{"id":21607,"date":"2025-08-22T09:15:38","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T14:15:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.suretybonds.com\/blog\/?p=21607"},"modified":"2026-02-13T10:00:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T16:00:11","slug":"navigating-texas-sms-marketing-laws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.suretybonds.com\/blog\/navigating-texas-sms-marketing-laws\/","title":{"rendered":"Navigating Texas SMS Marketing Laws | SB 140"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On September 1, 2025, Texas Senate Bill 140 added<strong> two key updates to the Texas SMS laws<\/strong> under <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/statutes.capitol.texas.gov\/?tab=1&amp;code=BC&amp;chapter=BC.302&amp;artSec=\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Business and Commerce Code \u00a7 302.001<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Inclusion of SMS text messages under the definition of &#8220;telephone solicitations&#8221;\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Expansion of ways consumers can file complaints when companies break telemarketing laws<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if you\u2019re not located in Texas, this <strong>SMS marketing law can apply to any company sending promotional texts<\/strong> in the United States.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep reading to learn all about the new registration and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.suretybonds.com\/states\/texas\/telephone-solicitation-bond\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bond requirements<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">SMS Messages Now Qualify as Telemarketing<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The primary update to pre-existing laws is the new, expanded definition of \u200b\u201ctelephone solicitation\u201d to include text-based or graphic SMS text messages.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before September 2025, only phone calls were monitored under telephone solicitation laws. However, the growing prevalence of SMS sales outreach led Texas lawmakers to include texts under the telemarketing umbrella.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">Who\u2019s Affected By Texas Senate Bill 140?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The inclusion of SMS messages is a major shift because it applies to <\/span><b>all businesses sending texts to<\/b> <b>any person located in Texas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, not just Texas companies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also applies to businesses located in Texas that send SMS messages to <\/span><b>any consumers outside of Texas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These companies must now obtain a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sos.state.tx.us\/statdoc\/faqs3400.shtml#:~:text=How%20do%20I%20register%3F,must%20accompany%20the%20registration%20statement.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">registration certificate from the Texas Secretary of State<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> before sending qualifying promotional text messages or making sales calls.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are There Exemptions?\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the definition above may seem to include about every medium-to-large business in America, there are several important exemptions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, the following businesses are exempt from the registration requirements:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Businesses contacting their customers if they have operated under the same name for the last 2 years<\/strong><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Businesses that have operated under the same name for the last 2 years and do most sales at<\/strong> <strong>brick-and-mortar locations<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Educational and non-profit institutions<\/strong><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Publicly-traded companies registered with the SEC or State Securities Office and their subsidiaries<\/strong><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Supervised financial institutions, subsidiaries and affiliates<\/strong><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Persons selling media subscriptions<\/strong><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Businesses selling food<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">See <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/statutes.capitol.texas.gov\/?tab=1&amp;code=BC&amp;chapter=BC.302&amp;artSec=\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Texas Code<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for a complete list of exempt entities. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you might qualify as a telephone solicitor, we recommend verifying your requirements with legal counsel. SuretyBonds.com does not issue legal advice.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">How to Stay Compliant With the New Texas SMS Laws<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While it\u2019s still uncertain how SB140 will be monitored, all companies sending promotional texts, especially new (or newly renamed) businesses, should verify their registration requirements with the Texas Secretary of State to avoid legal damages.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the SoS confirms you need to be registered as a telephone seller, follow these steps:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>File a registration statement for each business location<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Provide any supporting documentation<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Pay the $200 application fee<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>File a <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.suretybonds.com\/states\/texas\/telephone-solicitation-bond\"><b>$10,000 SMS bond<\/b><\/a><b>, irrevocable letter of credit, or certificate of deposit as financial security<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Secretary of State will mail your certificate of registration to the physical business address(es). Remember to post it in a visible location.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019re registered, also verify that you are implementing proper opt-in and opt-out procedures for promotional text messages as well as respecting quiet hours.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each registration certificate is valid for one year and must be renewed annually.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 600;\">What Happens If I Don\u2019t Register and Get Bonded?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Texas Senate Bill 140 also increases the avenues in which people can file complaints.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, consumers have much more power to seek recourse from inappropriate solicitations. <\/span><b>Rather than having to file a complaint with a government agency, they can now go straight to court litigation.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Legal Implications\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Texas Secretary of State lists fines of $500\u2013$5,000 per violation, and multiple violations can be filed as separate complaints by the same consumer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each violation will be considered a Class A misdemeanor.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bond Claims<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.suretybonds.com\/edu\/is-a-surety-bond-right-for-me\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">financial security<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> filed at registration, typically a surety bond, will be used to repay consumers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bond liability cannot exceed the $10,000 bond amount. If multiple claims surpass this limit, the surety company will send $10,000 to the SoS, and then it is free of any additional liability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where to Get Your Telephone Solicitation Bond<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SuretyBonds.com is the nation\u2019s leading surety agency and is licensed to issue telemarketing bonds in all 50 states.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We issue these bonds online in minutes with no credit check. You\u2019ll just pay an annual premium of $100. Get your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.suretybonds.com\/states\/texas\/telephone-solicitation-bond\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$10,000 Texas Telephone Solicitation Bond now<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On September 1, 2025, Texas Senate Bill 140 added two key updates to the Texas SMS laws under Business and Commerce Code \u00a7 302.001. Inclusion of SMS text messages under the definition of &#8220;telephone solicitations&#8221;\u00a0&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":73,"featured_media":21608,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7],"tags":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.suretybonds.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Minnesota-PCA-to-CFSS-Blog-Cover-1.png","author_info":{"display_name":"Allie Webb","author_link":"https:\/\/www.suretybonds.com\/blog\/author\/alliesuretybonds-com\/"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Navigating Texas SMS Marketing Laws | SB 140 | Surety Bond Insider<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"SB140 requires companies sending SMS texts to Texas consumers to be registered and bonded. 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