What is Entity Registration?

A Principal Entity (PE) is any business or organization that sends commercial SMS messages to customers. Under TRAI's Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR) 2018, every entity that sends SMS in India must register on a DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology) platform operated by a licensed telecom operator.

It is important to understand the distinction between the two types of registrants on the DLT platform:

  • Principal Entity (PE): The business or organization that owns the communication and is responsible for the content of the SMS. This includes banks, e-commerce companies, hospitals, schools, and any business that sends messages to its customers.
  • Telemarketer (TM): A third-party service provider that sends SMS on behalf of one or more Principal Entities. SMS aggregators, marketing agencies, and communication platforms typically register as Telemarketers.

If you are a business sending SMS to your own customers — whether for OTPs, order updates, payment alerts, or promotional offers — you should register as a Principal Entity. If you use SpringEdge or a similar platform to send messages, SpringEdge is the Telemarketer, and your business is the Principal Entity.

PE-TM Chain (Principal Entity – Telemarketer Relationship)

The DLT ecosystem operates on a PE-TM chain — a verified relationship between the Principal Entity (your business) and the Telemarketer (the SMS service provider like SpringEdge). This chain must be established on the DLT platform for messages to be delivered successfully.

Here is how the PE-TM chain works:

  1. You register as a Principal Entity on a DLT platform and receive your 19-digit Entity ID.
  2. You register your sender IDs (headers) and content templates under your PE account.
  3. You share your Entity ID with your Telemarketer (SpringEdge) who links it to their TM account on the DLT platform.
  4. The telecom operator verifies the PE-TM chain during DLT scrubbing — the message must originate from an approved Telemarketer linked to the registered Principal Entity.
Important: Without a valid PE-TM chain, messages will be rejected during DLT scrubbing even if your entity, sender ID, and templates are all individually approved. Make sure to share your Entity ID with SpringEdge so we can complete the PE-TM linking on our end.

For a general overview of DLT and why it exists, visit our DLT Information page.

Types of Entities

When registering on a DLT platform, you must select the entity type that matches your business structure. The entity type determines the KYC documents you need to submit. The table below lists all supported entity types:

Entity Type Description Examples
Enterprise Private limited or public limited company registered under the Companies Act Banks, E-commerce companies, Insurance firms
Startup DPIIT-recognized startup with a valid recognition certificate Tech startups, Fintech companies, SaaS platforms
Government Central government, state government, or public sector bodies Ministries, PSUs, Municipal corporations
Society / Trust Registered society or charitable trust under applicable acts NGOs, Educational institutions, Charitable trusts
Partnership Partnership firm or Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) Law firms, Consulting firms, Accounting practices
Proprietorship Individual business owned by a single person Small businesses, Freelancers, Retail shops

Documents Required by Entity Type

The KYC documents required for DLT registration vary based on your entity type. Below is a comprehensive list of documents for each category.

Private Limited / Public Limited Company

  • PAN Card of the company
  • GST Certificate
  • Certificate of Incorporation (issued by MCA)
  • Board Resolution or Letter of Authorization on company letterhead
  • Authorized signatory's Aadhaar Card or Passport
  • Company registered email address

LLP (Limited Liability Partnership)

  • LLP PAN Card
  • GST Certificate
  • LLP Agreement
  • Certificate of Incorporation from MCA
  • Designated partner's ID proof (Aadhaar or Passport)

Proprietorship

  • Proprietor's PAN Card
  • GST Certificate (if GST-registered)
  • Aadhaar Card of the proprietor
  • Business address proof (utility bill or rental agreement)

Partnership Firm

  • Firm's PAN Card
  • Partnership Deed
  • GST Certificate
  • Authorized partner's ID proof (Aadhaar or Passport)

Government Entity

  • Official letter on department letterhead
  • Authorized officer's ID proof (Aadhaar, Passport, or Government ID)
  • Department or organization PAN (if available)

Society / Trust / NGO

  • Registration Certificate (under Societies Registration Act or Indian Trusts Act)
  • PAN Card of the organization
  • GST Certificate (if applicable)
  • Authorized signatory's ID proof (Aadhaar or Passport)
Document Tips: All documents should be clear, legible scans in PDF or JPEG format. File size typically should not exceed 2 MB per document. Ensure that the company name on your PAN card matches exactly with the name you enter during registration.

Step-by-Step Registration Process

The registration process is similar across all DLT platforms. Follow these six steps to complete your entity registration:

1

Choose a DLT Platform

Select one of the authorized DLT platforms operated by Indian telecom operators: Jio TrueConnect, Airtel, Vodafone Idea (Vilpower), or Smartping. You only need to register on one platform — your registration is valid across all operators thanks to the distributed ledger. Choose based on ease of use, pricing, and support quality.

2

Create an Account

Visit the chosen DLT portal and click "New Registration" or "Sign Up". You will be asked to enter basic details including your company name, business email address, and mobile number. An OTP will be sent to verify your contact details.

3

Select Entity Type

Choose the appropriate entity type from the dropdown: Enterprise, Startup, Government, Society/Trust, Partnership, or Proprietorship. This selection determines which KYC documents you need to upload. Refer to the documents list above to verify you have everything ready before proceeding.

4

Enter Business Details

Fill in your company's legal name (it must match your PAN card exactly), CIN/LLPIN/Registration number, PAN number, GST number, registered office address, and authorized signatory details including name, designation, email, and mobile number.

5

Upload KYC Documents

Upload all required documents based on your entity type. Ensure every document is clear, legible, and within the file size limit (usually 2 MB). Double-check that names, numbers, and dates on documents are fully visible and match the details you entered in the previous step.

6

Submit and Pay

Review all the details you have entered and the documents you have uploaded. Once you are satisfied, submit the application. Some platforms charge a one-time registration fee (payable online). After submission, your application enters the review queue. Approval typically takes 2 to 7 business days depending on the platform and completeness of your application.

Understanding Your Entity ID

Once your registration is approved, the DLT platform assigns you a unique Entity ID (also called PE ID or Principal Entity ID). This is a 19-digit numeric identifier that serves as your unique identity across the entire DLT ecosystem.

The Entity ID format looks like: 1101XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

You will need your Entity ID for the following operations:

  • Registering Sender IDs (Headers): Every sender name you use for SMS must be linked to your Entity ID. See our Sender ID Registration Guide.
  • Registering Content Templates: All SMS content templates must be submitted under your Entity ID. See our Template Approval Guide.
  • Configuring Your SpringEdge Account: You must enter your Entity ID in the SpringEdge dashboard so that all messages sent through our platform are associated with your DLT registration.
  • Compliance Audits: Telecom operators and TRAI use the Entity ID to trace and audit all SMS communications back to the originating business.
Important: Store your Entity ID safely — you will need it for all DLT operations. If you register on multiple DLT platforms, you may receive different Entity IDs. However, registering on a single platform is sufficient for sending SMS through all operators.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Many registration applications are delayed or rejected due to avoidable errors. Watch out for these common mistakes:

  • Company name mismatch: The legal name on your DLT registration must match your PAN card exactly — including spelling, spacing, and abbreviations (e.g., "Pvt" vs "Private").
  • Using personal email: Avoid using personal email addresses (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook). Use your company domain email (e.g., admin@yourcompany.com) for a smoother approval process.
  • Blurry or illegible document scans: Uploading low-quality scans is one of the top reasons for KYC rejection. Use a scanner or a high-quality camera app to capture documents.
  • Wrong entity type: Selecting "Startup" without a valid DPIIT recognition certificate, or choosing "Enterprise" for a proprietorship, will lead to rejection.
  • Expired documents: Ensure your GST certificate is active and not cancelled or suspended. Check that no uploaded document has expired.
  • Missing Letter of Authorization: If the person registering is not the director or proprietor, a signed Letter of Authorization on company letterhead is mandatory.
  • Incomplete address details: Provide the full registered office address as it appears on your official documents, including PIN code and state.

If you encounter issues during or after registration, visit our DLT Troubleshooting Guide for detailed solutions.

Related DLT Guides

Sender ID Registration

Learn how to register and manage sender IDs (headers) on DLT platforms for transactional and promotional SMS.
Template Approval

Step-by-step guide to creating, submitting, and getting SMS content templates approved on DLT platforms.
DLT Troubleshooting

Fix common DLT issues including registration failures, sender ID rejections, template errors, and scrubbing problems.

Need Help with DLT?

SpringEdge's compliance team can guide you through every step of the DLT process.