RCS Sender Registration & Verification Guide
Rich Communication Services (RCS) allows businesses to send branded, interactive messages to customers. Unlike traditional SMS, RCS supports verified business profiles, brand logos, images, buttons, and other rich messaging features.
Before a business can start sending RCS messages, its sender must complete a registration and verification process. This helps ensure that businesses are legitimate, recipients have provided appropriate consent, and messaging campaigns comply with carrier requirements.
RCS registration involves two main stages: Google RCS Registration and Country-Specific Registration, where applicable. For US carriers, this includes Aegis verification.
Understanding the Two-Part Registration Process
Google RCS registration is mandatory for all businesses that want to send RCS messages, regardless of the country in which they operate. During this process, businesses must provide the following information:
Business Information
- Business or brand name
- Official business website
- Business contact information
- Business description and industry
Authorized Representative
- Full name of the authorized representative
- Business email address
- Contact information
- Role or designation within the company
Opt-In and Opt-Out Information
- How customers provide consent to receive RCS messages
- Where the opt-in process takes place, such as a website form, booking page, or registration form
- How customers can unsubscribe from future messages
- Links to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service
Messaging Use Case
- Purpose of the messages
- Types of messages customers will receive
- Events or actions that trigger messages
- Sample messages demonstrating the intended communication
Notification Settings
- Email address or contact details for receiving registration updates and notifications
The opt-in process must be live and accessible during registration. Carriers or verification teams may test the opt-in flow to confirm that customers are providing appropriate consent.
Depending on the destination country, additional registration and verification may be required. For example, businesses sending RCS messages to major US carriers must complete additional verification requirements.
For US registration, businesses generally need to provide:
Legal Business Information
- Registered legal business name
- Employer Identification Number (EIN) or applicable registration number
- Registered business address
- Business industry and company type
- Official business website
The information submitted should match the company's official registration records.
Campaign Information
- Description of the messaging campaign
- Intended audience
- Message triggers
- Sample messages
- Opt-in and opt-out process
Additional Verification (Aegis)
For US carrier registration, Aegis, a third-party verification provider, may verify the business and its authorized representative. See Section 2: Aegis Verification for full details.
Failure to provide accurate information may result in registration delays or requests for additional documentation.
Aegis Verification for US Carriers
Aegis is a third-party brand verification (vetting) provider used by major US carriers to confirm that a business sending RCS messages is legitimate before its sender is launched on their networks. If you plan to send RCS messages to US recipients, expect your registration to go through Aegis verification in addition to Google's review.
What Aegis verifies
How Aegis verification works
Once your submission passes the initial review, the US registration details are sent for Aegis verification.
Aegis compares the legal business information, website, and brand details against official and public records.
Aegis may email the authorized representative to confirm their identity and that the business has requested the RCS sender. The representative should respond as soon as possible — an unanswered request can stall the registration.
The verification outcome is passed to the US carriers, which use it in their final approval decision.
To pass Aegis verification, make sure that:
- The authorized representative uses a company-branded email address on the same domain as the business website.
- The business details match official registration records exactly.
- The messaging use case complies with applicable carrier policies.
- The opt-in process meets applicable CTIA messaging guidelines and is live for testing.
- The legal business name or address does not match EIN or state registration records.
- The representative uses a free email address (for example, Gmail or Yahoo) instead of a business domain.
- The website is not live, is under construction, or does not match the brand name.
- The opt-in flow cannot be accessed or tested by reviewers.
- The authorized representative does not respond to the verification email.
Ask your authorized representative to watch their inbox (including spam and promotions folders) after submission so the Aegis verification email isn't missed.
How the RCS Registration Process Works
The registration process follows several stages.
The business completes the required Google RCS and country-specific registration details through the applicable registration interface.
Our compliance team reviews the submitted information for completeness and compliance before forwarding the application for the relevant verification and approval processes. During this review, the team may identify:
- Missing or incorrect business information
- Incomplete messaging use cases
- Unclear opt-in language
- Missing Privacy Policy or Terms of Service links
- Incorrect branding assets
If changes are required, the business may be asked to update the application.
After the initial review, the registration is evaluated by Google and the applicable carriers or verification providers — including Aegis for US carriers. The review may include:
- Verification of business identity
- Validation of the brand name and branding assets
- Confirmation of the authorized representative (Aegis, for US)
- Testing of the opt-in process
- Review of sample messages and campaign descriptions
- Confirmation of compliance with applicable messaging policies
Carriers may request clarification or additional information before approving the sender.
Once all applicable approvals are completed, the RCS sender can be activated for supported destinations. The business can then begin sending RCS messages using the approved sender, subject to platform availability and carrier support.
Google approval alone does not necessarily mean that the sender is approved for every country or carrier. Additional country-specific approvals, such as Aegis verification for US carriers, may still be required.
Key Requirements for Successful Registration
RCS messages are associated with a branded sender profile rather than relying solely on a traditional phone number. Businesses should prepare:
- Official brand name
- Business logo
- Banner image
- Business description
- Official website
Branding information should accurately represent the business.
Customers must understand that they are consenting to receive messages from the business. The consent language should clearly mention:
- The business or brand name
- Types of messages customers will receive
- Message frequency, where applicable
- Message and data rates, where applicable
- How customers can opt out
For website forms, the messaging consent checkbox should be unchecked by default so customers actively provide consent.
"I agree to receive text messages from [Business Name], including appointment reminders, account updates, and promotional offers. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to unsubscribe or HELP for assistance. View our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service."
Consent for promotional messages should be obtained where required, and consent should not be made a condition of purchase when applicable rules prohibit it.
The opt-in flow must be accessible and functional during verification. Businesses should ensure that:
- The opt-in form is publicly accessible or can be tested by reviewers.
- Consent is clearly presented before submission.
- Customers can unsubscribe by replying STOP.
- HELP requests receive appropriate assistance information.
- Opted-out contacts are excluded from future messages.
The messaging use case should explain why messages are sent and what recipients can expect. For example:
Use Case: Appointment confirmations and reminders.
Description: Customers who book appointments through the business website and explicitly consent to receive messages will receive booking confirmations, appointment reminders, and scheduling updates.
Sample Message:
"Hi [First Name], your appointment with [Business Name] is confirmed for [Date] at [Time]. Reply here if you need assistance. Reply STOP to unsubscribe."
The submitted sample messages should accurately reflect the messages the business intends to send.
Tracking Registration Status
Businesses can monitor their registration status through the registration interface in the platform. Depending on the registration stage, the sender may have statuses such as:
| Status | Description |
|---|---|
| Draft | Registration has not yet been submitted. |
| Pending review | The application is being reviewed. |
| Action required | Additional information or corrections are needed. |
| Approved | The applicable registration has been approved. |
| Rejected | The registration did not meet the applicable requirements. |
Status names may vary depending on the provider and registration stage. Businesses may also receive email notifications when their registration status changes or additional action is required.
Best Practices to Avoid Registration Delays
To improve the chances of successful registration:
- Verify business details: Ensure that the legal name, address, and registration information match official business records.
- Use a branded business email: Provide an authorized representative's email address associated with the business domain, especially for US (Aegis) verification.
- Respond to Aegis promptly: Make sure the authorized representative watches for and replies to any verification email from Aegis.
- Keep the opt-in flow live: Make sure reviewers can access and test the consent process.
- Use clear consent language: Identify the business, message purpose, and unsubscribe instructions.
- Provide accurate sample messages: Samples should match the messaging use case described in the application.
- Prepare appropriate branding assets: Use clear, high-quality logos and banners that meet the provider's specifications.
- Review compliance requirements: Ensure that messages follow applicable local regulations and carrier policies.
- Monitor registration updates: Respond promptly to requests for corrections or additional documentation.
RCS registration ensures that businesses are verified and that their messaging practices meet Google, carrier, and applicable regulatory requirements. The process consists of Google RCS registration and any additional country-specific verification, such as Aegis verification for US carriers.
Once the necessary approvals are obtained and the sender is activated, the business can begin communicating with customers through RCS on supported networks and devices.