Compliance Guide

DLT Registration & TRAI Compliance

Everything you need to know about DLT registration in India — from Principal Entity setup to template approval. We handle the paperwork.

DLT registration in India — quick answer

Every business that sends commercial SMS in India must register on a TRAI-mandated DLT portal. You register once, on any one operator portal (Jio TrueConnect, Airtel, Vi Vilpower or BSNL), and it is valid on all networks.

  1. Register your business as a Principal Entity with your PAN, GST certificate and proof of incorporation. You receive a PE ID.
  2. Register a sender ID (header). This is the 6-character name recipients see, for example ONLSMS.
  3. Get your message templates approved, with {#var#} placeholders for the variable parts. Each template gets a Template ID.
  4. Link the IDs to your SMS gateway and start sending. Messages that do not match an approved template are blocked.

Cost and time: entity registration on the Jio, Airtel or Vi portals is typically a one-time fee of about ₹5,900 + GST, and approval usually takes 2–7 business days. OnlineSMSService helps with every step at no extra charge. Last updated:

Overview

What is DLT?

Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) is a blockchain-based platform mandated by TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) since 2021. Every business sending commercial SMS in India must register on a DLT portal operated by telecom operators.

The registration ensures traceability of SMS messages, prevents spam, and protects consumers. Non-compliance results in messages being blocked at the operator level.

Why DLT Matters

  • Mandatory: Required for all commercial SMS in India
  • Blocking: Non-DLT messages are rejected by operators
  • Spam Prevention: Protects consumers from unsolicited SMS
  • Traceability: Every message linked to a registered entity
  • Template Matching: Messages must match approved templates
Step by Step

DLT Registration Process

We guide you through every step — or handle it entirely on your behalf.

1

Entity Registration

Register your business as a Principal Entity (PE) on the DLT portal of your preferred operator (Jio, Airtel, BSNL, Vi).

2

Sender ID (Header)

Register your 6-character Sender ID (header) that recipients will see, e.g., YOURID. Both transactional and promotional headers.

3

Template Approval

Submit your message templates with variable placeholders. Each template gets a unique DLT Template ID used when sending.

4

Consent Registration

For promotional SMS, register consent templates and maintain opt-in records as required by TRAI regulations.

5

Link with Gateway

Share your PE ID and Template IDs with OnlineSMSService. We configure them in your account for seamless delivery.

6

Go Live

Start sending SMS! Messages are automatically validated against your registered templates before delivery.

Requirements

Documents Required for Registration

📄 For Companies / LLPs

  • Certificate of Incorporation
  • GST Registration Certificate
  • PAN Card of the company
  • Authorized signatory's Aadhaar or Passport
  • Board Resolution (for authorized signatory)
  • Company letterhead (for Sender ID request)

📄 For Individuals / Proprietorships

  • Aadhaar Card or Passport
  • PAN Card
  • GST Registration (if applicable)
  • Business proof (trade license, Udyam)
  • Bank account statement (for business verification)
Templates

DLT Template Examples

Templates use variables enclosed in {#var#} placeholders. Here are real-world examples.

OTP Template

Your OTP for {#var#} is {#var#}. 
Valid for {#var#} minutes. Do not 
share this code with anyone.
— YOURID

Type: Transactional  |  Category: OTP

Order Confirmation

Dear {#var#}, your order #{#var#} 
has been confirmed. Estimated 
delivery: {#var#}. Track at 
{#var#}. — YOURID

Type: Transactional  |  Category: Service Implicit

Promotional Offer

Flash Sale! Get {#var#}% off on 
{#var#}. Use code {#var#} at 
checkout. Valid till {#var#}. 
Shop now: {#var#} — YOURID

Type: Promotional  |  Category: Promotional

Appointment Reminder

Reminder: Your appointment with 
{#var#} is scheduled for {#var#} 
at {#var#}. Reply CANCEL to 
reschedule. — YOURID

Type: Transactional  |  Category: Service Implicit

Portals

DLT Portal Comparison — Where to Register

Registering on any one operator portal is valid across all Indian operators. These are the four active DLT portals in 2026.

DLT Portal Operator Entity Registration Fee Typical Approval Time
Jio TrueConnect (trueconnect.jio.com)Reliance Jio≈ ₹5,900 + GST, one-time*2–4 business days
Airtel DLT (dltconnect.airtel.in)Bharti Airtel≈ ₹5,900 + GST, one-time*3–5 business days
Vi DLT — Vilpower (vilpower.in)Vodafone Idea≈ ₹5,900 + GST, one-time*3–5 business days
BSNL DLT (ucc-bsnl.co.in)BSNLVaries — check portal*4–7 business days

Your Principal Entity (PE) ID, headers, and templates sync across operators within 24–48 hours of approval, so one registration covers Jio, Airtel, Vi, and BSNL subscribers alike.

* Operators revise DLT fees and occasionally run fee waivers. Always confirm the current fee on the portal before paying.

Avoid Delays

Common Reasons DLT Applications Get Rejected

Entity & Header Rejections

  • Business name on the portal doesn't exactly match the PAN/GST record
  • Authorization letter missing signatory name, designation, or letterhead
  • Requested Sender ID doesn't relate to the brand or trade name
  • Generic or dictionary-word headers (e.g., OFFERS) without justification

Template Rejections

  • Wrong category — promotional content submitted as transactional
  • Templates that are only variables with no fixed text (spam risk)
  • Missing brand/entity name in the message body
  • URL shorteners or phone numbers placed inside {#var#} variables

Read our step-by-step DLT registration walkthrough and the post-registration compliance rules for full details.

We Help

Our DLT Support Services

📋

Full Registration

We handle the entire DLT registration process on your behalf — entity registration, Sender IDs, and template submission.

📝

Template Optimization

We review and optimize your templates for maximum approval rates — avoiding common rejection reasons like incorrect categories.

🔍

Ongoing Compliance

Continuous monitoring to ensure your messages match registered templates. Alerts for expiring registrations and template renewals.

FAQ

DLT Registration FAQs

How long does DLT registration take?
Entity registration typically takes 3–5 business days. Sender ID registration takes 1–2 days. Template approval usually completes within 24–48 hours. With our assistance, the entire process can be completed in under a week.
Which DLT portal should I register on?
You can register on any operator's DLT portal — Jio DLT (Vilpower), Airtel DLT, BSNL DLT, or Vi DLT. Registration on one portal is valid across all operators. We recommend Jio's Vilpower for the smoothest experience.
What happens if I send without DLT registration?
Messages sent without valid DLT registration will be blocked by telecom operators. The message will never reach the recipient's phone. This applies to both transactional and promotional SMS.
Can OnlineSMSService handle DLT registration for me?
Yes! We offer full DLT registration assistance. Just share your business documents and we'll handle entity registration, Sender ID setup, and template submissions. Contact us to get started →
Is DLT registration free?
Principal Entity registration on the Jio, Airtel and Vi portals is typically a one-time fee of about ₹5,900 + GST (operators revise this and sometimes waive it, so confirm on the portal). Headers and templates are generally free to add after that. OnlineSMSService does not charge extra for DLT assistance — it's included with your account.

Need Help with DLT Registration?

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