Toll-free verification: a step-by-step guide for 2026
What carriers ask for, how to show consent, how long it takes, and how to fix the most common rejections.
We make TextScaleHQ, which files toll-free verification for its customers. Rules come from Twilio’s and Vonage’s own documentation, checked October 21, 2026, with links.
Key takeaways
- Toll-free numbers can’t text the US or Canada until verified, and nothing sends while the review is pending.
- It’s free on Twilio and Vonage. Twilio quotes 3 to 5 business days.
- Since February 17, 2026 Twilio needs your EIN (sole proprietors excepted), and from September 15, 2026 links to your privacy policy and terms.
- Most rejections are about consent: a pre-ticked box, bundled consent or missing disclosures.
What it is, and why you can’t skip it
Toll-free verification is the review every US and Canadian business needs before texting from a toll-free (8XX) number. Carriers block what isn’t verified: numbers never submitted since November 8, 2023, and numbers still waiting for review since January 31, 2024. On Twilio, a blocked text fails with error 30032 and is still billed.
It doesn’t cost anything. Twilio and Vonage both verify toll-free numbers for free.
Twilio: toll-free verification, Error 30032, Twilio: free, Vonage registration guide
What to have ready
- Your legal business name and EIN. Required on Twilio for new filings since February 17, 2026, unless you’re a sole proprietor.
- A live website on HTTPS, and an email address on that domain.
- A privacy policy that says you won’t share or sell phone numbers, and terms that cover texting.
- A sign-up page or form with the disclosures below, or screenshots of it on a public link.
- Two to five sample messages you’ll actually send.
Twilio: business registration numbers, Twilio onboarding guide
The form, field by field
| Field | What to put | What gets it rejected |
|---|---|---|
| Business name | Your legal name, as on your EIN records. A trading name goes in the DBA field. | A name that doesn’t match your records or website |
| Business registration number | Your 9-digit EIN. Sole proprietors without one can file as a sole proprietor. | Missing or not matching IRS records |
| Website | A live HTTPS site that shows what you sell and how to contact you. | Parked, broken or bare sites |
| Contact and address | A real person, a physical address and an email on your own domain. | A gmail address or “N/A” |
| Use case | Marketing, and a summary that says what you’ll send and why. | A vague summary, or one that doesn’t match the samples |
| Monthly volume | Where you expect to be in six months. | – |
| Opt-in type and proof | How people sign up, with a public link or screenshots. | A page that won’t load, or one missing the disclosures |
| Sample messages | 2 to 5 real examples, your business name near the start, STOP in at least one. | Public link shorteners, http links, missing business name |
| Privacy policy and terms | Links to both. Required on Twilio for new filings from September 15, 2026. | A missing terms page, or a privacy policy that allows sharing phone numbers |
Twilio onboarding guide, Why verifications are rejected
Opt-in proof that passes
Most rejections are about consent. The sign-up has to show your business name, what you’ll text and how often, “Message and data rates may apply”, how to get help and opt out, and links to your terms and privacy policy. The box must be unticked and optional, and texting consent can’t be bundled with anything else.
Yes, text me offers and news from Harbor Coffee. Up to 4 messages a month. Message and data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help or STOP to opt out. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Terms · Privacy
Sample messages
- Put your business name near the start of each one.
- Use square brackets only for things that change, like [first name].
- Write full links on your own domain, never a public shortener like bit.ly.
- Include “Reply STOP to opt out” in at least one.
For example: “Harbor Coffee: Hi [first name], our fall menu is here. 20% off any latte this week at harborcoffee.com/fall. Reply STOP to opt out.”
How long it takes
- Review time
- Twilio’s help center says 3 to 5 business days; its API guide says three. Other providers quote up to two weeks end to end. Twilio, SignalWire
- While it’s pending
- Nothing can be sent to US or Canadian numbers. Plan your first campaign for after approval. Twilio
- If it’s rejected
- Fix it and resubmit within 7 days to keep your place in the queue. After that it still goes through, but as a new review (error 30437). Some rejections can’t be resubmitted at all. Error 30437
Common rejections and fixes
Twilio added more detailed rejection codes on September 15, 2026. These are the ones that come up most for small-business marketing.
| Code | Why it was rejected | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| 30445 | Business details couldn’t be verified | Make the name, website and email domain match each other |
| 30527 | Registration number missing or invalid | Use the EIN exactly as on your IRS records |
| 30489 | Website not established | Show your business, what you sell and how to reach you |
| 30446 | Marketing without written consent | Add a clearly labeled marketing opt-in |
| 30508 | Pre-checked consent box | Leave the box unticked by default |
| 30475 | Consent bundled with other terms | Give texting its own checkbox |
| 30518 | Sign-up missing disclosures | Add business name, purpose, frequency, rates, HELP and STOP, and policy links |
| 30509 | Opt-in link not reachable | Use a public page, or host screenshots publicly |
| 30525 | Public link shortener in samples | Use links on your own or a branded domain |
| 30437 | Resubmitted after the 7-day window | You can still resubmit, but it joins the standard queue |
Why verifications are rejected, New rejection codes
What you can’t market
On Twilio toll-free numbers, gambling and sweepstakes, cannabis and CBD, firearms, vapes, tobacco, crypto, loans and lead generation are refused. Alcohol is allowed only behind an age check where people enter their date of birth.
How TextScaleHQ handles it
Fill it in once; we file it with your own Twilio or Vonage account.
We look it over before it goes, to catch the common rejections.
The carrier’s reason, what it means and which field to fix, with a reminder before the resubmit window closes.
Sign-up forms carry every disclosure carriers ask for, and you can’t remove them.
Questions
Is toll-free verification free?
Yes. Twilio and Vonage don’t charge for it. You still pay for the number itself ($2.15 a month on Twilio).
How long does toll-free verification take?
Twilio quotes 3 to 5 business days. Allow up to two weeks before your first campaign.
Can I send while my toll-free number is pending?
No. Since January 31, 2024, texts from pending numbers to the US and Canada are blocked.
Do I need an EIN for toll-free verification?
On Twilio, yes for new filings since February 17, 2026, unless you’re a sole proprietor without one.
Why was my toll-free verification rejected?
Most often the sign-up is missing a disclosure, the box is pre-ticked, consent is bundled with other terms, or the business details don’t match each other. The rejection code tells you which.
Can I use bit.ly links in my texts?
Avoid public link shorteners. Twilio rejects sample messages that use them (code 30525); use full links on your own domain.
SimpleTexting, EZ Texting, SlickText, Textmagic, Salesmsg, Textedly, ClickSend, Twilio and Vonage are trademarks of their owners. TextScaleHQ isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by any of them.
