Overview
If your business does not have an Australian Business Number (ABN) and you send SMS or MMS messages to Australian mobile numbers using an alphanumeric sender ID (e.g. your brand name), you are required to register that sender ID with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
Under the SMS Sender ID Register Industry Standard 2025, all alphanumeric sender IDs must be registered before 1 July 2026. After this date, messages sent from unregistered sender IDs will display as "Unverified" to recipients.
As a Certified Telecommunications Provider, Sinch MessageMedia can register your sender ID with ACMA on your behalf. No government portal required. Because your business does not have an ABN, we use a secure identity verification process to confirm your business identity and authorized representative before submitting the registration.
A one-time registration fee of $19.00 AUD applies.
Before you begin
Make sure you have the following ready:
- Business registration number - Your official number from your country's business register (e.g. Companies House number for UK, NZBN for NZ, EIN for US)
- Registered entity name - Your full legal business name as it appears on your official register
- Business address - Your registered head office address
- Business website - Your official company website URL
- Business phone number - A general business contact number (not tied to an individual)
- Authorized representative - Name, corporate email, and direct phone number of the person authorized to act on behalf of your business
- Government-issued photo ID - The authorized representative will need a valid passport, national ID, or driver's license for identity verification
Important: Your sender ID must closely match your registered business name, a trademark you own, or your website domain. It can be the full name, an abbreviation, an acronym, or a contraction. For example, if your business name is "MentorShow SAS", valid sender IDs include MentorShow, MntorShow, or MS.
How to register your sender ID
Step 1: Go to the Numbers page
Log in to the Sinch MessageMedia Hub
In the left menu, go to Settings > Numbers
Scroll down to the Alphanumeric sender IDs (alpha tags) section
You'll see an Action required banner if you have sender IDs that need to be registered.
Find your sender ID in the table and click Start registration. If you're registering a new sender ID, click Add new alphanumeric.
Step 2: Select your business registration type
A Register existing alphanumeric modal will appear.
Under Business registration type, select "I don't have an ABN" (Other business registration)
You'll see an amber notice explaining that your authorised representative will receive a verification link by email after you submit.
Enter your Country of registration in the field below. This is your Country of official business registration.
Enter your business registration number in the field below. This is your official registration number from your country's business register.
You'll also see a panel confirming the $19.00 AUD setup fee for registration through Sinch. This fee is added to your next invoice.
Click Next.
If you do not have an ABN you cannot use the Entity Associate option to register a sender ID on behalf of another entity. Click Next on below screen to start the sender ID registration for Your business.
Step 3: Enter your business details
You'll now enter the four-step registration flow, starting with Business details.
Your business registration number will be pre-filled from the previous step. Complete the remaining fields:
Registered entity name - enter your full legal name as it appears on your official business register
Business address - start typing and select from the suggestions, or click the link to enter it manually
Business website - your official company website URL
Telephone number - a general business contact number (not tied to an individual)
Click Next to continue.
Step 4: Enter your sender ID
On the Alphanumeric validation screen, you'll see an information panel explaining the ACMA requirements for non-ABN sender IDs.
Your sender ID must be a "sender identification match", meaning it must be the same as, an abbreviation of, an acronym of, or a contraction of your registered entity name, trademark, or domain name.
Enter or confirm your Alphanumeric name in the field provided.
Below the field, you'll see a "Your business details" panel showing the business information you entered in the previous step. Use this to confirm your sender ID closely matches your registered details.
Your sender ID will be marked as "Pending manual review". Our team will verify the match against your official business register after you submit.
Click Next to continue.
Step 5: Enter the authorized representative
On the Authorized representative screen, enter the details of the person who is authorized to act on behalf of your business.
This person will receive a secure identity verification link via email after you submit the application. If you enter the wrong person, the verification will fail and your sender ID will not be approved.
Select your role:
"I am an authorized representative" - select this if you are the person who will complete the identity verification. You are authorized to act on behalf of the business.
"I am completing this on behalf of an authorized representative" - select this if someone else at your business will complete the verification. You'll need to provide their details. They will receive the verification link.
Enter the representative's details:
First name and Last name
Email address - use a corporate email address (e.g. yourname@yourbusiness.com). The identity verification link will be sent to this email. Using a personal email (Gmail, Outlook) may trigger additional verification steps.
Telephone number - the representative's direct phone number (not a reception or shared line)
Tick the checkbox to confirm: "I confirm the authorized representative is aware of and agrees to this registration."
Click Next to continue.
Step 6: Review and submit
On the Review & submit screen, check all the details you've entered across each section:
Business details - your registration number, company type, entity name, address, website, and phone number. Click the edit icon if anything needs correcting.
Alphanumeric validation - your requested sender ID, showing "Pending manual review"
Authorized representative - the person who will complete identity verification
At the bottom, you'll see the registration fee of $19.00 AUD. Tick the checkbox to confirm you agree to this fee being added to your next invoice.
Click Submit for review to submit your application.
What happens after you submit
After clicking Submit, you'll see a confirmation screen. Here's what happens next:
Identity verification Your authorized representative will receive an email with a secure verification link. They'll need to verify your business details and confirm their identity using a government-issued photo ID. This takes approximately 5 to 10 minutes. The link is valid for 14 days.
For a step-by-step guide on completing the identity verification, see: Completing Identity Verification for Sender ID Registration
Compliance review Once identity verification is complete, our team will review your application. We'll check that your sender ID matches your registered business details. This typically takes 1 to 2 business days.
ACMA registration If everything checks out, we'll register your sender ID with ACMA on your behalf. No action required from you at this stage.
Activation We'll email you as soon as your sender ID is approved and ready to use. Your sender ID will show as "Approved" on the Numbers page.
Checking your application status
You can check the status of your registration at any time:
Go to Settings > Numbers
Find your sender ID in the Alphanumeric sender IDs table
The Status column will show the current state of your application
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| ACMA registration required | Registration has not been started yet |
| Draft | Registration started but not submitted |
| Submitted | Submitted and waiting for identity verification |
| Under review | Identity verification complete, our team is reviewing |
| Sent to ACMA | Submitted to ACMA for registration |
| Approved | Registered and ready to use |
| Rejected | Registration was not approved (check your email for details) |
Fees
| Fee | Amount | When charged |
|---|---|---|
| Sender ID registration (one-time) | $19.00 AUD | Added to your next invoice after submission |
Frequently asked questions
Why do I need to verify my identity? Under Australian regulations, businesses without an ABN must be verified by a Certified Telecommunications Provider before their sender ID can be registered with ACMA. The verification confirms your business is legitimate and that the person requesting registration is authorized to act on its behalf.
What if my sender ID doesn't exactly match my business name? Your sender ID can be an abbreviation, acronym, or contraction of your registered business name, trademark, or domain. Our team will review the match during the approval process. If it's too different, we'll contact you with guidance.
Can I register multiple sender IDs? Yes. Each sender ID requires a separate registration and fee.
I'm an Australian business but I don't have an ABN. Can I use this process? Yes. This registration pathway is available to any business without an ABN, including Australian entities that cannot use the standard ABN-based process.
What happens to my existing sender IDs if I don't register by July 1? After 1 July 2026, unregistered sender IDs will display as "Unverified" on all messages to Australian recipients. This may impact your deliverability and customer trust.
How long does the whole process take? The Hub registration takes about 5 minutes. Identity verification takes another 5 to 10 minutes. Our compliance review typically takes 1 to 2 business days after verification is complete. ACMA processing time varies.
Can someone else at my company complete the identity verification? Only the person named as the authorized representative can complete the verification. If you need to change who receives the verification link, contact our support team.