SMS Sender ID Register (Application, Access and Administration) Determination 2025

Dated: 24 October 2025

Samantha Yorke

[signed]

Member

Cathy Rainsford

[signed]

General Manager

Contents

Part 1—Preliminary.........................................................3

1  Name..................................................................3

2  Commencement...........................................................3

3  Authority................................................................3

4  Definitions...............................................................3

5  References to other instruments.................................................5

Part 2—Applications to the Register.............................................6

6  How to apply for approval under section 484F of the Act and for registration of a sender identification under section 484G of the Act......6

7  Application approval requirements...............................................7

8  Application form requirements.................................................8

9  Application to be approved as a certified telecommunications provider.......................9

Part 3—Criteria for sender identifications........................................10

10  Sender identifications......................................................10

11  Entity must have a valid use case..............................................10

Part 4—Authorisation to send messages for a sender identification.....................11

12  Authorisation to send messages for a sender identification relating to an entity................11

13  Removal of authorisation to send messages for a sender identification relating to an entity.........11

Part 5—Access to the Register system...........................................12

14  Business administrators.....................................................12

15  Authorised users.........................................................12

16  Access for terminating telecommunications providers.................................12

Part 6—Administration of the Register..........................................13

17  Terms and conditions......................................................13

Part 1—Preliminary

1  Name

  This determination is the SMS Sender ID Register (Application, Access and Administration) Determination 2025.

2  Commencement

Each provision of this determination specified in column 1 of the table commences in accordance with column 2 of the table.  Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.

3  Authority

  This determination is made under section 484L of the Act.

4  Definitions

1.           In this determination:

ACMA Assist means the online portal accessible via the ACMA’s website through which an ABN entity that has been approved under section 484F of the Act, can access its account on the Register.

ACMA’s website means the website with the address https://www.acma.gov.au.

Act means the Telecommunications Act 1997.

application programming interface means a set of rules and protocols that enables the information technology system of a telecommunications provider and the Register to communicate with each other over the internet.

ASCII decimal codes means the decimal codes in the American Standard Code for Information Interchange.

Note:  The American Standard Code for Information Interchange can be accessed free of charge at www.ascii-code.com.

authorised user for an entity, means a staff member, contractor, or any other person engaged by the entity, or a related body corporate of the entity, who has been granted permission by a business administrator to be an authorised user for the purposes of section 15.

business administrator for an entity, means a person who is the owner of the entity or an employee of the entity and who:

1.       is an authorised contact listed on the Australian Business Register (an authorised business administrator); or
2.       has been granted permission, via ACMA Assist, to be a business administrator by an authorised business administrator.

entity representative means the owner of an entity or an employee of an entity who is authorised by the entity to act on behalf of the entity to make an application under Part 24B of the Act.

offensive, in relation to the word or words in a sender identification, means a word or words which a reasonable person would regard as offending against generally accepted standards of morality, decency or propriety.  

related body corporate has the meaning given by section 50 of the Corporations Act 2001.

restricted word has the meaning given by subsection (2).

Standard means the Telecommunications (SMS Sender ID Register) Industry Standard 2025.

Note: A number of other expressions used in this determination are defined in the Standard, including the following:

1.      ABN entity;
2.      Australian Business Register;
3.      certified telecommunications provider;
4.      EMSP partner;
5.      entity;
6.       government agency;
7.      identity verification service;
8.      international partner;
9.        non-ABN entity;
10.        originating telecommunications provider;
11.      participating telecommunications provider;
12.        Register;
13.    scam message;
14.      sender identification match;
15.      terminating telecommunications provider;
16.      valid use case.

Note: A number of other expressions used in this determination are defined in the Act, including the following:

1.      ACMA;
2.      sender identification.

1.       A restricted word is:  
   1.          each of the following words:
      1.                    account;
      2.                  alert;
      3.                anti-fraud;
      4.                 assist;
      5.                   assistance;
      6.                 bank;
      7.               banking;
      8.            bill;
      9.                 billing;
      10.                   delivery;
      11.                 help;
      12.               important;
      13.            info;
      14.             information;
      15.               message;
      16.             notice;
      17.           notify;
      18.         package;
      19.             password;
      20.               sale;
      21.             secure;
      22.           security;
      23.         service;
      24.         support;
      25.           tax;
      26.         urgent;
      27.       verify;
      28.     verified;
   2.         each other word that the ACMA has both:

1.        determined to be a word used, or likely to be used, in scam communications to mislead or deceive, including by falsely conveying a sense of urgency, or by falsely conveying that the message is official or important; and
2.      included in the list published for the purposes of this definition from time to time by the ACMA on the web address https://www.acma.gov.au/restricted-terms-sender-ids.

5  References to other instruments

  In this determination, unless the contrary intention appears:

(a) a reference to any other legislative instrument is a reference to that other legislative instrument as in force from time to time; and

(b) a reference to any other kind of instrument is a reference to that other instrument as in force or existing from time to time.

Note 1: For references to Commonwealth Acts, see section 10 of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901; and see also subsection 13(1) of the Legislation Act 2003 for the application of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 to legislative instruments.

Note 2:  For references to instruments that are not legislative instruments, see section 589 of the Act.

Note 3: All Commonwealth Acts and legislative instruments are registered on the Federal Register of Legislation.  The Federal Register of Legislation may be accessed free of charge at www.legislation.gov.au.

Part 2—Applications to the Register

6  How to apply for approval under section 484F of the Act and for registration of a sender identification under section 484G of the Act

ABN entities

1.            An ABN entity may apply:
   1.          for approval under section 484F of the Act; or
   2.         to register a sender identification in the Register under section 484G of the Act,

via the process in subsection (2) or subsection (3).

1.            An ABN entity may apply for approval and registration by requesting:
   1.          a participating telecommunications provider that is an originating telecommunications provider; or
   2.         an international partner or an EMSP partner of a participating telecommunications provider; or
   3.          a certified telecommunications provider, or
   4.         an international partner or an EMSP partner of a certified telecommunications provider,

to apply on its behalf by making an application to the ACMA.

Note:  Under provisions of the Standard, a telecommunication provider referred to in this subsection may make an application for approval under section 484F of the Act and to register a sender identification under section 484G of the Act on behalf of an entity, including where an application is made to the provider by an international partner or an EMSP partner.  That application will be made via either ACMA Assist or the application programming interface.

1.            An ABN entity may apply for approval or to register a sender identification by making an application to the ACMA via ACMA Assist.

Non-ABN entities

1.           A non-ABN entity may apply
   1.          for approval under section 484F of the Act; or
   2.         to register a sender identification in the Register under section 484G of the Act,

via the process in subsection (5) or subsection (6).

1.            A non-ABN entity may apply for approval and registration by requesting:
   1.          a certified telecommunications provider; or
   2.         an international partner or EMSP partner of a certified telecommunications partner,

to apply on its behalf by making an application to the ACMA.

1.           A non-ABN entity may apply for approval or to register a sender identification by making an application to the ACMA.

Note: An application for approval under section 484F must be made in the form approved by the ACMA and published on its website. (See paragraph 484F(3)(a) and subsection 484F(10) of the Act.)

7  Application approval requirements

ABN entities

1.          For paragraphs 484F(3)(d) and 484G(2)(c) of the Act, in relation to an application made under paragraph 6(2)(a) or (b):
   1.          a business administrator or an authorised user for the entity, whose identity has been confirmed via ACMA Assist, must confirm the application; and
   2.         the entity must be listed on the Australian Business Register.
2.          For paragraphs 484F(3)(d) and 484G(2)(c) of the Act, in relation to an application made under paragraph 6(2)(c) or (d):
   1.          the individual who asks the provider to make the application on behalf of the entity must be an entity representative; and
   2.         the identity of the individual must be able to be confirmed; and

Note:  Paragraph 12(4)(a) of the Standard requires that a certified telecommunications provider must confirm the identity of the individual using an identity verification service.

1.          the entity must be officially recognised or certified by a governing body, regulatory authority or accreditation organisation in the country in which the entity is based.

Note:  An ABN entity can choose to engage a certified telecommunications provider to make an application on behalf of the ABN entity in which case it will be treated as though it is a non-ABN entity.

1.          For paragraphs 484F(3)(d) and 484G(2)(c) of the Act, in relation to an application made under subsection 6(3):
   1.          a business administrator or an authorised user for the entity, whose identity has been confirmed via ACMA Assist, must make the application; and
   2.         the entity must be listed on the Australian Business Register.

Non-ABN entities

1.          For paragraphs 484F(3)(d) and 484G(2)(c) of the Act, in relation to an application made by a non-ABN entity under subsection 6(5):

1.     the individual who asks the provider to make the application on behalf of the entity must be an entity representative; and
2.     the identity of the individual must be able to be confirmed; and

Note:  Paragraph 12(4)(a) of the Standard requires that a certified telecommunications provider must confirm the identity of the individual using an identity verification service.

1.     the entity must be officially recognised or certified by a governing body, regulatory authority or accreditation organisation in the country in which the entity is based.

1.          For paragraphs 484F(3)(d) and 484G(2)(c) of the Act, in relation to an application made under subsection 6(6):

1.     the individual who makes the application must be an entity representative; and
2.     the identity of the individual must be able to be confirmed; and
3.     the entity must be officially recognised or certified by a governing body, regulatory authority or accreditation organisation in the country in which the entity is based.

8  Application form requirements

For paragraphs 484F(3)(d) and 484G(2)(c) of the Act, an application made to the ACMA:

1.          for approval under section 484F of the Act and to register a sender identification in the Register; or
2.         to register a sender identification in the Register;

by an entity, or by a participating telecommunications provider, international partner or EMSP partner on the entity’s behalf, must include the following information:

1.          the entity’s name;
2.         for an ABN entity – its ABN;
3.          for a non-ABN entity:

1.           a unique identifier associated with the entity’s official recognition or certification by a governing body, regulatory authority or accreditation organisation in the country in which the entity is based; or
2.      if the entity’s official recognition or certification does not include a unique identifier, the entity name exactly as it is entered on the official record of recognition or certification;

1.           for a non-ABN entity – the name of at least one:
   1.      certified telecommunications provider; or
   2.    international partner or EMSP partner of a certified telecommunications provider,

that the entity intends to use to send sender identification messages on behalf of the entity;

1.         one of the following web addresses relating to the entity’s:

1.      website; or
2.    online presence on a social media platform;

1.         whichever of the following is applicable:

1.      if the entity is a company – the full address of the entity’s registered office; or
2.    if the entity is not a company – the entity’s principal place of business, operation or administration;

1.           the full name, email address and contact telephone number of the entity representative;

Note: For an ABN entity making an application through a participating telecommunications provider, international partner or EMSP partner, the entity representative making the application, may or may not be the entity’s business administrator or authorised user at the time of making the application.

1.           the sender identification or identifications that the entity wishes to register;

Note: The sender identification or identifications included in an application for registration must meet the criteria set out in section 10.

1.         where an entity wishes to register a sender identification for a period shorter than 12 months – the date on which the registration of the sender identification will expire.

Note 1:  Sections 11, 12 and 13 of the Standard allow for telecommunications providers who are participating telecommunications providers to register sender identifications on behalf of an entity.

Note 2:  If a date is not specified for the purposes of paragraph 8(k), registration of a sender identification is ongoing, unless the ACMA has specified a default registration period, or the sender identification is otherwise revoked or removed from the Register.

9  Application to be approved as a certified telecommunications provider

1.          A participating telecommunications provider that is an originating telecommunications provider may apply to the ACMA to be approved as a certified telecommunications provider in the form approved in writing by the ACMA.
2.          An application made under subsection (1) must include evidence that the provider has in place, and will use, robust processes to accurately confirm the following information in relation to non-ABN entities on whose behalf the provider may apply to register a sender identification in the Register:
   1.          the identity of the individual making the application, using an identification verification service;
   2.         that the individual making the application is an entity representative;
   3.          that the entity has been officially recognised or certified by a governing body, regulatory authority or accreditation organisation in the country in which the entity is based.

Part 3—Criteria for sender identifications

10  Sender identifications

For paragraph 484G(4)(a) of the Act, a sender identification included in an application for registration:

1.        must only include characters from ASCII decimal codes 32-126;
2.        must be at least 2 and no more than 11 characters long;
3.        must not consist only of numbers;
4.        must not contain a space or an underscore at the beginning or end of the sender identification;
5.        must not contain the word “unverified”;
6.         must not contain a word or words that are offensive, deceptive or misleading;
7.        must not solely consist of a restricted word or restricted words.

Note: The Register will be case insensitive (e.g. ‘ABC’ is considered the same as ‘abc’).

11  Entity must have a valid use case

1.       Subject to subsection (4), an entity may only request to register a sender identification if the entity has a valid use case for the sender identification.
2.       When an entity applies, via a participating telecommunications provider that is an originating telecommunications provider, an international partner, or an EMSP partner, to register a sender identification – it must provide evidence of a valid use case to the provider or partner.
3.       When an entity applies directly to the ACMA to register a sender identification – it must provide evidence of a valid use case to the ACMA.
4.       Subsection (1) does not apply where the circumstances in subsection 11(5) or 12(5) of the Standard exist.

Note 1:  Subsections 11(5) and 12(5) of the Standard provide for an exception in specified circumstances where a government agency, that is either an ABN entity or a non-ABN entity, requests a provider to initiate registration of a sender identification, where there is not a sender identification match to the agency.

Note 2:  The same sender identification can be registered by more than one entity, provided each entity is able to demonstrate it has a valid use case for that sender identification.

Part 4—Authorisation to send messages for a sender identification

12  Authorisation to send messages for a sender identification relating to an entity

1.     An ABN entity may authorise:

1.     a participating telecommunications provider that is an originating telecommunications provider; or
2.       an international partner or an EMSP partner of a participating telecommunications provider; or
3.       a certified telecommunications provider; or
4.       an international partner or an EMSP partner of a certified telecommunications provider,

to send sender identification messages that include a sender identification registered in the Register by or on behalf of the entity.

1.     A non-ABN entity may authorise:

1.       a certified telecommunications provider, or
2.       an international partner or an EMSP partner of a certified telecommunications provider,

to send sender identification messages that include a sender identification registered in the Register by or on behalf of the entity.

1.     For subsections (1) and (2), to authorise a telecommunications provider, international partner or EMSP partner to send messages on behalf of the entity:
   1.       an ABN entity must make an application to each telecommunications provider, international partner or EMSP partner following the process set out in sections 6, 7 and 8;
   2.       a non-ABN entity must make an application to each telecommunications provider, international partner or EMSP partner following the process set out in sections 6, 7, 8 and 11.

13  Removal of authorisation to send messages for a sender identification relating to an entity

1.     An ABN entity may remove an authorisation given to a provider or a partner under subsection 12(1):

1.          via the ACMA Assist; or
2.          by requesting that the provider or partner remove the authorisation.

1.     A non-ABN entity may remove an authorisation given to a provider or a partner under subsection 12(2):

1.     by making a request to the ACMA; or
2.          by requesting that the provider or partner remove the authorisation.

Part 5—Access to the Register system

14  Business administrators

A person who is a business administrator for an entity is authorised to access the entity’s account on ACMA Assist to:  

1.       apply to register a sender identification on behalf of the entity; 
2.       confirm the registration of a sender identification on behalf of the entity;
3.       remove the registration of a sender identification registered by the entity;
4.       grant or remove an originating telecommunications provider’s, international partner’s or EMSP partner’s authorisation to send messages using the entity’s registered sender identification; 
5.       grant or remove a permission to be an authorised user or a business administrator. 

15  Authorised users

A person who is an authorised user for an entity is authorised to access the entity’s account on ACMA Assist to:

1.       apply to register a sender identification on behalf of the entity;
2.       confirm the registration of a sender identification on behalf of the entity;
3.       remove the registration of a sender identification registered by the entity;
4.       grant or remove an originating telecommunications provider’s, international partner’s or EMSP partner’s authorisation to send messages using the entity’s registered sender identification.

16  Access for terminating telecommunications providers.

A participating telecommunications provider that is a terminating telecommunications provider will have access to a list of all registered sender identifications via the application programming interface.

Note:  The list of all registered sender identifications will also be published on the ACMA’s website.

Part 6—Administration of the Register

17  Terms and conditions

An entity that is approved under section 484F of the Act must comply with such terms and conditions as existing from time to time relating to the Register as are approved by the ACMA and published on the ACMA’s website, provided that such terms and conditions are;

1.       reasonably necessary for the proper and efficient administration of the Register; and
2.       not inconsistent with this Determination, the Standard or Part 24B of the Act. 

Note: The website of the ACMA is www.acma.gov.au.