A short code is a five- or six-digit number that sends and receives text messages, such as the number in "Text JOIN to 55555." Businesses, national brands and large campaigns use short codes because they are easy to remember and built for sending a lot of messages quickly. They are also expensive and slow to set up, which is why most small businesses, local campaigns and nonprofits text from a regular 10-digit number instead.
This guide explains how short codes work, what they cost, how long they take to get, and how they compare with the two other kinds of number a business can text from: a registered local number (10DLC) and a toll-free number. Whatever the number, the same consent and opt-out rules apply, and our guide to the rules that apply to every business text covers them.
How a short code works
In the United States, short codes are issued by the US Short Code Registry, and each one is leased rather than bought. A business, or a texting provider acting for it, leases the code and then applies to the mobile carriers to run a specific messaging program on it. The carriers review the program and turn the code on only after each of them approves it.
A short code can send texts and receive replies, so people can text a keyword such as JOIN or STOP to it. It can also send picture messages (MMS) if that is added to the code. It cannot text numbers in other countries: a US short code reaches US mobile numbers only.
Random and vanity short codes
There are two kinds. A random short code is assigned by the registry. A vanity short code, which the registry calls a select code, is one you choose, such as a number that spells a word on the keypad or repeats a digit. A vanity code costs more.
Shared short codes are gone
Years ago, many small businesses texted from a shared short code, one number used by several companies at once. The carriers phased shared short codes out in the early 2020s. Today a US short code belongs to one business or organization, which is responsible for every message sent from it.
What a short code costs
A short code has three kinds of cost: the lease, a setup fee, and the price of each message.
- The lease from the registry. The US Short Code Registry lists $500 a month for a random code and $1,000 a month for a vanity code, leased for 3, 6 or 12 months and paid in full for the whole term. The registry also says the fee is not refunded if the carriers do not approve the code.
- The provider's price. Most businesses get a short code through a texting provider, which handles the application. Twilio, for example, lists $1,000 a month for a random code and $1,500 a month for a vanity code, billed quarterly, plus a one-time setup fee.
- Each message. Every text sent and received is billed on top of the lease, as with any business number.
At Twilio's price, a random short code costs $12,000 a year before the setup fee and a single message. For a business that sends a few thousand texts a month, that is far more than the texts themselves.
How long it takes to get a short code
Getting a short code running takes weeks, not days. The provider reviews your application first. The carriers then review the program one by one, and Twilio's own estimates for that carrier review range from about 4 weeks to 12 weeks. The carriers also pause new short code setups for a few weeks every year, from mid-December to early January.
The application asks for the details of the program before anything is sent: example messages that match what you will actually send, a working website, a picture of how people will sign up to receive your texts, and the terms they agree to.
Short code vs 10DLC vs toll-free
How a new number gets approved
- Open your account100 free SMS included
- Buy your number$5 a month. Nothing sends until the account has one.
- We file the registrationToll-free verification, or 10DLC for a local number ($75 one time)
- The carriers review itAbout three business days for a toll-free number
- Send your first textStart with a small test group
A business that wants to text customers has three kinds of number to choose from. This is how they compare.
| Short code | 10DLC (local number) | Toll-free number | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it looks like | 5 or 6 digits, such as 55555 | A regular 10-digit local number | A 10-digit number starting with 800, 888, 877 or similar |
| Who approves it | Each mobile carrier, program by program | Brand and campaign registration through The Campaign Registry, reviewed by the carriers | Toll-free verification |
| Time to approval | About 4 to 12 weeks, by Twilio's estimates | Days to a few weeks | About three business days for Twilio's review |
| Monthly cost | $1,000 or more through Twilio | $5 a month on CampaignCNX+ | $5 a month on CampaignCNX+ |
| Default sending speed at Twilio | 100 messages per second | Set by the outcome of registration | 3 messages per second, and can be raised |
| Best for | National brands and very large lists | Local businesses, campaigns and nonprofits | Notifications, support and businesses without a local presence |
For most organizations, the deciding factors are cost and time. A short code makes sense when you send to hundreds of thousands of people at once and need the speed, or when a memorable number is part of a national campaign. For a local business, a school board race or a church, a registered 10-digit number reaches the same phones for a small fraction of the cost and is usually approved in days or a few weeks.
Our guide to 10DLC registration explains what the brand and campaign registration asks for, and why text messages get blocked covers what happens to texts sent from a number that is not registered.
Short codes for political campaigns
Political campaigns can use short codes, with extra rules. The carriers' industry group, CTIA, requires political donation programs on short codes to use a dedicated code rather than a shared one. Since February 17, 2026, a wireless carrier has required US political committees to hold a Campaign Verify token, which confirms that the committee is real, before it texts. Campaign Verify charges $95 per election cycle.
Campaign Verify applies whichever kind of number a committee uses, so it is part of planning any political texting program, not only one on a short code.
Common questions
What is the difference between a short code and a long code?
A short code has 5 or 6 digits. A long code is a regular 10-digit phone number. 10DLC, which stands for 10-digit long code, is a long code registered for business texting, and it is what most small organizations use.
How much does a short code cost per month?
The US Short Code Registry lists $500 a month for a random code and $1,000 for a vanity code. Through a provider such as Twilio, the price is $1,000 a month for a random code and $1,500 for a vanity code, plus a setup fee and the cost of each message.
How long does it take to get a short code?
Usually several weeks to a few months. Twilio's estimates for carrier approval range from about 4 to 12 weeks, after its own review of your application, and new setups pause from mid-December to early January.
Can a short code send texts to other countries?
No. A short code works only with carriers in the country where it was issued, so a US short code reaches US numbers.
Does CampaignCNX+ offer short codes?
No. CampaignCNX+ sends from registered local numbers (10DLC) and toll-free numbers, which suit the businesses, campaigns and nonprofits it serves. Your number is $5 a month, and we file the carrier registration for you.
Start with a registered 10-digit number
If a short code is more than you need, a registered number does the same job for a small business or campaign. Open an account, buy a number, and we file the registration with the carriers. Read about sending one message to a whole list to see how a texting program runs once the number is approved.
