CTA Missing Age Gate
Why This Rejection Happens
Your campaign content involves age-restricted products or services (Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, Vape, Gambling, or Adult content), but your opt-in mechanism lacks a robust age verification process. Carriers mandate a functional "Age Gate" to prevent minors from subscribing.
Common Triggers: Selling wine/beer without a DOB check, vape shops using a simple "Are you 21?" popup without validation, or firearms dealers with no age gate at all.
Root Cause Analysis
Primary Triggers
- Missing Gate: The website allows anyone to enter a phone number without verifying age first.
- Weak Gate: A simple "Yes/No" button ("Are you 21?") is often considered insufficient for SMS enrollment. Carriers prefer Date of Birth (DOB) entry.
- Bypassable Gate: The age gate is a popup that can be closed or ignored, allowing access to the form anyway. It must be a "hard" gate that blocks access until verified.
Required Elements
| Element | Requirement | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Age Input | Date of Birth (DOB) Field | Requires specific data entry, harder to fake than a button click. |
| Blocking | Hard Gate | Must prevent viewing the opt-in form until age is verified. |
| Failure Logic | Redirect Minors | If under 21, the user must be blocked from the site. |
Step-by-Step Remediation
Implement a Hard Age Gate
Install a plugin or code snippet that forces a full-screen overlay asking for Date of Birth before the website loads.
✓ Compliant Gate
Input: MM / DD / YYYY fields.
Behavior: Cannot close popup without entering valid date.
✗ Non-Compliant Gate
Input: "I am 21+" checkbox.
Behavior: Little "X" button to close it.
Add Age Check to Opt-in Form
Even with a site-wide gate, add a checkbox to the SMS form itself:
"I confirm I am 21 years of age or older."
Update Campaign Attributes
Go to your campaign settings. Ensure the "Age-Gated Content" attribute is checked. If you send alcohol content without this flag, you will be rejected (Code 2200).
Carrier-Specific Requirements
T-Mobile
- Requires "robust" age gating for Alcohol, Firearms, and Tobacco. A simple "Yes" button is often rejected during manual review.
AT&T
- Strictly enforces age gating for Vape/E-cig content. If the gate is easily bypassed (e.g., just clicking the background), the campaign fails.
MyTCRPlus Tools That Can Help
Age Gate Requirement Scanner
Check if your industry vertical (NAICS code) triggers mandatory age gating rules.
Use This Tool →Website Validator
Tests your URL to see if an age gate is detected upon initial load.
Use This Tool →Pre-Resubmission Checklist
- My website has a functional Age Gate overlay.
- The gate asks for Date of Birth (not just a button).
- The gate cannot be closed/ignored.
- The "Age-Gated Content" attribute is selected in TCR.
- I have provided a screenshot of the Age Gate in the "Opt-in Image" field.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ "Are you 18?" for Alcohol
Alcohol requires 21+. Ensure your gate logic matches the legal age for your specific product in the US (usually 21 for restricted goods).
❌ Ignoring the Attribute
Even if your site has a gate, if you forget to check the "Age-Gated" box in the campaign registration, the carrier automated check might miss it and reject you for "Content Violation."
Expected Timeline
This guidance provides general information about 10DLC compliance requirements. Age verification is a critical legal requirement for restricted industries. Carriers strictly enforce these rules to prevent minors from accessing prohibited content. MyTCRPlus does not provide legal advisory services or regulatory representation.