because opt-ins are the primary way carriers ensure your messages are legitimate, not spammy or unsolicited. Carriers want to limit spam. You can only text people that have subscribed to receive messages from you. Recipients can always opt out by replying STOP, END or CANCEL. Check out our step-by-step TFN registration guide to understand what documents you need for each type of opt-in.

A well-documented opt-in process is your ticket to keeping your TFN approval moving forward without any setbacks.

Don’t know what opt-ins are? Check out our opt-ins explained article and get the low-down.

Start sending to the US and Canada with a TFN

Ready to start sending? Sign up for a ClickSend account and register your first TFN. You can still send trial messages to test the platform while you wait for your TFN to be approved. Or reach out to one of our friendly support team members – open a live chat in the bottom right corner of your screen.

A quick note from our legal team: while this post is designed to inform, the advice is only general and doesn’t constitute legal advice. For legal advice specific to your business and use cases, we encourage you to reach out to a legal professional.

See also: US Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).