ACMA proposes annual application fee to fund SMS Sender ID Register
The ACMA wants sender ID applicants to pay an annual fee that would cover the Register's running costs from the 2027–28 financial year. Comment is open until Friday 4 December 2026.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority has opened a consultation on how to pay for the ongoing operation of the SMS Sender ID Register, floating an annual fee charged when a sender ID is registered. The ACMA proposes that the arrangement begin in the 2027–28 financial year. A consultation paper sets out the proposal, and the regulator's media announcement is dated 4 November 2026.
The Register is designed to curb SMS and MMS scams in which criminals pose as trusted businesses, organisations and government agencies. Legitimate entities can list the sender IDs they use when texting Australian consumers.
The ACMA wants views on the charging model and how the scheme would be administered. One open question is whether applicants should pay the fees to the ACMA themselves, or whether telcos should pay on their behalf. The regulator also asks how long a registration should last, and whether some entities should get reduced fees or exemptions.
Comments can be lodged through the ACMA website until 5pm AEDT on Friday 4 December 2026. The consultation paper explains how to send a submission by post.