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SMS appointment reminder compliance
Reminder texts feel harmless — which is exactly why they're the most common message shops send without a defensible record. Here's how to do them right.
Last updated: July 2026 · ~5 min read · Educational, not legal advice.
"Transactional" still has rules
An appointment reminder for a job the customer booked is a transactional message, which carries a lighter consent standard than marketing. But "lighter" isn't "none": you still need to show the customer gave you that number to be contacted about their service, and you must let them opt out. Skip either and the reminder is a liability.
The fastest way to turn a safe reminder into a risky one is to bolt a promotion onto it.
Keep service and marketing separate
Adding "and 15% off a tune-up!" to a reminder can reclassify the whole message as marketing — which requires prior express written consent. Keep transactional reminders clean, and run promotions as their own, separately-consented stream.
A compliant reminder checklist
- Consent on file — a record that the customer provided the number for service updates.
- Clear opt-out — honor STOP instantly and log it.
- Reasonable timing & frequency — daytime hours, and don't stack multiple reminders from different systems (rate limits help).
- DNC honored — respect internal opt-outs even for service messages (more on DNC).
- Logged — every reminder in a searchable audit trail, so you can prove what you sent and why.
Grandeza's hardening engagement puts these controls around your existing reminder flow — no rebuild — and the free scan shows which are missing today.
Educational and general; not legal advice. Consult your attorney about your specific situation.
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