If you're launching a political texting program in 2026, you'll encounter a critical checkpoint before sending your first message: Campaign Verify. Campaign Verify is an independent, nonpartisan nonprofit that verifies U.S. political campaigns, parties, and PACs. It is one of the vetting providers for The Campaign Registry (TCR), which manages A2P 10DLC registration for major U.S. carriers.
Campaign Verify says that since 2021 some U.S. carriers have required political 527 organizations on A2P 10DLC to get a Campaign Verify token, and that verification gives access to increased throughput through the political special use case. This guide walks through how to get verified, what it costs, and how to avoid common delays.
Skip the Hassle: Let VoterPing Handle It
VoterPing's 10DLC campaign verification service is $150, which includes Campaign Verify's $95 fee. We walk you through the Campaign Verify request, check your details against your filing before you submit, and handle the 10DLC registration with your token. Timing depends on Campaign Verify and 10DLC review, but VoterPing can usually get you set up the same day. Contact us to get started.
What is Campaign Verify?
Campaign Verify is an independent, nonpartisan nonprofit, not part of The Campaign Registry and not a registry itself. It serves as one of TCR's vetting providers and acts as the verification layer for political campaigns, committees, and PACs, confirming they are who they say they are.
Eligibility is limited to candidates, parties, PACs, and other political committees that are 527 tax-exempt organizations registered with the FEC or a state, local, or tribal election authority. Sole proprietors, 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations, businesses, and other non-campaign entities are not eligible.
Here's what Campaign Verify actually does:
- Validates your political committee against your online filing record with the FEC or a state, local, or tribal election authority
- Confirms the request is authentic by sending a six-digit PIN to a contact listed on your filing
- Lets you generate a token that your texting provider submits to TCR for 10DLC registration
- Unlocks the political special use case, which Campaign Verify says grants higher messaging capacity
Why You Can't Skip This Step
Some campaigns try to register for 10DLC without Campaign Verify to save $95 or skip the process. For eligible political committees, that can backfire.
What Happens Without Campaign Verify
Campaign Verify says political entities that don't verify and send bulk text messages may face fines or message blocking from some wireless carriers. Without a token, you may also:
- Miss out on the political special use case and its higher messaging capacity
- Have your 10DLC registration held up with carriers that require a token
Carrier requirements change. Since November 5, 2025, Campaign Verify has also issued Short Code and Toll-Free tokens, and Campaign Verify reports that a carrier began requiring them on February 17, 2026. Check your provider's current requirements before you launch.
Campaign Verify Costs and Timeline
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign Verify Fee | $95 | Once per entity per two-year election cycle; tokens are free |
| Processing Time | Minutes to 2 business days | Staff review; delays if your filing isn't published. PIN delivery time depends on method |
| Expedited Campaign Verify | $400 | Optional, instead of $95; two-business-day SLA |
| 10DLC Brand and Campaign Registration | Varies by provider | Handled by your texting provider |
The $95 Campaign Verify fee is paid to Campaign Verify. 10DLC registration fees vary by provider and are handled by your texting provider after you give it your token. VoterPing's 10DLC campaign verification service is $150, which includes Campaign Verify's $95 fee.
Realistic Timeline
Timing note: Campaign Verify says delays can happen when a committee's filing isn't readily available or doesn't meet its verification criteria, and mailed PINs add days. If you're on a deadline, Campaign Verify offers expedited turnaround for $400 with a two-business-day SLA. Start early.
Step-by-Step: Getting Your Campaign Verify Token
Before starting the application, collect:
- The URL of your online filing record with the FEC (for federal committees) or your state, local, or tribal election authority
- EIN (Employer Identification Number) for your committee; Social Security numbers are not accepted
- Committee's official mailing address as registered
- Treasurer or authorized official's name and contact info
- Committee website (if you have one)
The information you enter should match your online filing record. Mismatches are a common reason for follow-up questions or rejection.
Go to app.campaignverify.org and sign up. You'll confirm your email address and set up multi-factor authentication (required). Use an email address the campaign will keep access to; your campaign domain email is a good choice.
Click "New Verification Request" and choose the Federal or State/Local form. Key fields:
- Organization Name: Enter EXACTLY as it appears on your FEC/state filing (including capitalization, punctuation, "Inc." or "for Congress" suffixes)
- Committee Type: Select the category that matches your filing (candidate committee, party, PAC, or other political committee)
- Filing Record URL: The link to your filing on fec.gov or your election authority's website
- EIN: Your committee's tax ID number
The fee is $95, charged once per entity per two-year election cycle, for all committee types. There is no fee to create tokens. If your request is rejected, you reply to the rejection notice with the requested information and Campaign Verify can amend it without another $95 fee. If it can't be fixed, you still owe the original fee.
Campaign Verify staff review each request manually, usually within minutes to two business days. They check:
- Your committee has a published filing with the FEC or a state, local, or tribal election authority
- The information you provided matches official records
If they need more information, respond promptly; delays in your response extend the timeline.
After your request is approved, Campaign Verify sends a six-digit PIN to an email address, phone number, or postal address listed on your current filing. That is how it confirms the submission is authentic.
- Text or email: immediate
- Phone call: at the time you choose
- Postal mail: about 5-10 business days, with a FedEx option
Make sure whoever receives messages at the contact on your filing (often the treasurer) is ready to pass the PIN along. Log back in and enter it to finish verification.
Once your PIN is entered and you're verified, you generate an Authorization Token in the portal, and token creation is immediate. A token has six fields separated by pipes (|) and starts with "cv". For 10DLC tokens, the third field is tcr and the fourth is 10dlc.
Create a separate token for each texting provider and each channel (10DLC, Short Code, Toll-Free). Treat tokens like a password: send them to your provider securely and never post them publicly.
Common Mistakes That Cause Rejections
Here are common reasons requests get held up or rejected, and how to avoid them:
1. Name Mismatch
If your filing says "John Smith for Congress" and you enter "Smith for Congress," expect questions or a rejection. Check your filing record and match it character-for-character, including:
- Capitalization ("FOR" vs "for")
- Punctuation (commas, periods)
- Suffixes ("Inc.", "LLC", "PAC")
- Year designations ("2026" if it's part of the name)
2. Wrong Committee Type
Selecting "PAC" when you're actually a candidate committee can slow things down. Know your committee type:
- Principal Campaign Committee: The main committee for a federal candidate
- PAC: Political Action Committee not tied to a specific candidate
- Super PAC: Independent expenditure-only committee
- Party Committee: State or local party organization
- 527 Organization: Tax-exempt political org (broader than PACs)
3. Missing or Wrong EIN
Campaign Verify only accepts requests from 527 organizations with a valid EIN and does not accept Social Security numbers. If your committee doesn't have an EIN yet, you can apply on the IRS website; Campaign Verify notes that getting one is immediate.
4. Contact Information Not on Your Filing
Campaign Verify can only send the PIN to an email address, phone number, or postal address listed on a current filing. If your filing lists an old address or a contact who has left, update the filing first or coordinate with that contact.
5. Recently Formed Committee
If your election authority hasn't published your filing yet, Campaign Verify can't verify you, and a committee that hasn't filed isn't eligible yet. Confirm your filing is online before you submit. In rare cases, a 527 not registered with any election authority can use a published IRS filing.
Pro Tip: Check FEC Records First
Before submitting, find your committee at fec.gov/data (or your state or local election authority's site). Confirm how your name appears, copy the filing URL, and make sure the contact details are current. If you can't find your filing there, Campaign Verify won't be able to either.
After You Get Your Token: Next Steps
Your Campaign Verify token is just the first step. Here's what happens next:
- Provide the token to your texting provider: Your provider (the campaign service provider, or CSP) registers your brand with The Campaign Registry (TCR) and imports the token
- Provider completes 10DLC registration: This includes your brand and campaign (political use case) registration; fees vary by provider
- Carrier review: TCR manages 10DLC registration on behalf of major U.S. carriers, which review the registration
- Number provisioning: Your vendor provisions phone numbers and associates them with your approved campaign
- Start sending: Once everything is approved, you can send under the political use case
How long the post-token steps take depends on 10DLC and carrier review. Ask your provider about its current timeline before signing up.
What If You're Rejected?
If Campaign Verify rejects your application, you'll receive an email explaining why. Common resolution paths:
- Name mismatch: Reply with the exact name from your filing
- Missing documentation: Provide the requested documents via their portal
- Committee not found: Wait for your election authority to publish your filing, then reply with the filing URL
- Contact issue: Update the contact information on your filing so the PIN can reach you
Campaign Verify says you don't pay another $95 to amend a rejected request: reply to the rejection notice with the requested information. If the request can't be amended or resubmitted successfully, you still owe the original fee.
State and Local Campaigns
State, local, and tribal committees use the State/Local form. You'll need:
- The URL of your filing record on your election authority's website (often the Secretary of State)
- Contact details on that filing where the PIN can be sent
- EIN (required regardless of level)
Campaign Verify says FEC filings are almost always easier and faster to use, and that delays can happen if a filing isn't readily available. If your committee files with both the FEC and another election authority, you can use either form.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need Campaign Verify for P2P texting?
Generally, yes, if you're an eligible political committee. P2P texting platforms usually send from 10DLC numbers, which must be registered, and Campaign Verify treats political committees messaging voters as A2P senders. Your texting provider will need your Campaign Verify token for the political use case.
Can I use one token for multiple texting vendors?
No. Campaign Verify says each vendor needs its own unique token. While your verification is active, you can create as many tokens as you need at no extra cost, one per provider and per channel.
Does the token expire?
Yes. Tokens follow two-year election cycles. Requests submitted between November 15, 2024 and November 14, 2026 are valid until January 31, 2027; requests submitted between November 15, 2026 and November 14, 2028 are valid until January 31, 2029. To renew, you submit a new verification request and pay another $95.
What if I'm an issue advocacy group, not a campaign?
Campaign Verify is for 527 tax-exempt political organizations registered with the FEC or a state, local, or tribal election authority. 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations, businesses, and other non-campaign entities are not eligible. In rare cases, a 527 not registered with an election authority can use a published IRS filing.
My committee has multiple names (DBA). Which do I use?
Use the name exactly as it appears on your online filing record. If you're unsure, ask Campaign Verify support before you submit.
How much does Campaign Verify cost?
Campaign Verify charges $95 per verification, once per entity per two-year election cycle, for all committee types. Tokens are free. Expedited turnaround is $400. VoterPing's 10DLC campaign verification service is $150, which includes Campaign Verify's $95 fee.
How long does Campaign Verify take?
Campaign Verify staff approve or reject a request within minutes to two business days; delays can happen if your filing isn't published. PIN delivery by text or email is immediate, and postal mail takes about 5-10 business days. Token creation is immediate once you're verified.
What documents do I need for Campaign Verify?
You need the URL of your online filing record with the FEC or your state, local, or tribal election authority, your committee's EIN (Social Security numbers are not accepted), and access to a contact listed on that filing to receive your PIN.
Can I text without Campaign Verify?
Campaign Verify says some U.S. carriers have required political 527 organizations on A2P 10DLC to have a token since 2021, and that political entities that don't verify and send bulk texts may face fines or message blocking from some wireless carriers.