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Rejection Causes April 13, 2026 · Gary Vogt · Updated June 10, 2026

The 7 Most Common A2P 10DLC Rejection Causes (And How to Fix Each One)

The Hidden Costs of Rejection

Every time an A2P 10DLC registration is rejected, it costs your agency time, money, and client trust. The standard approval process already takes weeks, and a rejection sends you right back to the start of the line. GHL Trust Center charges a $24.50 one-time Brand + Campaign registration fee — the same across every tier, Sole Proprietor or Standard, with Fast Track 3-working-day approval included. That fee is non-refundable. The good news: resubmitting a rejected campaign doesn't trigger a new charge — you fix the copy and TCR re-reviews for free. The bad news: a chain of rejections can stretch your client's launch window from days into 4 to 6 weeks while you figure out what TCR actually rejected (which they often won't tell you specifically). Here are the 7 most common patterns that trigger those rejections.

1. {{Curly Brace}} Merge Field Variables

The #1 documented rejection cause. GHL merge fields like {{contact.first_name}} appear as literal code to TCR reviewers — the reviewer sees the raw {{...}} token, not a name. The fix: use real example data before you submit — "Hi Sarah!", an actual date, a real dollar amount — or GHL's documented bracket notation like [Customer Name], which passes review. The auto-reject is specifically curly-brace merge fields: reviewers must see what a recipient sees, and raw code tokens fail that test. Full breakdown in our sample messages guide.

2. Missing Opt-Out (STOP) Language

At least one sample message must include STOP opt-out language. "Reply STOP to unsubscribe" matches GHL's templates exactly, but "Reply STOP to opt out" also works. The actual rejection cause is STOP language being absent entirely, not the specific word choice between "unsubscribe" and "opt out." Carriers require a documented opt-out mechanism in every campaign.

3. Vague Campaign Descriptions

Descriptions like "We send mixed (multiple types) messages" or "marketing messages" get rejected. TCR needs three things: WHO receives the messages, WHAT specific content they receive, and HOW they opted in (the exact method and URL).

4. Missing Privacy Policy Non-Sharing Clause

TCR requires a specific non-sharing clause in your Privacy Policy's SMS section. TCR reviewers and carrier review teams specifically check for this clause. Without it, expect rejection. The required language is:

"No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. Information sharing to subcontractors in support services, such as customer service, is permitted. All other use case categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties."

Quote all three sentences — TCR's screening pattern-matches on the full clause, and a partial version (just the first line) is itself a common cause of "missing non-sharing language" rejections. Copy-paste-ready templates in our Privacy Policy & ToS guide.

5. Pre-Checked Consent Checkboxes

Both marketing and non-marketing SMS consent checkboxes must be unchecked by default. Pre-checked boxes are a confirmed TCR rejection cause. Marketing consent must also be optional and cannot block form submission. If you've combined both consent types into one checkbox, that's its own rejection trap.

6. Incomplete Terms of Service SMS Section

Your ToS needs to address all seven SMS-specific clauses TCR reviewers expect: program identity, STOP opt-out (with confirmation message reference), HELP support keyword, carrier liability disclaimer, message frequency and rates disclosure, a Privacy Policy cross-link, and the 18+ age restriction clause most older templates miss. Missing any one of the seven is commonly flagged.

7. Missing Opt-In Method in Campaign Description

Saying "customers who opted in" without naming the specific mechanism (website form, QR code, paper form, GHL chat widget) is a fail. TCR needs to know exactly HOW consent was collected.