What is 10DLC and do dog groomers need it?
Updated
Yes. If you send appointment reminders or confirmations by text from a US business number, those messages fall under 10DLC, the carrier registration system for application to person SMS. Without it, business texts get filtered or blocked. The same rule covers grooming salons, mobile groomers, boarding kennels, daycares and every other pet business that texts clients. GroomBoard handles 10DLC registration and compliant sending on your behalf, so your reminders actually reach clients.
10DLC stands for "10 digit long code", the standard local phone number format, and it refers to the registration US carriers require for businesses sending automated or bulk SMS from those numbers. Since mid 2023, unregistered business texting is subject to heavy carrier filtering, which means reminders can silently fail to deliver.
For a dog groomer, this matters because appointment reminders are exactly the kind of application to person messaging 10DLC governs. If you were texting clients from a raw, unregistered number or tool, you would risk undelivered reminders and carrier violation errors.
The rule is about the message, not the trade. A grooming salon with three chairs, a solo mobile groomer, a boarding kennel confirming drop off times, a daycare sending pickup reminders and a pet sitter texting a schedule are all sending application to person SMS from a business number, so all of them need a registered brand and campaign behind those texts. Carriers do not carve out small businesses: a salon sending forty reminders a day is filtered the same way as a chain sending four thousand. The practical difference is who does the filing. If you text through a platform, the platform registers and sends on a registered number; if you text from your own carrier line with a scheduling tool bolted on, the registration is on you.
GroomBoard manages the 10DLC brand and campaign registration and sends reminders through a compliant, registered number, including STOP/START opt out handling. You do not have to file paperwork with carriers yourself, because the deliverability and compliance are handled as part of the service. See how reminders work below.
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Related questions
Does 10DLC apply to grooming salons, boarding and daycare too?
Do I have to register for 10DLC myself?
What happens without 10DLC registration?
Does 10DLC handle opt outs?
More answers
How much does pet grooming software cost?
Dog grooming software costs between $9 and $239 per month in 2026. Groomer specific tools: GroomBoard $9 to $39 per month with 100 to 600 texts included, Groomsoft $29.95 to $39.90 with 100 free texts then prepaid packs, MoeGo $49 to $239 per van or location with texts capped by tier. Facility platforms such as Gingr run $109 to $179 plus setup fees. The monthly total is usually higher than the sticker price once text packs and setup fees are added.
Does dog grooming software work with Square?
Some grooming software integrates with Square and GroomBoard does not. GroomBoard has no Square connection: it does not read Square transactions, push appointments into Square, or settle payments through a Square account. Most groomers who use both keep Square at the counter for card payments and run bookings, pet records, and reminder texts in GroomBoard. Square Appointments on its own is $0, $49, or $149 per location per month and has no pet profiles.
Is there free dog grooming software?
Yes. As of October 2026, ShakeYourTail, Tuft, Doxford and Square Appointments each have a free plan that never expires, and Koalendar works as a free generic scheduler. Every one of them drops SMS reminders or caps your client list, and two tools that show up in "free grooming software" lists, GrooMore and Cuddles, only offer a trial. GroomBoard is not free: Starter is $9 a month with 100 texts included, after a 7 day trial with no card.
What software do dog groomers use?
Dog groomers use grooming specific business software to handle online booking, calendar scheduling, client and pet records, and automated SMS reminders. Common options include GroomBoard, MoeGo, Gingr, DaySmart Pet, and Groomsoft, and independent or mobile groomers often choose a lighter, flat priced tool like GroomBoard from $9/month.