SMS Opt-Out Rules in 2026: How to Handle STOP and Revoked Consent

Getting consent is only half of SMS compliance. The other half is stopping when someone asks, and the SMS opt-out rules change on November 25, 2026, when a new FCC order takes effect.

An SMS opt-out is a contact’s request to stop receiving your texts. Under the TCPA, a contact can revoke consent, and you must honor that request within a reasonable time of no more than 10 business days. Replies like STOP, QUIT, END, REVOKE, OPT OUT, CANCEL and UNSUBSCRIBE all count as opt-outs.

This guide covers the current federal rules, what changes on November 25, how carrier rules add to them, and how to run opt-outs cleanly in HubSpot.

SMS opt-out rules at a glance

Rule	What it requires	Source
Opt-out keywords	Treat STOP, QUIT, END, REVOKE, OPT OUT, CANCEL and UNSUBSCRIBE as opt-outs	FCC
Timing	Honor opt-outs within a reasonable time, no more than 10 business days	FCC
Confirmation text	One confirmation text is allowed, with no marketing in it	FCC 2024 order
Exclusive opt-out method	From Nov 25, 2026, you can name “reply STOP” as the only way to opt out, if you disclose it clearly in every text	FCC order 26-67
Scope	From Nov 25, 2026, a marketing opt-out stops all marketing texts. An informational opt-out can stop only that type of message	FCC order 26-67
Disclosure	Tell contacts how to opt out, such as “Reply STOP to opt out”	Carrier and industry guidelines
HELP	Reply to HELP with your business name and contact details	Carrier and industry guidelines

This is general information, not legal advice. Check your program with counsel.

What counts as an SMS opt-out?

Any reasonable request to stop counts, unless you’ve set an exclusive opt-out method (more on that below). The FCC treats seven words as opt-outs when someone replies with them: stop, quit, end, revoke, opt out, cancel and unsubscribe. You have to honor all seven, even if your texts only mention STOP.

Plain-language replies like “please stop texting me” or “take me off your list” count too. A good texting tool catches the keywords automatically. Someone on your team should still watch replies for requests that don’t use a keyword.

How fast do you have to honor an opt-out?

Within a reasonable time, and no later than 10 business days after you receive the request. That limit took effect in April 2025. The FCC is now asking whether to cut it to 7 business days, so don’t build a process that relies on the full 10.

In practice, aim for immediate. Most texting tools stop texts to a contact the moment they reply STOP.

Can you send a confirmation text after STOP?

Yes, one. Under the FCC’s 2024 order, you can send a single text that confirms the opt-out, as long as it has no marketing in it. A typical confirmation reads:

{Business}: You’re unsubscribed and won’t get more texts from us. Reply START to rejoin.

Don’t use the confirmation to ask why they left, offer a discount or push another program.

What changes on November 25, 2026

The FCC adopted a new order on consent revocation (FCC 26-67) on September 30, 2026. It takes effect November 25, 2026, and changes three things.

1. You can set an exclusive opt-out method

You can name an approved method, like replying with a standard opt-out word, as the only way to revoke consent. To use it, you must disclose that method clearly and conspicuously in every text that needs consent. If you set an exclusive method, you don’t have to honor requests made other ways.

If you don’t set one, the old rule still applies: you must honor opt-out requests made by any reasonable means.

2. Opt-outs depend on the type of message

• Marketing texts: an opt-out stops all your marketing texts, not just one campaign.
• Informational texts: an opt-out can stop just that category. A customer who opts out of payment reminders can still get appointment reminders or security codes.

3. The “revoke all” rule is replaced

The FCC’s 2024 rule would have made one opt-out stop every text from your business, including informational ones. Its compliance date kept slipping, and the new order replaces it with the category approach above. A marketing opt-out no longer stops informational texts, and an informational opt-out no longer stops marketing texts.

What about the one-to-one consent rule?

It never took effect. A federal appeals court struck down the FCC’s one-to-one consent rule in January 2025. You still need valid consent for marketing texts, and you still need a clear record of when and how each contact opted in.

Carrier rules on opt-outs

Carriers add their own requirements on top of federal law, and they can block or filter numbers that ignore them. Expect carriers and the industry’s messaging guidelines to look for:

• Opt-out instructions in your first message and regularly after that
• Automatic handling of STOP and similar keywords
• A HELP reply with your business name and contact information
• Opt-out language in your 10DLC campaign registration that matches what you actually send

Our guide to CTIA SMS guidelines covers the carrier side in more detail.

How to handle SMS opt-outs in HubSpot

Opt-outs only work if every system that texts knows about them. In HubSpot:

1. Store SMS consent on the contact. Keep one property or subscription type for SMS consent, separate from email.
2. Process STOP automatically. Your texting tool should mark the contact as opted out the moment they reply. Message IQ handles STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE and similar keywords and syncs opt-outs to the HubSpot contact record in real time.
3. Exclude opted-out contacts in every workflow and list. Add an enrollment filter so opted-out contacts never enter an SMS workflow.
4. Split marketing and informational texts. Starting November 25, scope matters. Track which type of message each workflow sends, so an informational opt-out doesn’t stop marketing by mistake, and the reverse.
5. Watch for plain-language requests. Route replies like “stop texting me” to someone who can opt the contact out by hand.
6. Keep a record of when each contact opted in and out.

To build a clean opt-in process from the start, see SMS opt-in form examples and TCPA consent language for SMS.

SMS opt-out checklist

• Every marketing text includes “Reply STOP to opt out” or similar
• All seven opt-out keywords stop texts automatically
• Opt-outs take effect immediately, well inside 10 business days
• Your confirmation text has no marketing
• Opted-out contacts are excluded from every SMS workflow and list
• Each workflow is labeled marketing or informational
• If you use an exclusive opt-out method, it’s disclosed in every text
• HELP replies return your business name and contact details

Frequently asked questions

What words count as an SMS opt-out?

The FCC treats stop, quit, end, revoke, opt out, cancel and unsubscribe as opt-out requests. You must honor all seven, even if your texts only mention STOP.

How long do businesses have to honor an SMS opt-out?

A reasonable time of no more than 10 business days. The FCC is considering cutting that to 7 business days, so aim to process opt-outs immediately.

Can I text someone after they reply STOP?

You can send one confirmation text with no marketing in it. After that, stop texting them unless they opt back in.

What changes in the FCC opt-out rules on November 25, 2026?

You can name an exclusive opt-out method, like replying STOP, if you disclose it in every text. Opt-outs also become category-specific: marketing opt-outs stop all marketing texts, while informational opt-outs can stop only that type of message.

Does a marketing opt-out stop appointment reminders?

Under the rules that take effect November 25, 2026, no. A marketing opt-out stops marketing texts, while informational texts like appointment reminders follow their own opt-out.

How do I manage SMS opt-outs in HubSpot?

Use a texting tool that marks contacts as opted out when they reply STOP and syncs that status to the HubSpot contact. Then exclude opted-out contacts from every SMS workflow and list.

Make opt-outs automatic

The safest opt-out process is one nobody has to remember. Message IQ processes opt-out keywords automatically and syncs them to the HubSpot contact in real time, on every plan from $49 a month. See how Message IQ handles compliance in HubSpot.