The SMS Coach, Justin H. Mueller

California SMS Marketing and A2P Messaging Rules

A plain-language, source-linked guide to California authorities relevant to SMS, MMS, telemarketing, privacy, consent, and do-not-call issues.

2reviewed source records
0express text-message sources
0fact-dependent sources
2related or unresolved sources

What the sources say

The California sources reviewed for this page do not expressly establish a general SMS or MMS rule. They are included because related telemarketing, do-not-call, privacy, or consumer-protection requirements may still matter to a messaging program.

Authorities and official sources

Each entry explains what the source says, where its limits are, and what it does not establish.

Official agency guidance · Current

CCPA / CPRA

#

How this authority relates to messaging

This source is relevant to the broader program, but the reviewed text does not expressly establish general SMS or MMS coverage.

What the source establishes

  • Mobile-number use, consent records, targeted advertising, sharing/sale, minors, and deletion/access rights materially affect messaging programs.

Limits and important context

  • Regulatory enforcement; limited private action mainly for certain security incidents.

Facts that may change the result

  • Does the organization meet CCPA/CPRA applicability thresholds?

Official and supporting sources

  1. CA DOJ 'California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)' page: Right to Opt-Out; Requests to Delete; Required Notices; minors under-16 authorization
Source and review details
Jurisdiction
California
Source type
Official agency guidance
Current status
Current

State law · Current

California Delete Act and DROP regime

#

How this authority relates to messaging

This source is relevant to the broader program, but the reviewed text does not expressly establish general SMS or MMS coverage.

What the source establishes

  • Data brokers must register annually, disclose required information, and—through DROP—process California deletion requests. Californians can submit one deletion request to all active data brokers through the state platform.

Limits and important context

  • Applies to California “data brokers,” meaning businesses that knowingly collect and sell personal information of consumers with whom they have no direct relationship. Highly material wherever messaging programs use purchased leads, brokered lookalike audiences, enrichment files, prospect append data, or broker-driven suppression matching. Current high-priority design date: consumers already can submit DROP requests, and data brokers must begin processing them August 1, 2026. Noncompliance can trigger per-day penalties. CPPA/CalPrivacy DROP and Delete Act pages. Data brokers must begin processing DROP requests August 1, 2026; $200 per request per day penalties.

Official and supporting sources

  1. CPPA Data Broker Registry and DROP
  2. Delete Act regulations approval
Source and review details
Jurisdiction
California
Source type
State law
Current status
Current

Continue with the most useful next step

Move from a jurisdiction or authority layer to the sources and tools most likely to answer the next question.

Check this state in the SMS Compliance Preflight Use program details to identify the authority layers that may apply. Federal law The federal statutes and regulations that form the national legal baseline for U.S. A2P text messaging. FCC rules and orders FCC actions addressing consent revocation, opt-out handling, robotext blocking, and related operational controls. Carrier policy Carrier policies and public guidance concerning approved messaging paths, consent evidence, opt-out handling, filtering, and sender behavior. Sender registration 10DLC, short-code, toll-free, vetting, and monitoring requirements used to register or verify U.S. A2P senders. Browse SMS marketing laws by state Return to the complete state and national authority index.

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Use an advisory review when the result depends on facts that a public authority index cannot resolve.

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