UK Texting: Understanding Know Your Customer Requirements
Before organizations can send text messages to UK recipients, they must complete Know Your Customer (KYC) verification. UK regulators require this information to confirm that businesses are legitimate and to prevent spam, fraud, and other abusive messaging practices.
This guide explains what KYC is, why it’s required, what information you need to submit, and how to ensure your UK texting is not disrupted.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is Know Your Customer (KYC)?
KYC (Know Your Customer) is a regulatory process used to identify and verify the legitimacy of an organization. It originated in the banking and financial services industry, but mobile carriers and messaging providers now use it to ensure that only verified businesses can send SMS traffic.
What KYC Information Will be Required for Businesses in the UK?
UK GetThru clients will need to submit the following information to ensure that their messaging is KYC-compliant:
Business: Mobile Numbers
| Information Required | Required Documentation | Acceptable Documentation |
| Business Name | Proof of Identity (Documentation is required for businesses not using a UK Companies House Registration Number) | Excerpt from the commercial register |
| Registration Authority (Name of entity where your business is registered if it is not UK Companies House) | Proof of Identity (Documentation is required for businesses not using a UK Companies House Registration Number) | Excerpt from the commercial register |
| Business Registration Number | Proof of Identity (Documentation is required for businesses not using a UK Companies House Registration Number) | Excerpt from the commercial register |
| Website address | No documentation required | |
| Business Address Must be a valid address. May be anywhere in the world | No documentation required | |
| Emergency Address (if different from business address) May be a valid address. May be anywhere in the world | No documentation required | |
| Authorized Representative's* Name *The authorized representative should be a senior manager in the company who is responsible for phone numbers. | No documentation required | |
| Authorized Representative Phone Number This must be a valid mobile number only where the customer can be reached. This cannot be a number that you've acquired from GetThru. | No documentation required | |
| Authorized Representative's Work Email | No documentation required |
Frequently Asked Questions
I am a business customer, and I don't have the company documents; what do I do?
If your business is registered in the UK house register, then you don't need to upload your documentation, just provide the information which we will verify. If you are not registered in the UK, then you must provide documentation.
What do you mean by emergency address?
Physical address of the actual organization where emergency services can send help in case of an emergency.
My business is not registered in the UK. Which long codes am I eligible to use?
Going forward GetThru will only offer UK Mobile numbers, which can be used if you have an EIN or CBN.
Please reach out to support@getthru.io with any questions or concerns.