Whatever SMS gateway you use in Brazil, most A2P SMS is delivered from short codes. Alphanumeric sender IDs work only on Vivo, Claro and TIM, and only if they are registered by a company based in Brazil; unregistered senders are replaced with a short code. Marketing needs opt-in consent under the LGPD and is limited to daytime hours, with no promotional sending on Sundays.
Rules last checked: October 2026.
Sender ID registration
As of 2026, alphanumeric registration in Brazil is optional but it is the only way to keep a brand name on the handset. Major CPaaS providers describe the same conditions:
- Who can register: only entities based in Brazil, with a signed Letter of Authorization (LOA) from an authorized company representative. International senders targeting Brazil cannot register a local alphanumeric ID.
- Format: the brand name only, up to 11 characters, in capital letters, no spaces, underscores or special characters. Generic words or acronyms that could fit many companies are rejected. Vivo accepts uppercase sender IDs only.
- Networks: registration is available on Vivo, Claro and TIM.
- Lead time: plan for weeks, not days. Providers quote anything from several weeks up to around ten weeks, so ask your route provider for its current figure.
The general process is described in our guide to how sender ID registration works.
Sender ID types and replacement
| Sender type | Status in Brazil |
|---|---|
| Registered alphanumeric | Preserved on Vivo, Claro and TIM |
| Unregistered alphanumeric | Replaced with a short code |
| Short code | The main A2P channel, dedicated or shared |
| Brazilian long number | Person-to-person use only, not for A2P |
| International long number | Not supported by operators, usually overwritten |
Because of this, a route that "keeps your sender ID" in Brazil without a local registration should be questioned. See sender ID types and how short codes work.
Consent, opt-out and sending hours
Personal data, including phone numbers, falls under the LGPD (Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados). Consent must be free, informed, specific and unambiguous, so keep a record of when, where and how each number opted in. Providers recommend honoring opt-out keywords in Portuguese, such as PARE, SAIR and CANCELAR, as well as STOP.
Promotional SMS is restricted to daytime hours in the recipient's local time zone, and Sunday sending is not allowed. Sources disagree on the exact window: some providers use 09:00 to 22:00, others block marketing between 20:00 and 08:00. Brazil spans several time zones, so schedule campaigns per recipient region and confirm the window your route enforces. Transactional messages are not subject to the same limits; see transactional vs promotional SMS.
Brazil also has a "Não Me Perturbe" opt-out list, created by Anatel with telecom and financial companies, mainly aimed at telemarketing for telecom services and consigned loans and credit cards. If you send on behalf of those sectors, ask your provider how the list applies to SMS.
Restricted content
- Political and electoral messages: not permitted, in line with Superior Electoral Court (TSE) measures.
- Adult content, controlled substances and cannabis: prohibited.
- Contests and telecom service promotions: blocked by operators according to major providers.
- Gambling and betting: needs prior approval (safelisting) on short code routes with some providers.
Operators filter links as well, so use your own domain and ask whether URL safelisting is available. More in SMS content restrictions by traffic type.
Mobile networks and encoding
The main networks are Vivo, Claro and TIM, which took over Oi's mobile customers in 2022. Smaller and regional networks, such as Algar, have more limited support: some do not handle Unicode or alphanumeric senders, and some carriers replace accented characters with plain ASCII. Portuguese letters such as ã, õ, ç and á are outside GSM-7, so one of them switches the whole message to Unicode with 70 characters per part. Many senders write OTP and alert templates without accents to stay in GSM-7; see GSM-7 vs Unicode.
OTP traffic
OTP is time critical, and in Brazil it usually arrives from a short code, so tell users which number or brand to expect. Keep codes short, avoid links in OTP messages, and set rate limits per number and per IP to limit SMS pumping. Before moving volume, test the route on Vivo, Claro and TIM numbers separately and check that delivery reports match real handset delivery. More tips in OTP SMS best practices.
Current routes and coverage are on the Brazil SMS destination page and our A2P SMS service. VoIPMatcher sources the route from its carriers and manages it for you; buyers and sellers never see each other. Request a Brazil SMS route.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use an alphanumeric sender ID in Brazil?
Only if a company based in Brazil registers it, with a signed letter of authorization, on Vivo, Claro and TIM. International senders cannot register a local alphanumeric ID. Unregistered alphanumeric senders are replaced with a short code, which is the main A2P channel in Brazil anyway. Registration can take from several weeks up to around ten.
Can I send marketing SMS on Sunday in Brazil?
No. Promotional SMS in Brazil is limited to daytime hours in the recipient's local time zone, and Sunday sending is not allowed. Providers disagree on the exact daily window, with some using 09:00 to 22:00 and others blocking 20:00 to 08:00, so confirm what your route enforces. Transactional messages are not limited the same way.
Do I need consent to send SMS in Brazil?
Yes for marketing. Phone numbers are personal data under the LGPD, and consent must be free, informed, specific and unambiguous. Keep a record of when, where and how each number opted in, and honour opt-out keywords in Portuguese such as PARE, SAIR and CANCELAR as well as STOP.
Why are Portuguese accents a problem in SMS?
Letters such as ã, õ, ç and á are outside the GSM-7 alphabet, so a single one switches the whole message to Unicode, with 70 characters per part instead of 160. Some smaller networks also replace accented characters with plain letters. Many senders write OTP and alert templates without accents to stay in one segment.
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