What Is DLT Registration for Bulk SMS?
DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology) registration is the process every business must complete before sending commercial SMS in India. Under TRAI's Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR 2018), telecom operators record each business's entity, sender ID headers, message templates and customer consent on a shared DLT platform. Every SMS is checked (scrubbed) against these records before delivery: a message from an unregistered header, or with text that does not match an approved template, is blocked.
DLT registration applies to all business SMS: promotional campaigns, transactional alerts and OTP messages. KAPSYSTEM has helped businesses in India send compliant SMS since 2009 and today serves more than 5,000 business clients.
DLT Registration Process: Step by Step
Six steps take your business from DLT registration to its first compliant bulk SMS. KAPSYSTEM's team guides you through each one.
- 1. Entity (PE) registrationRegister your business as a Principal Entity on one operator DLT portal with your PAN, proof of business and a letter of authorisation, and pay the one-time portal fee. On approval you receive a 19-digit Entity ID.
- 2. Link KAPSYSTEM as your telemarketerAdd KAPSYSTEM's telemarketer ID to your DLT account and declare the PE-TM chain, so operators can trace every message from your entity to the network.
- 3. Header (sender ID) registrationRegister the headers recipients will see: 6-character alphabetic headers related to your brand for service and transactional SMS, and 6-digit numeric headers for promotional SMS.
- 4. Consent template (if needed)For service-explicit messages, register the consent template you use to collect and record each customer's opt-in.
- 5. Content template registrationSubmit the exact text of every message, with {#var#} placeholders for values that change such as names, amounts and OTPs. Each approved template gets its own template ID.
- 6. Go live with KAPSYSTEMYour Entity ID, headers and template IDs are mapped to your KAPSYSTEM dashboard. Send campaigns from the dashboard or pass the IDs through the bulk SMS API.
Want operator-specific screens? See the DLT portal guides for Jio, Airtel, Vi and other operators.
DLT Registration Charges and Timeline
DLT registration charges
Most operator DLT portals charge a one-time entity registration fee of ₹5,900 + GST, paid directly on the portal when you register your business. The fee is set by the operator, so the portal shows the current amount at the time of payment.
Headers and templates are submitted from the same DLT account after your entity is approved. Your SMS charges are separate and depend on the route and monthly volume; see bulk SMS pricing in India.
How long DLT registration takes
With complete and consistent documents, entity approval, header registration and your first content templates typically take about one week in total. Delays usually come from name mismatches between documents, headers unrelated to the brand name, or templates that need to be corrected and resubmitted.
Plan campaign templates in advance: every new message format needs its own template approval before it can be sent.
Documents Required for DLT Registration
Keep these ready before you start. The business name and address must be exactly the same on every document.
- Business PAN card of the company, firm or proprietor.
- Proof of business: GST certificate, Certificate of Incorporation or another government registration in the business name.
- Letter of authorisation on company letterhead, signed by an authorised signatory, naming the person who will manage the DLT account.
- ID proof of the authorised person, with a mobile number and email address for OTP verification on the portal.
- Brand or trademark proof, which a portal may ask for when a header name differs from the registered business name.
Requirements vary slightly between portals. See the full list of documents required for DLT registration.
DLT Message Categories, Headers and Sending Rules
The category decides which header type you use, when you can send and who can receive the message. A template filed under the wrong category is one of the most common reasons for rejection.
| Category | Used for | Header | Key rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotional | Offers, discounts and marketing campaigns (promotional SMS) | 6-digit numeric | Sent between 9 AM and 9 PM; customer DND preferences are applied |
| Transactional | OTPs and transaction alerts from banks and financial institutions | 6-character alphabetic | Reserved for banks and financial institutions; 24x7 |
| Service implicit | OTPs, order, booking, delivery and account updates for your own customers (transactional SMS, OTP SMS) | 6-character alphabetic | 24x7 to existing customers; no promotional content |
| Service explicit | Updates to customers who have given recorded consent, such as renewal or product updates | 6-character alphabetic | Needs a registered consent template and the customer's recorded opt-in |
DLT Template Rules and Common Rejection Reasons
How to write a template that gets approved
- Match the text exactly. Any change to the fixed words needs a new or updated template.
- Use {#var#} only for values that change. Each variable usually allows up to 30 characters; for a longer value, place two variables together as {#var#}{#var#} without a space.
- Include your brand name so the recipient knows who the message is from.
- Whitelist every URL, APK link and call-back number used in the template on the DLT portal before sending.
- File the template under the correct category and link it to the right header.
Dear {#var#}, your order {#var#} has been shipped and
will be delivered by {#var#}. Track it at
https://example.com/track - ABC StoreWhy DLT templates get rejected
- The whole message, or most of it, is a variable.
- The brand name is missing or differs from the header and entity.
- Promotional wording is filed as a transactional or service template.
- URLs, APK links or call-back numbers are not whitelisted.
- The header name is not related to the business or brand.
- Business names do not match across the submitted documents.
KAPSYSTEM's team reviews every template before submission and helps you correct and resubmit any template that is rejected. Operator guide: getting a content template approved on Airtel DLT.
PE-TM Chain Binding and KAPSYSTEM Telemarketer IDs
TRAI's traceability rules require each message to follow a declared chain from the Principal Entity (your business) to the telemarketer that delivers it. After your entity is approved, add KAPSYSTEM as your telemarketer on the DLT portal and declare the chain. Operators block messages that do not match a declared chain.
| DLT platform | KAPSYSTEM telemarketer ID |
|---|---|
| Vodafone Idea (Vilpower) and BSNL | 110200001997 / 1102705660000070037 |
| Airtel, Tata Teleservices, Videocon (Smartping), Jio (TrueConnect) and MTNL | 1602100000000004471 |
Our team confirms the right ID for your portal and checks the chain before your first campaign. Step-by-step: how to add a telemarketer in Airtel DLT.
DLT Registration Portals of Indian Operators
Register your entity on any one of these portals. Approved entities, headers and templates are shared across operators, so choose the portal you find easiest to use.
| Operator | DLT portal | KAPSYSTEM guide |
|---|---|---|
| Jio | Jio TrueConnect | Jio DLT registration guide |
| Airtel | Airtel DLT | Airtel DLT registration process |
| Vodafone Idea (Vi) | Vilpower | Header registration on Vilpower |
| BSNL | BSNL DLT | Our team guides you |
| Tata Teleservices | Tata DLT | CTA whitelisting on Tata DLT |
| Videocon | Smartping | CTA whitelisting on Smartping |
How KAPSYSTEM Helps with DLT Registration
From documents to your first approved campaign, our team works alongside the person who manages your DLT account. The entity is always registered in your business's own name.
Document check
We review your PAN, proof of business and letter of authorisation before submission, so names and addresses match and the entity is approved without back-and-forth.
Header planning
We help you choose promotional and service headers that relate to your brand and pass operator review.
Template drafting and review
Our team reviews every template, places {#var#} fields correctly and files it under the right category.
PE-TM chain setup
We share the correct KAPSYSTEM telemarketer ID for your portal and confirm the chain is complete before you go live.
Dashboard for headers and templates
Your approved headers and template IDs are mapped to your KAPSYSTEM dashboard, ready for campaigns and API integration.
Rejections and changes
If a template is rejected or a message format changes, we help you correct and resubmit it. Our support team is available 24/7.
DLT Registration: Frequently Asked Questions
Start Your DLT Registration with KAPSYSTEM
Share your business details and our team will guide you through entity, header and template registration and set up your account for compliant bulk SMS.
