What changed
An SMS Sender ID fee is on the table. ACMA has put forward a proposal to recover the day-to-day running costs of the SMS Sender ID Register, which began operating on 1 July 2026, by introducing an annual application fee for each sender ID registered. The agency has opened a public consultation so stakeholders can have their say on the charging model before any decision is made.
Who would pay the SMS Sender ID fee
The proposal would apply to the entities that register sender IDs, including businesses, organisations and government agencies. The fee would be charged per sender ID, so organisations using several branded IDs could pay several times over. ACMA is asking whether applicants should pay the fee directly, or whether telcos should pay it on their customers’ behalf and pass the cost on. It is also asking whether some entities should get lower fees or exemptions.
When it starts
ACMA has suggested the fee would take effect from the 2027–28 financial year, which begins on 1 July 2027. This is still a proposal under consultation, not a confirmed start date. ACMA is proposing a 12-month registration period, with the same fee applying each year on re-registration. Sender IDs already on the register would need to re-apply and pay once the new arrangements begin. The consultation opened on 4 November 2026 and closes on Friday 4 December 2026.
What the SMS Sender ID fee means in practice
Nothing is finalised yet. ACMA doesn’t currently charge to register a sender ID, though some telcos and messaging providers may charge their own handling fees. Media reports put the indicative fee at around A$17 per sender ID, possibly rising above A$25 if fewer IDs are registered than expected. Treat those figures as early estimates. Separately, ACMA is considering whether some of the register’s wider costs should be recovered through an industry levy on telcos.
If your organisation relies on branded text messages, this is a good moment to count how many sender IDs you actually use and to send ACMA your views on the SMS Sender ID fee before the deadline.
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General information only, not legal advice. Check the official source before acting.
Source: ACMA. Licence: CC BY 4.0.
