Marketing SMS in Belgium are governed by the Belgian Code of Economic Law (Book VI / XII), the GDPR and the rules from the Data Protection Authority (APD/GBA). The principle is the same in Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels: you can only text recipients who gave a prior, free and specific opt-in.
No prior opt-in, no SMS: Sending unsolicited SMS in Belgium can lead to administrative fines from the APD/GBA and complaints to the FPS Economy — both regulators investigate consumer reports actively.
Key requirements
| Requirement | What it means |
|---|---|
| Prior opt-in | Free, specific and informed consent (GDPR + Code VI) |
| Identification | Sender clearly identifiable in every SMS |
| Easy opt-out | Free, immediate, in every message (typically STOP) |
| Sending hours | Avoid before 09:00 and after 20:00 |
| Records | Keep date, channel and content of consent |
What about B2B contacts?
Belgium follows the “soft opt-in” principle for B2B but only when the recipient is a legal entity (info@, contact@…). For named individuals, the rule is the same as B2C: prior consent is required.
Best practice: Document the source of every consent (form URL, timestamp, IP) so you can answer regulator requests within the legal deadline.
Other rules
Sender IDs, short codes and premium-rate numbers must comply with BIPT regulations. For a global picture across countries, see SMS laws and restrictions.
Stay compliant before your next Belgian SMS campaign
Use Mailpro’s opt-in management and STOP keyword handling. Read our guide on how to send SMS with Mailpro.