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SMS compliance

If you send SMS messages in Australia, you need to ensure you comply with all relevant legislation and permitted use.

When sending SMS messages, it is important to ensure you comply with the applicable legislation in the recipient’s destination country. SMS sent in Australia are governed by the following legislations:
  1. The Spam Act 2003
  2. The SMS Sender ID Register

All SMS sent via GoFax must also ensure it meets our Acceptable Use of Service Policy. 

The Spam Act 2003

Under The Spam Act, if you plan to send marketing SMS messages, you must first have consent from the person who will receive them.  After you get consent, you must ensure your message:

1. Consent
Under The Spam Act, you can only send a commercial electronic message (including SMS) if the recipient has consented. See the ACMA for types of consent. 

You cannot rely on SMS numbers scraped, purchased, or harvested from public sources-  this does not count as consent, even if the number is publicly listed.

2. Identify Yourself
Every marketing SMS must clearly identify the sender e.g your business name and include accurate contact details.

3. Provide an Unsubscribe (Opt-Out) Method
Every marketing message must include a functioning way for SMS recipients to opt out. All requests to unsubscribe must be honoured promptly (ACMA specify: within 5 business days), with the opt-out facility remaining usable for at least 30 days after the message is sent.

View further details on The Spam Act and requirements to comply on the ACMA website. 

The SMS Sender ID Register

From July 1, 2026, text messages sent in Australia using a brand name instead of a number must be registered with the ACMA via your SMS provider. Unregistered names now appear on phones as "Unverified".

  • applies to alphanumeric SMS Sender IDs
  • you can register required SMS Sender IDs in GoFax.  

Explore our GoFax SMS Sender ID guide. 

GoFax SMS features to assist with SMS compliance: 

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Sending to a purchased or scraped number list (no valid consent)

  • Using only a Sender ID with no business name in the message body (recipients can't identify or reply to you).

  • Omitting the opt-out line, or including one that doesn't actually work e.g a broken URL. 

  • Continuing to message someone after they've opted out.

 Contact us for any questions or assistance.