SMS marketing rules vary widely by country. Mailpro routes through licensed regional carriers, but the legal responsibility for consent, opt-out, content, and timing sits with you as the sender. Get the rules wrong in any market and you face fines from local regulators — plus a possible Mailpro account suspension.

Quick rule: consent is mandatory before the first SMS. Identify your brand in every message, include a working opt-out keyword (commonly STOP), and respect quiet hours. These three rules apply almost everywhere.

Universal SMS marketing requirements

  • Explicit prior consent — opt-in must be specific, informed, and demonstrable
  • Sender identification — brand or company name in every message
  • Free opt-out — STOP keyword (or local equivalent), processed immediately
  • No purchased lists — same rule as email lists; phone numbers from third parties are forbidden under Mailpro’s acceptable use rules
  • Quiet hours — most jurisdictions ban sending during night hours and on Sundays/public holidays

SenderName: brand display, not a guarantee

Mailpro offers an optional SenderName service so your messages display your brand or a phone number instead of the default mailpro.com. SenderName must be 10 alphanumeric characters maximum, validated with company registration documents. Important: some mobile network operators may override the SenderName at delivery time — we prioritize delivery, even if it means using a different sender ID. Check carrier compatibility for each destination country before launching a campaign.

Country-by-country variations

  • European Union — ePrivacy Directive + GDPR: explicit opt-in, clear opt-out, sender identification
  • France — CNIL: B2C requires explicit opt-in; no SMS on Sundays, holidays, or 22h00–08h00 weekdays
  • Germany — UWG/BDSG: written or electronic opt-in, easy opt-out, identification
  • USA — TCPA + CTIA: prior express written consent, STOP keyword, sender ID
  • Canada — CASL: explicit consent, identification, opt-out within 60 days
  • UK — PECR + UK GDPR: opt-in, easy opt-out, sender identification
  • Brazil — LGPD: explicit consent, opt-out, content restrictions on Sundays/holidays
  • Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Panama — explicit opt-in, registration on Do-Not-Disturb registries where applicable
  • Australia — SPAM Act 2003: consent, identification, functional unsubscribe

Sensitive content categories

Even with consent, certain content is restricted or banned in many markets: gambling, alcohol, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, financial services, adult content. Mailpro itself does not allow gambling, casinos, escort services, pornography, pharmaceutical sales, esoteric/astrology, and earnings-from-home schemes — these business sectors cannot use the platform at all.

Where to find Mailpro’s SMS tools

Practical guides: how to send SMS, scheduling, personalization, and importing phone lists.

Confirm before you launch

Check the rules for every country in your audience, set up your opt-out flow, and run a small test send first. We are not legal advisers — consult a lawyer if you operate in regulated industries.

Related: how to add an SMS opt-in.

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