From 1 July 2026, any alphanumeric sender ID you haven't registered with the ACMA shows as "Unverified" to the people you message - your business name no longer appears, so recipients are less likely to recognize or trust the message.
How you come across this depends on how you use messaging. You might see it when you go to send, when you sign in to the Hub, or in an email after a message goes out on an unverified sender ID. Some businesses hear it first from their own customers, who flag that messages are arriving as "Unverified." However you've found out, this explains what's happening and your options. For the background on the ACMA change and the steps to register a sender ID, start with Australia | Changes to alphanumeric sender ID (formerly alpha tag) registration and usage.
Where you'll see reminders
We flag this in a few places so it doesn't catch you out:
- A banner at the top of the Hub stays in place while you still have unregistered sender IDs, with a link to start registering.
- A prompt when you go to send, if you choose an unverified sender ID, so you can decide before the message goes out - register the ID, or remove it if you don't need it.
- A message on your Numbers page (Settings > Numbers), where you can review your sender IDs and either register or delete them.
- An email after sending, if a message goes out on an unverified sender ID, naming the ID and pointing you to the next step.
Your options
There are three ways to manage an unregistered sender ID.
Register it. If you want to keep using it under your business name, register it with the ACMA — the steps are in [Changes to alphanumeric sender ID registration and usage]. Registration runs through your ABR contact and ACMA Assist, so the main thing is getting that person involved early. Processing takes 3–5 business days, and your business name is restored once it's approved. You can still register after 1 July.
Keep sending without registering. You don't have to stop. If you can't register before the deadline, your messages will keep going out - they'll just show as "Unverified" rather than your business name. The trade-off is the loss of recognition and trust until you register, so it's best treated as a stop-gap rather than a long-term position. If you want a verified identity without registering an alpha sender ID, a dedicated number is worth considering.
Stop using it. If you'd rather not register the sender ID, stop sending from it so messages don't keep showing as "Unverified":
- Sending from the Hub? Delete it under Settings > Numbers.
- Sending through the API? Update your integration to send from a registered sender ID or a dedicated number. Deleting it in the Hub on its own won't stop your code from sending.
Already registered?
If a sender ID already shows as verified in the Hub, you're done - nothing further to do.
Need help?
If you're unsure who your ABR contact is, or you get stuck partway through, contact support.