Note: Please refer to our messaging announcements to see what has changed with vetting: Changes to Toll-Free vetting requirements. You can also reference Bandwidth’s Toll-Free Verification Checklist that walks you through all of the registration fields to help ensure you don’t miss any steps.
Toll-Free Verification overview
Toll-Free Verification (TFV) is a free process that tags messaging traffic as "verified" with Bandwidth’s downstream peers and indicates who is sending the messages, what they’re sending, and how they collect consent to the carriers. Verification is not whitelisting, but it helps expedite the resolution of blocking issues when traffic aligns with the verification application.
You can submit TFV requests via our Toll-Free Campaign Brief or our Bulk Toll-Free Verification Form. TFV requests are reviewed manually and can take up to 5 business days to complete. To avoid delays, we recommend submitting detailed information and ensuring all of the required fields are completed.
You can also use our Toll-Free Verification API to submit TFV requests. Once received, your number(s) will have a Pending Verification status, and you can retrieve status changes via API.
Consumer consent requirements
Laws and regulations regarding consumer consent can be complex. In messaging, "consent" specifically refers to a message recipient's written or verbal confirmation, also known as opt-in, to receive text alerts from a business.
Note: Consent cannot be acquired from a third party. Third-party opt-in is not supported and is ineligible for verification. In addition, using A2P messaging for lead generation campaigns that state or imply sharing of collected information with third parties violates Bandwidth's Product Terms and our peers’ policies.
Opt-in
Insufficient opt-in information is a common cause for rejection. Refer to Section 5.1 of the CTIA Messaging Principles and Best Practices for detailed consent requirements. Bandwidth expects customers to collect all the necessary opt-ins. To minimize submission denials, please ensure:
Consumer consent is collected by the direct (first) party sending the messages.
The opt-in flow is thoroughly detailed and provides step-by-step instructions a user must take to opt in to the messaging program.
The consent disclaimer is explicitly stated at the time of collection (i.e., when the phone number is collected, there should be a disclosure about opting in to messaging).
The opt-in language is consistent with the use case(s) reflecting the type of messages a user is consenting to in the opt-in.
Marketing/promotional content includes a separate opt-in regardless of whether there are multiple use cases. For more information, see the Opt-in for mixed-use cases section below.
In addition, your TFV verification submission must include a URL that points to additional information based on the type of opt-in collected:
Website: Photos/screenshots of the web form where a user can add a number and agree to receive messaging.
Website posting (support): Photos/screenshots of where the number is advertised and where a user can find it to text.
Keyword or QR code opt-in: Photos/screenshots of where a user can find the keyword or QR code to opt in to messages.
Verbal (over the phone, in-person at physical location): Script depicting a clear back and forth between the agent and end consumer.
IVR: Script of what the IVR is stating and how a user interacts with it to opt in, and a photo/screenshot of opt-in via voice in the database/CRM (e.g., a checkbox saying that a user has opted in and the date).
2FA/OTP: A photo/screenshot of the process to receive the initial text.
Paper form (customer/employee): Photos/screenshots of the form.
Opt-in for mixed use cases
A mixed-use case is when one Toll-Free Number (TFN) sends out different types of messaging. For example, if a TFN sends marketing and information, such as receipts, opt-in needs to be collected for both.
Ensure that you are collecting opt-in for all appropriate use cases, as it allows a user to clearly understand what messages they’re agreeing to receive. There are several ways that opt-in can be collected for TFNs with mixed-use cases.
Continuing with the example of a TFN that sends marketing and informational messages, here are two examples of ways that opt-in could be collected appropriately:
Collect opt-in from users by having them provide their phone number and select two separate opt-in checkboxes: one for marketing messages and one for informational reach-outs. For example:
Collect opt-in from users by displaying two separate screens that each collect a phone number and state what information the user will receive messages about: one screen for marketing messages and one for informational reach-outs.
Note: These are just two examples of how to collect opt-in. You may choose to collect opt-in information in another way.
Phone number requirements
Each message sender (business/entity/organization) should utilize only one primary sending number. Using a single recognizable number for messaging is not only a best practice but also a better user experience overall for the consumer.
In a business/entity/organization with multiple locations or franchises, each location or franchise should have its own number. Only one number per message sender is permitted. Shared numbers (numbers used by multiple businesses) are disallowed and ineligible for verification.
We understand some use cases require more than one sending number. If you're submitting a request with 5 or more numbers, please follow our bulk verification process and provide a clear justification for needing this amount of numbers in the
Additional_Supporting_Documentation column of the Bulk Toll-Free Verification Form. For bulk TFV requests, please upload an Excel file with the business name associated with each number.
Business Registration Numbers
Effective February 17, 2026, Business Registration Numbers (BRNs) are mandatory and the following fields are required for all new TFV requests:
Business Registration Number: The official BRN
Business Registration Type: For example, Employer Identification Number (EIN), Canadian Business Number (BN), or Companies House.
Business Registration Country: The ISO 3166-1 Alpha-2 country code (e.g., US for the United States, or CA for Canada). For more information, visit the ISO Online Browsing Platform, select Country codes, and click Search.
If you’re registering a US-based business, provide an EIN as your BRN. If you don’t have an EIN issued by the IRS (for example, if you’re a business with no employees), indicate this by putting “Entity Type” as “Sole Proprietor” in your TFV request. Your submission will undergo a manual exemption process, which requires additional time and doesn’t guarantee approval.
If you’re registering a business located outside of the US, provide your official BRN as issued by your local or national business authority. While supporting documents vary by country, please ensure your document shows:
Your legal business name
Valid BRN
Name of the issuing authority (e.g., Companies House, Corporations Canada, etc.)
Ineligible use cases
The following use cases are not eligible for Toll-Free Verification:
High-Risk Financial Services | Get Rich Quick Schemes | Debt Forgiveness | Illegal Substances/ Activities | General |
Payday loans
Short-term, high-interest loans
Auto loans
Mortgage loans
Student loans
Gambling
Sweepstakes
Stock alerts
Cryptocurrency | Debt consolidation
Debt reduction
Credit repair programs
Deceptive work-from-home programs
Multi-level marketing | Risk investment opportunities
Debt collection or consolidation | Cannabis
Alcohol
Tobacco, vape, or nicotine | Phishing
Fraud or scams
Deceptive marketing
Pornography
Sex-related content
Profanity or hate speech
Firearms |
Frequently Asked Questions
Are resellers eligible for verification?
No, verification is meant for the end business sending the messaging traffic, not the reseller.
How will I be notified regarding the status of my TFV request?
Once our Messaging Registration Support team receives and prescreens your request, it will be submitted to our toll-free peer. The team will then open a support ticket using the compliance POC email listed on the brief and provide an order ID that you can use to track the status.
Where can I find the TFV status or submission details for my number(s)?
Please follow these steps to download the Toll-Free Verification Status report or the Toll-Free Verification Submission Details report via the Bandwidth App.
What are the different verification statuses?
The toll-free aggregator has created 3 classes of service to classify verification status: Verified, Pending Verification, and Restricted.
Verified: Approved TFNs with minimal traffic filtering. Blocked content won't block the number.
Pending Verification: TFNs awaiting aggregator response. As of January 31, 2024, these TFNs are blocked from sending traffic.
Restricted (Unverified): TFNs that are unverified or denied. Effective November 8, 2023, these TFNs are blocked from sending traffic by Bandwidth's aggregator.
Why was my TFV request rejected?
If your TFV request was rejected, please see our Toll-free verification rejection reasons for explanation and recommended solution.
My verified toll-free number(s) got blocked. Can I unblock it?
Yes, please open a support ticket with our Messaging Registration Support team. If your number is already verified, please share this information in the ticket for a quicker resolution.
Note: The Messaging Registration Support team only processes verification requests. For technical support, please open a ticket with our Messaging Support team.
My toll-free number(s) was verified by my prior provider. Do I still need to go through verification with Bandwidth?
Although verified toll-free numbers retain their status after porting, we strongly encourage you to verify them with Bandwidth so we have a record of the campaign details in case of a blocking event. This process won’t put your numbers in a Pending status and they should retain sending capabilities unless your new request is denied. When submitting a TFV request, please attach any previously approved verification forms and/or ticket numbers, if applicable.