# BRD-072 — Sole proprietor mobile number has a reuse limit

> A mobile number used for sole proprietor OTP verification may back at most three brand registrations, and must not be a CPaaS-issued number.

- **Rule ID:** BRD-072
- **Layer:** Brand (`BRAND`)
- **Checks:** `brand.phone`
- **Severity:** BLOCKING — Breaking this rule gets the submission rejected outright.
- **When it bites:** Gates approval — get this wrong and registration is refused
- **How it is detected:** External record we cannot query — reported as a warning to verify
- **Fix type:** Wait on an external system or a required interval
- **Required by:** Twilio, TCR
- **Applies:** Applies when the brand is a sole proprietor.
- **Canonical URL:** https://ekas.io/rules/10dlc/brand/brd-072/

## Why this rule exists

The verified mobile number is the only real identity check the sole proprietor tier has, so its reuse is capped and CPaaS-issued numbers are refused — otherwise one operator could mint unlimited "individuals". The 24-hour reply window is short and unforgiving.

## How to fix it

Use a personal mobile number that can receive the verification text, is not issued by a CPaaS provider, and has not already backed three registrations. The owner must reply YES within 24 hours.

## Provider rejection codes

| Provider | Code | Resubmission allowed |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Twilio | `30750` | yes |
| Twilio | `30751` | yes |
| Twilio | `30752` | yes |

## Check this yourself

**Is the verification number a personal handset the owner will have with them, not issued by a messaging provider, and used on fewer than three brands already?**

1. Confirm the number is on a consumer mobile carrier — not one bought from Twilio, Telnyx, Bandwidth or any messaging platform, including the console you are registering in.
2. Ask the owner how many sole proprietor brands they have registered on this number. Three is the ceiling across the whole registry.
3. Make sure the owner is expecting the verification text and can reply YES within 24 hours of submission.

*What wrong looks like:* The number was provisioned in the same console being used to register, so it verifies as CPaaS-issued and is refused; or it is a fourth registration, which fails against a count nobody outside TCR can see.

## Notes

Off-platform: the reuse count and the CPaaS origin of a number both live in TCR, which we cannot query, so this rule can only ever warn. The user has to confirm for themselves that the number is a real personal handset and has not already backed three brands, and then be holding it when the OTP arrives — the 24-hour window starts at submission and cannot be restarted without a new registration.