Sending SMS messages to the United States or Canada using a toll-free number (TFN) requires completing a verification process before your messages can be delivered. This guide explains everything you need to know - from what verification is, to what information you need to provide, to how to resolve common issues.

Where to locate the Toll Free Number form?

If you're on the PushOwl Dashboard - then navigate to the Brevo dashboard by clicking on Email -> Continue to Brevo
Once on the Brevo dashboard, navigate to Campaign Settings
Within Campaign settings look for SMS Sender ID and click on Configure
Thereafter click on Request Sender ID and Search for the Country USA & Canada and Click on Continue

What Is TFN Verification?
What Are the Possible Verification Statuses?
What Information Do You Need to Provide?
Opt-In Compliance Requirements
Common Rejection Reasons and How to Fix Them
Resubmission Rules and Timelines
Ready-to-Use Message Templates
Pre-Submission Checklist

1. What Is TFN Verification?

Toll-Free Number (TFN) Verification is a carrier-mandated compliance requirement for any business that wants to send SMS messages to US or Canadian recipients using a toll-free number (numbers beginning with 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, or 888).

This process is required by mobile carriers - not by PushOwl Brevo - and is designed to reduce spam and protect consumers. Until your toll-free number is verified, SMS delivery to the US and Canada will be blocked.

Key facts:

Verification typically takes up to 5 business days once submitted.
The review is thorough - submissions must be complete, accurate, and compliant.
Rejections can be appealed or corrected and resubmitted.

2. What Are the Possible Verification Statuses?

Status	What It Means
Verified	Your application has been approved. You can now send SMS messages to the US and Canada using your toll-free number.
Rejected	Your application was rejected. It must be corrected and resubmitted. You will receive a rejection reason to guide your corrections.
Waiting for Customer	Additional information is needed from you before the application can move forward. This is most commonly triggered by an opt-in image that does not meet the required guidelines.
Waiting for Telnyx	Your application has been submitted and is pending carrier review. No action is needed — this typically takes up to 5 business days.
No Reason Stated	No explicit rejection reason was provided. Review your application for any missing or incomplete information (use case description, address, etc.) and resubmit.

3. What Information Do You Need to Provide?

Your application is split into two sections: Business Information and Use Case Details. Every field must be complete and accurate - incomplete applications are a leading cause of rejection.

Business Information

Field	What to Enter
Business Name	Your exact legal business name - must match your official registration documents. No abbreviations.
Corporate Website	Your website URL, including `https://` (e.g., `https://www.yourbusiness.com`)
Legal Form	Your business structure (e.g., LLC, Corporation, Sole Proprietor)
DBA / Brand Name	Your trading name, if different from your legal name
Business Registration Number	Your EIN (US businesses) or equivalent national registration number. US sole proprietors without an EIN may leave this blank.
Business Registration Type	e.g., EIN (US), Companies House number (UK)
Business Registration Country	The country where your business is registered
First Name / Last Name	The name of an authorised business contact - must be a real, full name
Business Email	Must use your official business domain (e.g., `name@yourbusiness.com`). Free email addresses (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) are not accepted.
Phone Number	Your business phone number, including country code (e.g., `+1` for US/Canada)

Selling age-restricted products? If your business sells alcohol, tobacco, firearms, adult products, CBD, or any age-restricted category, you must declare age-gated content when asked.

Use Case Details

Field	What to Enter
Expected Monthly Messaging Volume	Your estimated number of messages per month
Use Case Category	The type of messages you plan to send (e.g., General Marketing, Order Notifications, Appointments, 2FA/OTP, Mixed)
Use Case Summary	A clear description of all message types you intend to send
Sample Message Content	One example message per use case - must match your stated use case
Opt-In Workflow Description	A description of exactly how your customers consent to receive SMS messages from you
Opt-In Workflow Image URL	A publicly accessible link to a screenshot or image of your opt-in form (must not require a login to view)
Opt-In Keywords	Standard keywords: `START`, `YES`, `UNSTOP`
Opt-In Confirmation Message	The message sent to users after they opt in (see templates in Section 7)
Help Message	The message sent when a user replies `HELP` (see templates in Section 7)
Privacy Policy URL	A publicly accessible link to your privacy policy
Terms & Conditions URL	A publicly accessible link to your terms and conditions

4. Opt-In Compliance Requirements

Your opt-in form is the most closely reviewed element of your application. It must meet specific standards set by mobile carriers. Before submitting, verify every item in the checklist below.

Opt-In Compliance Checklist

Form Design:

Your brand name is clearly displayed on the opt-in form
The SMS opt-in checkbox is unchecked by default — users must actively check it
SMS consent is on a separate checkbox from email or other communication consent
If you send both transactional and marketing messages, each must have its own separate checkbox

Each SMS checkbox must include all of the following:

Your brand name
The type of messages users will receive (e.g., "order updates and promotional offers")
"Reply STOP to opt out"
"Reply HELP for help"
"Standard message and data rates may apply"
"Message frequency may vary"
A hyperlink to your Terms & Conditions
A hyperlink to your Privacy Policy

Your Privacy Policy must state:

"We will not share or sell your mobile information with third parties for promotional or marketing purposes."

Additional requirements:

If you sell age-restricted products (alcohol, tobacco, firearms, CBD, etc.), your website must include a date-of-birth age gate — a simple Yes/No age confirmation is not sufficient
Your business email domain must match your website domain
Every use case shown on your opt-in form must be listed in your Use Case Summary

Opt-In Screenshot / Image Requirements

When providing your opt-in workflow image:

Upload it to a publicly accessible hosting service (e.g., Dropbox, Imgur)
The image must show: the phone number input field, the SMS consent checkbox, your brand name, and the full disclaimer text
Nothing should be cut off or illegible
The form must be publicly viewable — not behind a login

5. Common Rejection Reasons and How to Fix Them

Opt-In and Consent Issues

"Agreeing to receive messages must be optional"
Your SMS opt-in is required rather than optional. Fix: Make the phone number field optional on your form, or add a separate, unchecked SMS consent checkbox that users can choose to tick.

"Opt-in does not match the use case"
The language on your opt-in form does not match the use case you selected. Fix: Update your opt-in text to explicitly mention the same type of messages stated in your use case (e.g., if your use case is Appointments, your opt-in must mention "appointment reminders").

"Opt-in example must be complete, branded, and legible"
Your opt-in screenshot is unclear, cropped, or missing required elements. Fix: Provide a fresh, complete screenshot that shows your brand name, the phone field, the SMS checkbox, and all disclaimer text in full.

"Opt-in URL not accessible"
The link you provided to your opt-in form returns an error or requires a login. Fix: Ensure the URL is live, publicly accessible, and does not require any authentication.

"Marketing messages require express written consent"
Your marketing and transactional SMS consent are combined into a single checkbox. Fix: Create a dedicated, separate checkbox specifically for marketing and promotional SMS messages.

Business Verification Issues

"Business information could not be verified"
The details on your application do not match your website. Fix: Ensure your business name, address, phone number, and email domain all match exactly what is published on your website.

"Business email address must use an official domain"
Your contact email uses a free email provider. Fix: Update the email address to one that uses your business domain (e.g., name@yourbusiness.com).

"Invalid or inaccessible website URL"
Your website URL is not working. Fix: Confirm your website is live, accessible, and the URL includes https://. If it is a temporary outage, resubmit once the site is restored.

"Website is password protected or requires login"
Your website cannot be accessed by the reviewers. Fix: Make your website publicly accessible before resubmitting.

"Website must be established and active"
Your website is missing key pages. Fix: Ensure your website includes the following pages: Home, About, Products or Services, Contact, Privacy Policy, and Terms & Conditions.

"Contact name must belong to a business representative"
The contact name entered is not a real or legible name. Fix: Enter a full, real name of an authorised representative of the business.

Business Registration Issues

"Business registration number is missing or invalid"
Your Business Registration Number (BRN) does not match your business name, or your business has been registered for less than 6 months.

For US businesses: Your EIN must be entered as 9 digits without dashes (e.g., 542624191). You must also provide one of the following official IRS documents:

IRS Form CP 575 — the original EIN Confirmation Letter issued when your EIN was first assigned
IRS Form 147C — an EIN Verification Letter, which you can request by calling the IRS at 1-800-829-4933

Note: A screenshot of your EIN, a partial letter, or any other document is not accepted — even if the number is clearly visible.

"Entity misclassification"
The business type selected does not match your official registration. Fix: Update the entity type to match your registered business structure. If you are an LLC or Corporation, ensure your EIN is correctly entered in the BRN field.

Sole proprietors without an EIN: You are not required to provide a Business Registration Number. Leave the BRN fields empty.

Content Violations

Certain types of content are prohibited from toll-free messaging by mobile carriers. These are commonly referred to as SHAFT-C restrictions: Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco/Vape, and Cannabis/CBD.

Cannabis or CBD content
If your website promotes or sells cannabis or CBD products, your application will be rejected. You must remove all such references before resubmitting.

Sweepstakes or contest content
If your website contains any contest, sweepstakes, giveaway, or prize-related language — including in pop-ups, banners, or footer sections — this may trigger a rejection. Review your entire site and remove any such content before resubmitting.

Alcohol without an age gate
If your business sells alcohol, your website must include a proper date-of-birth age gate (not a Yes/No confirmation). Implement this before resubmitting.

Third-party lead generation or MLM
References to third-party lead generation or multi-level marketing are not permitted. Internal lead management (e.g., following up with your own leads) is allowed.

Technical Issues

Submission timeout / editing timed out
If your submission timed out and the ticket was closed, do not resubmit immediately. Contact support first so the original request can be reviewed before a new one is created.

6. Resubmission Rules and Timelines

The 7-Day Window

After a rejection, your ticket remains open for 7 days. You must correct all issues and resubmit within this window.

If 7 days have passed since your rejection, do not resubmit — contact PushOwl Brevo support first so we can ensure your case is handled correctly with the carrier.

After Multiple Rejections

If your application has been rejected twice, please contact PushOwl Brevo support before submitting again. We will review the full rejection history with you to ensure the third submission addresses all outstanding issues.

Review Timeline

Once resubmitted, applications typically receive a decision within up to 5 business days.

7. Ready-to-Use Message Templates

Use these templates when filling out your TFV form. Replace all [bracketed] text with your actual information.

Opt-In Confirmation Message

[Brand Name]: You're now signed up for [e.g. order updates & exclusive offers]!
Msg frequency varies. Msg & data rates may apply.
Reply HELP for help, STOP to unsubscribe.

Help Message

[Brand Name]: For help, contact [support email] or call [phone number].
Reply STOP to unsubscribe. Msg & data rates may apply.

Transactional SMS Checkbox Text

By checking this box, you consent to receive transactional text messages
for [use case, e.g. order updates] from [Brand Name].
Reply STOP to opt out. Reply HELP for help.
Standard message and data rates may apply. Message frequency may vary.
View our Terms & Conditions [link]. View our Privacy Policy [link].

Marketing SMS Checkbox Text (requires a separate checkbox)

By checking this box, you consent to receive marketing text messages from
[Brand Name]. Reply STOP to opt out. Reply HELP for help.
Message and data rates may apply. Message frequency may vary.
View our Terms & Conditions [link]. View our Privacy Policy [link].

8. Pre-Submission Checklist

Before submitting or resubmitting your application, confirm every item below:

Business Information

Business name exactly matches official registration documents
Website URL includes https:// and the site is publicly accessible
Business email uses your official domain (no Gmail/Yahoo/free email)
Phone number includes country code (e.g., +1 for US/Canada)
Contact name is a real, full name of a business representative
Business name, address, phone, and email all match your website exactly

Use Case Details

Use case category accurately reflects the types of messages you will send
Use case summary describes all message types
Sample messages match the stated use case
Opt-in workflow image URL is publicly accessible (no login required)
Privacy Policy URL is publicly accessible
Terms & Conditions URL is publicly accessible

Opt-In Compliance

SMS opt-in checkbox is unchecked by default
SMS consent is separate from email consent
If sending both transactional and marketing messages: two separate checkboxes are present
Each checkbox includes: brand name, use case, STOP/HELP instructions, rates disclosure, frequency disclosure, and links to Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions
Privacy Policy states that mobile information will not be shared or sold to third parties
If selling age-restricted products: a date-of-birth age gate is in place on your website

Timing

If resubmitting: the 7-day resubmission window has not expired
If this is a 3rd submission: you have contacted PushOwl Brevo support first

For additional assistance with your TFN verification, please contact PushOwl Brevo support. For official carrier compliance guidelines, refer to the Telnyx Toll-Free Verification Request Guide.

Toll-Free Number (TFN) Verification - Complete Guide