India compliance
TRAI DLT registration for SMS, step by step
Register your entity, sender ID and message templates once, bind your delivery platform, and your SMS will be carried instead of silently dropped. WhatsApp needs none of it.
Why SMS gets rejected — and how to avoid it
Nearly every failed SMS in India traces back to one of three things: the message text does not match the registered template, the header is registered for a different category than the message, or a link in the message is not registered with the operator. All three fail without an explanation at the handset end, which is why they feel arbitrary.
The defence is to keep the registered templates and the sending platform in step. sendlz stores your approved templates, checks the content of each send against them and returns the mismatch in the API response, so a typo in a variable is a fixed line in your code rather than a lost OTP.
Keep categories apart. Use one header and one template family for transactional and service traffic and another for promotional messages. Promotional SMS is subject to DND checks and time-window rules that do not apply to an OTP, and mixing them puts your most important traffic under your most complained-about header.
The registration sequence
- 1
Register your entity
Create the principal-entity account on one operator’s DLT portal with your business PAN, incorporation or GST proof and an authorised-signatory letter. The record is shared across operators through the ledger.
- 2
Register sender IDs
Register a header per use case — for example one for OTP and service alerts and a separate one for promotions — so categories never share a reputation.
- 3
Register content templates
Submit each message with its variable positions marked, under the right category. Templates are matched against sent content, so wording and variables must correspond.
- 4
Bind your platform
Link your entity to the delivery platform’s registered ID so traffic can flow through it. sendlz gives you the ID and the exact place to enter it.
- 5
Test, then go live
Send to test numbers in the sandbox, confirm delivery receipts, then switch on live traffic once each template shows as approved.
Questions on this page
Each answer is written to stand alone, so search engines and AI assistants can quote it.
How long does DLT registration take?
Entity and header approvals usually take a few working days, and template approvals can range from hours to days depending on the operator’s review. Those timelines are the operator’s, not ours, so start registration before you need to launch.
Can one header carry OTPs and promotions?
It is better not to. Register separate headers per category so promotional complaints and DND rules never affect transactional delivery.
Do I need DLT if I only use WhatsApp?
No. WhatsApp uses Meta’s template approval. You only need DLT for the SMS leg of a mixed programme, such as an SMS fallback for OTP.
Does sendlz register DLT for me?
The registration is made in your business’s name on an operator portal, so it has to be yours. We give you the checklist, the field values and the platform binding details, and check your templates before you send.
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Start free with 1,000 conversations. Bring your own Meta number or apply for a new one — we handle verification, templates and the green tick with you.