DLT registration guide

DLT registration for SMS in India: the complete guide

Every business sending OTPs, alerts or promotions in India needs DLT registration. This guide explains each step, the documents, header and template rules, and how to avoid the most common rejections.

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Entity, headers, templates, consent
Rejection reasons and fixes

Operator DLT portal showing content templates with approved, pending and rejected status, and an approved OTP template with two variables

What is DLT registration?

DLT registration is the mandatory process, under TRAI's TCCCPR 2018 regulations, by which a business sending commercial SMS in India registers itself as a principal entity on a telecom operator's blockchain-based DLT platform, along with its sender IDs (headers), message templates and consent templates. Operators block messages that do not match these records.

Updated 15 Nov 2026

DLT at a glance

Regulation: TRAI Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR) 2018
Who registers: Every business sending commercial SMS (principal entity)
Where: Any one operator DLT platform; records are shared across operators
What you register: Entity, headers, content templates, consent templates
Telemarketer: Your SMS provider, such as MsgClub, linked to your entity
If not registered: Operators block the message at scrubbing

Who needs DLT registration?

Any business, institution or government body that sends commercial SMS to Indian mobile numbers, through any provider. DLT records four kinds of participants.

Roles on the DLT platform
Role	Who it is	What it does
Principal entity (PE)	Your business	Registers itself, its headers, content templates and consent templates
Telemarketer (TM)	Your SMS provider, such as MsgClub	Sends messages on your behalf; linked to your entity on the portal
Operator (access provider)	Jio, Airtel, Vi, BSNL and others	Runs a DLT platform and scrubs every message against the records
Customer	The person receiving the SMS	Sets preferences on the NCPR (DND) and gives or revokes consent

Each major operator runs its own DLT platform for entity registration, including Jio, Airtel, Vi (Vodafone Idea) and BSNL. Pick any one; you do not need to register separately with each.

Which documents do you need for DLT registration?

Requirements vary slightly by platform and business type. Keep clear scans of these ready, with names that match exactly across documents.

Some platforms charge a one-time or yearly registration fee, payable on the portal. Check the current fee on the platform you choose.

PAN of the business (or of the proprietor)
GST certificate, or another business proof such as a certificate of incorporation, shop and establishment licence or Udyam certificate
Address proof of the business
Letter of authorisation on company letterhead naming the authorised signatory, signed and stamped
ID proof of the authorised signatory, such as PAN or Aadhaar
Contact details: a working email and mobile number for OTP verification
Trademark or brand proof if your header differs from your registered business name (asked by some platforms)

How do you complete DLT registration, step by step?

Choose an operator DLT platformSign up as a principal entity (often labelled "enterprise") on one operator platform.
Submit entity details and documentsSelect your entity type, enter details exactly as on your PAN and GST, upload documents and pay any portal fee. You receive a principal entity ID on approval.
Link MsgClub as your telemarketerAdd The Basics Digital Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (MsgClub) as your telemarketer, so messages sent through MsgClub are accepted for your entity.
Register headersAlphabetic headers for service messages and numeric headers for promotions.
Register content templatesOne template per message, in the right category, linked to a header.
Register consent templates (if needed)Only for service explicit messages to customers who opt in.
Add IDs to MsgClub and send a testEnter your entity ID, headers and template IDs in the panel or API, then send a test SMS to confirm it passes scrubbing.

What are the rules for DLT headers (sender IDs)?

A header is the sender name customers see. Operators add a prefix for the network and circle, such as VK- or JM-, and under current TRAI rules a suffix for the category.

DLT header types
Header type	Format	Example as seen	Used for
Service or transactional	6 letters, usually from your brand name	`VK-KAVYAH-S`	OTPs, alerts, order updates, reminders
Promotional	Numeric, usually 6 digits	`VM-614523-P`	Offers and marketing

Make the header recognisably yours: KAVYAH for Kavya Home Decor, not a generic word like OFFERS or ALERTS.
Do not use another brand's name, or names of banks or government bodies you do not represent.
Register a separate header per brand if you run several.

How do DLT content templates and {#var#} work?

A content template is the exact wording of a message, with the parts that change marked as variables.

Choose the category carefully: transactional, service implicit, service explicit or promotional.
Mark each changing part with {#var#}. Some platforms now ask for typed variables, for example numeric, URL or callback number, instead of the generic tag.
Keep most of the text fixed; templates made mostly of variables are rejected.
Variable values have a length limit on most platforms; keep values short.
Whitelist every URL, app link and callback number used in templates. Under TRAI directions in effect since October 2024, messages with non-whitelisted links are blocked.
Link each template to the header it will be sent from.

Hi {#var#}, your order {#var#} has been shipped
and will reach you by {#var#}. Track: {#var#}
-Kavya Home Decor

Diwali sale at Kavya Home Decor: flat {#var#} off
on bedsheets till {#var#}. Shop: {#var#} T&C apply.

{#var#} {#var#} {#var#}

// Rejected: almost all variable, no fixed
// text, no brand name.

Sample wording. Your operator's DLT platform decides the final approval.

A consent template describes what a customer agrees to receive from your brand, for example "offers and updates from Kavya Home Decor". You need one only for service explicit messages, which can reach customers on DND because they opted in.

Consent must be verifiable. Operators collect or confirm it through the DLT consent process, typically by sending the customer a confirmation they must approve, and customers can revoke it. TRAI has been moving consent capture onto digital, operator-run systems, so check the current method on your platform.

How long does DLT registration take?

Entity: usually a few working days once documents are complete.
Headers: often within a day or two.
Templates: often within hours to a couple of working days.

Times vary by operator platform and season. Register templates a few days before a planned campaign.

Why are DLT registrations and templates rejected?

Common DLT rejection reasons and fixes
Reason	Fix
Name on documents does not match the form	Use the exact legal name as on PAN and GST everywhere
Header unrelated to the brand	Choose letters clearly derived from your brand, or upload trademark proof
Promotional content in a service template	Remove offers, or register it as promotional
Too many variables, or a variable for the whole message	Keep the sentence fixed and vary only names, amounts, dates and codes
No brand name in the text	Add your brand name, usually at the end
Link or phone number not whitelisted	Whitelist the domain or number on the portal before using it
Message sent does not match the template	Copy the approved text exactly, including spaces and punctuation

How does MsgClub help with DLT?

Our team helps you choose headers, word templates so they pass approval, link MsgClub as your telemarketer and map template IDs in your account.

Once you are live, send OTP SMS, transactional SMS and promotional SMS from the panel or the SMS API, and connect delivery reports to your CRM with webhooks. See how pricing works.

Get help with DLT Back to bulk SMS

Support+91 78039 83322support@msgclub.net · Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 7 pm IST

Sales+91 98932 28282sales@msgclub.net

Frequently asked questions

Is DLT registration mandatory for sending SMS?

Yes. Every business that sends commercial SMS in India, whether OTPs, alerts or promotions, must register on a DLT platform under TRAI's TCCCPR 2018 regulations. Operators check every message against the registered entity, header and template, and block messages that do not match. Personal person-to-person SMS do not need DLT.

Do I need to register on every operator's DLT platform?

No. Register your entity once on any one operator's DLT platform. The records are shared across operators through the distributed ledger, so your entity ID, headers and templates work on all networks. Keep your login for that platform, because you will add new templates there.

How long does DLT registration take?

Entity approval usually takes a few working days once documents are complete, and template approvals often come within hours to a couple of working days. Times vary by operator platform and by how clean the submission is. Mismatched documents and unclear templates are the most common causes of delay.

What is a principal entity ID?

A principal entity (PE) ID is the unique number your business gets after its DLT registration is approved. You quote it to your SMS provider and it is attached to every message you send, so operators can check that the header and template belong to your business.

What does {#var#} mean in a DLT template?

{#var#} marks a variable part of a DLT content template, such as a name, amount, date or OTP. The fixed text must match exactly when you send, while each variable can change. Some operator platforms now ask you to tag variable types, such as numbers or URLs, instead of using only the generic {#var#}.

Why was my DLT template rejected?

The usual reasons are a category mismatch, such as offers inside a service template, variables that replace most of the message, a missing brand name, a header that does not match the brand, or links and phone numbers that are not whitelisted. Fix the cause and resubmit; the rejection note on the portal usually names it.

How much does DLT registration cost?

DLT entity registration is done on an operator's DLT portal, and some portals charge a one-time or annual registration fee that they set and may change; check the portal you choose before applying. Header and template registration is generally included once your entity is approved. MsgClub helps you prepare documents, headers and templates as part of onboarding.

Can I change or add templates after registration?

Yes. Log in to the same DLT platform to add new headers and templates at any time; each new template gets its own ID once approved. Add the new template ID to your MsgClub account before you start sending that message, or it will fail scrubbing.