SMS marketing · UAE
Bulk SMS in the UAE: the rules first, then the message.
Promotional SMS in the UAE runs under rules set by the TDRA, the telecoms regulator. Consent, sender names, sending hours and opt-outs are all checked by the networks. Here is what they are, where each one comes from, and when WhatsApp is the better channel for the same customer.
- Brands planning promotional SMS to +971 numbers
- Teams registering a sender name with e& (Etisalat) and du
- Shopify and Odoo stores choosing between SMS and WhatsApp
The UAE promotional SMS rules, in six lines.
From TDRA’s own FAQ unless marked otherwise. The networks enforce them, so a message that breaks one may simply not arrive.
What counts as promotional
Any SMS sent for a commercial purpose, such as offering or promoting products, services or commercial opportunities.[1]
Prior explicit consent
No marketing SMS without the subscriber’s prior explicit consent. Consent can be written or electronic, as long as it can be stored.[1]
Free unsubscribe in every message
Every marketing message needs a free, working unsubscribe option, and messages must stop once someone opts out. TDRA tells subscribers to complain if they still get messages 24 hours after unsubscribing.[1]
The AD- sender prefix
Promotional senders are named AD-<sender ID>. Subscribers can block any AD- sender, a whole sector (banking, retail, tourism, education, health, real estate, charities, telecoms) or all promotional SMS by texting 7726.[1]
Transactional is different
Transactional messages, such as a bank notification, and informational ones, such as a flight reminder, are not treated as spam.[1]
Promotional and transactional SMS in the UAE.
| Promotional | Transactional | |
|---|---|---|
| Examples | Offers, launches, sales, win-back | Order confirmations, delivery updates, one-time passwords |
| Consent | Prior explicit consent, stored | Sent because of something the customer did |
| Sender name | AD-<sender ID> | Registered sender ID, no AD- prefix |
| Hours | 07:00 to 21:00 UAE time | When the event happens |
| Unsubscribe | Free option in every message | Not a marketing message |
| Blockable on 7726 | Yes, by sender, sector or all | No. Only AD- senders can be blocked |
The time window, consent and unsubscribe rows are TDRA’s wording. The transactional column follows from TDRA’s definitions: those rules are written for marketing messages, and 7726 only blocks AD- senders.
Registering a sender ID in the UAE.
A sender ID is the name a customer sees instead of a number. In the UAE it is registered in advance with both networks, e& (Etisalat) and du, usually through your SMS provider.
- 01
Choose the name
Between 3 and 11 letters or digits. If it does not obviously match your company name, expect to show a trademark certificate.[2]
- 02
Company documents
Your trade licence or certificate of incorporation. For a UAE company, the establishment card too.[2]
- 03
Letters to each network
A letter of authorisation (also called a no-objection letter) for e& and one for du, on company letterhead, signed and stamped. du also asks for its own registration form.[2]
- 04
The signatory
Emirates ID and passport of the person who signed, plus a power of attorney if they are not named on the licence. Companies outside the UAE register through international routes, with letters for both networks.[2]
- As of 2026-10-21, AWS reports that TDRA is updating its sender ID registration requirements and that new UAE registrations through AWS are paused until further notice. Check the current requirements with your provider before you apply.[2]
SMS or WhatsApp for a UAE customer?
Most UAE brands end up using both. Nonito’s own rule for which channel carries which moment:
| Moment | Channel | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Order confirmation, delivery updates, feedback | Utility templates cost AED 0.0576 each at Meta’s AED rate, carry buttons and have no time window. | |
| Abandoned cart and offers | AED 0.2115 per marketing message, with an image and a link back to the cart. | |
| In-store opt-in and back in stock | SMS | Every handset gets it, and there is no template approval to wait on. |
| Customers who have not opted in to WhatsApp | SMS | With stored consent, an AD- sender and inside 07:00 to 21:00. |
WhatsApp prices are Meta’s AED rate card. WhatsApp marketing in the UAE →
SMS inside the same flow as WhatsApp and email.
Nonito sends SMS from inside your flows, next to WhatsApp and email, starting from real events in your Shopify store or in Odoo through Nitro. SMS is built in for Egypt and available on request in the UAE: we register your sender name with you before you plan a campaign around it.
Questions about SMS in the UAE.
What time can you send promotional SMS in the UAE?
Between 07:00 and 21:00 UAE time. TDRA permits marketing messages only inside that window.
What does AD- mean on an SMS in the UAE?
It marks a promotional sender. Promotional SMS goes out from a sender named AD-<sender ID>, and subscribers can block any AD- sender, a sector or all promotional SMS by texting 7726.
Do I need consent to send bulk SMS in the UAE?
Yes, for anything promotional. TDRA requires prior explicit consent, written or electronic, in a form that can be stored, and a free unsubscribe option in every message.
How do I register an SMS sender ID in the UAE?
Through your SMS provider, with both networks, e& (Etisalat) and du. Expect to provide your trade licence, signed and stamped letters of authorisation for each network, du’s registration form, and the signatory’s Emirates ID and passport. TDRA is updating these requirements, so check the current list with your provider.
Do transactional SMS need the AD- prefix?
No. AD- is for promotional senders. TDRA does not treat transactional messages, such as a bank notification, or informational ones, such as a flight reminder, as spam.
Does Nonito send SMS in the UAE?
Yes, on request. SMS is built into Nonito flows, and for the UAE we register your sender ID with you before the first send. For UAE customers who have opted in, most brands start on WhatsApp, which Meta bills in dirhams.
Plan your UAE messages with us.
Tell us what you send today and to whom. We will map which moments belong on WhatsApp, which on SMS, and set up the first flow with you.