What you need to know about the SMS Sender ID register

Last Updated: Friday 28 Nov 2025

To protect Australians from SMS scams, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is introducing a mandatory SMS Sender ID Register. This change affects all businesses that use alphanumeric characters (e.g., your brand name) as the sender identifier in SMS or MMS messages. 

What is a Sender ID

A Sender ID is an 11-character alphanumeric string that is placed over the top of the Mobile Number. It is typically a company name or a service that the company provides and helps your recipients easily distinguish your company as the sender of the SMS. Using a Sender ID will also mean that the traffic is 1-way only (i.e. customers will not be able to reply to an SMS with a Sender ID). 

Why this is happening

Scammers often impersonate trusted brands like banks, government agencies, and retailers. The new register ensures that only verified sender IDs are used, restoring trust in SMS communications. 

Registering your business with ACMA will allow for your brand or business name to be displayed as the sender of your SMSs.  

Next steps 

From 1 July 2026, any SMS sent with an unregistered sender ID will display as “Unverified” instead of your brand name. They will also be grouped with other unregistered senders into an “Unverified” message thread on mobile devices. 

Telcos may even block these “Unverified” messages, so they may not reach customers.  

Messages from numeric sender IDs (Virtual Mobile Numbers / Long Number sender IDs) will not be impacted. 

We are working with ACMA to facilitate registrations for our customers before the 1 July 2026 deadline. We will provide customers with clear next steps as soon as we know more. Please note that customers will need a valid Australian Business Number (ABN) to register an SMS Sender ID.