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Message Sending Limits

eCourtDate applies sending limits at the agency level to control outbound message throughput. These limits govern how many messages the platform dispatches per minute, across all channels and all delivery methods (Console, API, SFTP, flows, and bulk actions).

note

This page covers platform sending limits (message dispatch rates). For API request rate limits (HTTP 429), see API Rate Limits.

Summary​

ScenarioLimit
Default outbound60 messages/minute per agency
Immediate (send_now) dispatchNo platform limit; carrier/gateway throttling may apply
Push notifications2,500/second per agency (up to 10,000/second on request)
InboundNo limit

Default Outbound Limit​

Each agency can send up to 60 messages per minute. This is a combined total across all channels (SMS, email, voice, and push). Sending 40 SMS messages and 20 emails in the same minute, for example, uses the full 60-message allocation.

The limit applies uniformly regardless of how the message was created: flows, auto messages, bulk actions, API, or manual send.

Immediate Dispatch​

Messages sent with send_now: true (or triggered for immediate delivery) are not subject to a separate platform-level cap. Downstream providers may still throttle delivery independently. For SMS, the effective throughput depends on your phone number type and carrier registration. See SMS Throughput by Number Type below.

Inbound Messages​

Inbound messages have no rate limit. Replies and other incoming messages from contacts are processed as they arrive.

SMS Throughput by Number Type​

In addition to the platform sending limits, SMS delivery is subject to carrier-imposed throughput caps that vary by phone number type:

Number TypeCarrier Throughput
10DLC - Low Volume campaign75 SMS/minute
10DLC - Standard campaign4,500 SMS/minute
Short codeUp to 1,000,000+ messages/hour

For agencies with high-volume SMS needs (mass court reminders, emergency notifications, or large-scale outreach), short codes are strongly recommended. Short codes provide the highest throughput, the strongest carrier trust, and the lowest risk of content filtering. They require a longer provisioning cycle (3 weeks to 4 months) and carry higher costs, but they are the only number type capable of sustaining very high sending volumes without carrier-level throttling.

See Carrier Registration for a full comparison of number types, costs, and the registration process.

Push Notification Throughput​

Push notifications are dispatched at up to 2,500 per second per agency. This limit can be increased to 10,000 per second on request. Submit a ticket through the Help Center to request the increase.

Requesting a Higher Limit​

To request a sending limit increase, submit a ticket through the Help Center for each agency that needs the increase. Limits are set per agency, so a separate request is required for each one. Requirements vary by channel.

SMS​

A higher SMS sending limit requires both of the following:

  1. Message Class A campaign - a 10DLC campaign registered and approved with a trust score that qualifies for the highest message class.
  2. Government agency verification - the agency must be verified as a government entity through the carrier registration process.

Once both conditions are met, submit a help ticket for each agency that needs the increase.

Email​

A higher email sending limit requires all of the following:

  1. Custom sending domain - the agency must send from a custom domain, not a shared or default domain.
  2. Email authentication - SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records must be fully configured and passing for the sending domain.
  3. Production history - the agency must have at least one month of live email sending through eCourtDate before a limit increase is considered.

Isolating Throughput with Separate Campaigns​

If your agency has a messaging use case that is distinct from its primary program (emergency notifications, time-sensitive alerts, or a different communication initiative), register a separate carrier campaign. Each campaign receives its own throughput allocation, which prevents one program from consuming the sending capacity of another.

See Carrier Registration for details on registering additional campaigns.