Quick answer. RCS consent works on an explicit opt-in model: a business must get a consumer’s clear, affirmative permission before sending RCS messages, consent can never be presumed from browsing or a past purchase. The opt-in mechanism (a texted keyword, QR code, web form, or deep link) must be clearly described, and the first message should confirm the subscription. For marketing, US rules require prior express written consent; for transactional or informational messages, prior express consent is enough.
Consent must also be documented. Businesses should record how and when each consumer opted in, the source, method, and timestamp, and keep those records (the FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule expects at least five years). That documentation is the proof of consent if a complaint or lawsuit ever arises.
Consent is tracked per channel and per program. In SimplyRCS, a contact can be opted in for one channel or topic and not another, and the platform automatically suppresses messages to anyone who hasn’t consented or has opted out.
Key facts
- Consent must be affirmative and explicit; it cannot be inferred from behavior (CTIA / carrier requirements).
- The opt-in disclosure (call-to-action) must state the brand, the program purpose, message frequency, that “message and data rates may apply,” and link to terms and a privacy policy.
- Keep consent records with timestamp, source, and method, 5+ years (FTC TSR).
RCS opt-in requirements
Quick answer. To opt a consumer in to RCS, a business needs a clear call-to-action and explicit consent before the first message. The call-to-action must unambiguously state who is sending, what the consumer is signing up for, how often they’ll hear from you, that message and data rates may apply, and how to opt out, plus links to terms and conditions and a privacy policy. The opt-in method (keyword, QR code, web form, or deep link) must be transparently described, and the first message should confirm the subscription.
Required call-to-action disclosures, in plain terms: (1) brand or program name; (2) a description of the messages; (3) message frequency (e.g., “1–4 messages/month”); (4) “Message and data rates may apply”; (5) opt-out instructions (“Reply STOP to unsubscribe”); (6) a link to terms; (7) a link to a privacy policy.
Many programs use double opt-in (a confirmation reply of YES) to prove the number truly belongs to the consumer who signed up, a strong defense against fraudulent or mistyped sign-ups.
Key facts
- Consent for marketing must be in writing (prior express written consent); transactional/informational needs prior express consent.
- Confirm the opt-in in the first message, and include opt-out instructions on recurring programs.
- Don’t use pop-ups for terms, and keep the call-to-action and disclosures clearly displayed.
RCS opt-out requirements
Quick answer. A business must let consumers opt out of RCS easily and must honor it promptly. Under the FCC’s TCPA rules effective April 11, 2025, consumers can revoke consent by any reasonable method, and certain replies, STOP, QUIT, END, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE, OPT OUT, or REVOKE, are automatically treated as a valid opt-out. Businesses must honor a revocation within 10 business days and may send only one confirmation message afterward. An opt-out also crosses media: replying STOP to a text revokes consent for related calls and texts alike.
A compliant program acknowledges the opt-out with a single confirmation (“You’ve been unsubscribed; no further messages will be sent”) and then stops. Monitoring should verify the opt-out actually took effect.
One nuance to track: the FCC’s broader “revoke-all” provision, which would make a single opt-out from one program apply to all unrelated messages from that sender, has been delayed to January 31, 2027, so build toward it but know it isn’t fully in force yet. SimplyRCS treats STOP/HELP/START keywords as immutable and suppresses opted-out contacts automatically.
Key facts
- Effective April 11, 2025: revocation by any reasonable means; honor within 10 business days; only one post-opt-out clarification message allowed.
- STOP, QUIT, END, CANCEL, UNSUBSCRIBE, OPT OUT, REVOKE are per-se reasonable opt-outs (FCC).
- The “revoke-all / one opt-out applies to everything” requirement is delayed until January 31, 2027.