Twilio RCS: how to get your RCS sender approved

Does Twilio offer RCS?

Yes. Twilio made RCS generally available in August 2025, and it now reaches AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile customers in the US. You send RCS through the same Programmable Messaging API you use for SMS. Phones that can't receive RCS get your message as SMS or MMS instead.

How Twilio RCS onboarding works

• Create an RCS sender in the Twilio Console under Numbers & senders, then send test messages to your own phones
• Submit the sender for compliance review from its registration tab
• A Twilio onboarding specialist reviews it and may ask for changes
• It goes to brand verification (Aegis in the US), then to Google and the carriers
• Once at least one carrier approves, add the sender to a Messaging Service and go live

Each carrier decides for itself. One can approve your use case while another rejects it, even when you meet every requirement.

Branding assets

• Display name: the name customers see. Use your brand name.
• Logo: 224 x 224 px, PNG or JPEG, 50 KB max
• Banner: 1440 x 448 px, PNG or JPEG, 200 KB max. It shows on Android in your business info.
• Accent color with at least 4.5:1 contrast against white
• A plain-text description, with no HTML or special formatting
• At least one phone number or email customers can reach you at

Host the images at public HTTPS links with no login and no redirects. Files that are off by a few pixels or a few kilobytes get sent back, so check them before you submit.

What the compliance review asks for

• Your EIN, business address, and an authorized representative
• A use case description and sample messages
• Your opt-in and opt-out flow, with screenshots at public links
• A privacy policy and terms of service that cover messaging
• Your existing SMS sender: 10DLC, toll-free, or short code campaign details
• Your monthly SMS volume, website traffic, and expected RCS volume
• A video of your agent working: the conversation, the buttons, and opt-out

If your 10DLC registration is approved and accurate, most of this is already written. The review asks for it directly.

What won't get approved

The usual prohibited list applies: high-risk financial services, third-party lead generation, debt collection, gambling, prescription drugs, and SHAFT content. Google goes further and restricts some categories US carriers have allowed on SMS, including political content, alcohol, tobacco, and healthcare products and services. If you're in one of those, check before you build.

Timeline and fees

Twilio says to allow four to six weeks, longer if you launch in more than one country. Most delays start with the first submission: missing assets, an opt-in reviewers can't see, or a slow reply when Google emails your brand contact. Holiday carrier freezes can add time.

There are fees beyond per-message pricing. In the US, brand verification charges an annual fee, and carriers charge a one-time onboarding fee for each RCS sender. Paying them doesn't guarantee approval. At launch, Twilio said basic RCS messages up to 160 characters cost the same as SMS. Rich messages are priced separately.

Keep your SMS sender registered

Twilio recommends a live SMS sender, a 10DLC number, toll-free number, or short code, in the same Messaging Service. When a phone can't receive RCS, Twilio sends the SMS version automatically. That fallback only works if the SMS sender is registered and approved. RCS adds to 10DLC. It doesn't replace it.

Prepare the package before you submit

Cleared to Send's RCS readiness tool walks through every field Twilio asks for, checks your logo and banner files against the exact specs, and builds the opt-in, testing, and fallback story reviewers want. It's included with a free workspace. Cleared to Send is not affiliated with Twilio.