How to Prove a Customer Opted In to Your Texts (Before a Carrier Asks)

Sooner or later someone will ask: "How did this person agree to get texts from you?" It might be your carrier during A2P 10DLC review, a carrier investigating a complaint, or, in the worst case, a lawyer. If your answer is "they are in our list somewhere", you have a problem. This guide shows what good consent records look like and how to keep them without extra work.

Why consent records matter

• Registration. Your A2P 10DLC campaign describes how people opt in. Carriers can ask you to show it.
• Complaints. When someone reports your texts as spam, your carrier may ask for proof they agreed.
• The law. In the US, texts without the right consent can bring TCPA claims of $500 to $1,500 each. Records are your defence. (This is general information, not legal advice.)

What good consent looks like

1. A clear moment of agreement. A form with a sentence like "I agree to receive texts from Lopez Dental about my appointments. Reply STOP to opt out." Not a buried line in your terms.
2. Specific to texts. Agreeing to emails is not agreeing to texts.
3. Specific to you. Consent given to another business does not transfer.
4. Matched to the messages. Agreeing to appointment reminders is not agreeing to promotions.
5. Recent and not withdrawn. Someone who texted STOP has withdrawn consent, whatever they agreed before.

What to record for every contact

How consent usually arrives

• A web form with an SMS consent checkbox or line. Keep a screenshot of the form as it looked.
• They texted you first. Someone who texts your business is inviting a reply to that conversation.
• A keyword, like "Text JOIN to…", with a confirmation reply.
• In person or by phone, noted on the contact with the date.

How TelBuddy keeps the record for you

• Every import asks where people agreed. The CSV import, the webhook link and the ClickFunnels sync all require a "Where did these people agree to get texts?" answer, saved on every contact they add.
• Opt-in dates come across. Map an opt-in date column on CSV import; leads from your link are stamped with the date they arrived.
• Opt-outs are recorded with how and when: they texted STOP, the carrier reported it, or your team marked it after a phone call.
• Export it all. The contacts CSV includes Source, Opted in and Opted out columns, ready to send to a carrier.

For how STOP works in practice, see what to do when a customer texts STOP; for bringing leads in with consent attached, importing ClickFunnels contacts and sending leads from Zapier or Make.

Mistakes that weaken your proof

1. Bought or borrowed lists. They come with no consent to text you at all.
2. "They gave us their number" on an invoice or order. That is a contact detail, not consent to texts.
3. Changing the form without keeping a copy of the old wording.
4. Importing old lists without asking whether those people still expect to hear from you.
5. Texting promotions to people who agreed to reminders.

A quick consent checklist

1. Does every form that collects phone numbers include a clear SMS consent line?
2. Do you keep a screenshot of each form's current wording?
3. Does every contact show where and when they agreed?
4. Are opt-outs recorded and honoured on every number?
5. Could you export it all for a carrier today?

For the registration side, see A2P 10DLC explained.