Starting 1 July 2026, if an Australian business sends you a text message with a branded name instead of a phone number, that name must be registered or the message won't get through. The Australian Communications and Media Authority set up this new register to stop scammers from pretending to be your bank or the tax office.

Right now, it's easy for a scammer to fake a trusted name in a text. They might send a message that looks like it's from "YourBank" or "AustralianTax" even though it isn't — and you might fall for it because the sender name looks official. The new register means that only real organisations with proof they own that sender name can use it. If someone tries to send a message with a fake branded name, it simply won't be delivered.

How does the registration actually work? Organisations don't register directly with the government. Instead, they tell their text message provider (the company they pay to send SMS messages) that they want to register a sender name. That provider then handles the registration on their behalf. The message providers themselves also have to register with the system to participate. Think of it as two checkpoints instead of one — the business checks in through their provider, and the provider checks in with the government system.

The deadline is tight. If your organisation sends business text messages and hasn't started the registration process, you need to get moving immediately. The registration happens through your message provider, and as more businesses scramble to register in June, those providers will get busy. Organisations that rely on text messages for customer reminders, password resets, or important notifications are in the most urgent situation.

One thing to understand: this rule only applies to branded text names like "MyBank" or "GovtAlert". If your text messages come from a regular phone number, you don't need to do anything. Many businesses use branded sender names because they look more professional and customers recognise them instantly, so a lot of Australian organisations will need to register.

Here's something important to check right now. If your organisation uses a message provider that hasn't signed up to participate in the register yet, you won't be able to complete your registration through them. You should contact your provider today to confirm they are participating. Waiting until late June is asking for trouble.

Other countries have similar systems. The UK has one, and so do several countries in Asia. But Australia's version has actual legal force — if a message provider delivers an unregistered branded name, they can face consequences. That means providers have to enforce it, not just suggest it.

What do you need to do? If you manage text messaging for a business, make a list of every branded sender name you currently use. Check that your message provider is part of the ACMA register. Then register each sender name before 1 July. If your current provider isn't participating, you may need to switch to one that is.

The register won't stop every text scam, but it removes the simplest trick: a scammer using a fake but believable sender name. That alone makes text messages safer.