PSAP Text-to-911 Readiness and Certification Registry (Text-to-911 Registry)

At the Commission’s direction, the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (Bureau) maintains a centralized database, the Text-to-911 Registry, to facilitate requests by public safety answering points (PSAPs) to receive 911 communications via text messages, including messages in real-time text (RTT) format. This website provides information on the Commission’s text-to-911 and RTT rules and the Text-to-911 Registry, as well as instructions for 911 authorities and PSAPs that wish to enter information in the Text-to-911 Registry.

Text-to-911 service. In 2014, the Commission adopted rules requiring Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) providers and providers of interconnected text messaging services (collectively, “covered text providers”) to be capable of supporting text-to-911 service. Under these rules, covered text providers must begin routing 911 text messages to requesting PSAPs by June 30, 2015 or within six months of a valid PSAP request, whichever is later. The Commission’s text-to-911 rules are found at 47 CFR § 9.10(q).

RTT-to-911 service. Section 9.10(c) of the Commission’s rules requires CMRS providers offering voice service to be “capable of transmitting 911 calls from individuals with speech or hearing disabilities through means other than mobile radio handsets, e.g., through the use of [text telephone (TTY) devices].” In 2016, the Commission amended its rules to facilitate a transition from TTY technology to RTT as a reliable and interoperable universal text solution over wireless Internet Protocol (IP) enabled networks for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, or have a speech disability. As part of this transition from TTY to RTT, the Commission amended Section 9.10(c) to provide that subject to certain exceptions, CMRS providers are not required to support 911 access via TTY if they provide 911 access via RTT communications in accordance with Part 67 of the rules (47 CFR § 67.1 et seq.). As with text-to-911 service, CMRS providers must begin delivering 911 communications via RTT within six months of a valid PSAP request.

Valid PSAP request for text-to-911 or RTT-to-911 service. To constitute a valid request for text-to-911 or RTT-to-911 service:

The PSAP must certify it is technically ready to receive 911 messages in the format requested;
The appropriate local or state 911 service governing authority must have authorized the PSAP to accept and, by extension, the CMRS or covered text provider to provide, text-to-911 service in the format requested; and
The PSAP must notify the CMRS or covered text provider that it is technically ready to receive 911 text communications in the format requested.

Text-to-911 Registry. Registration in the Text-to-911 Registry serves as the required notice to covered text providers and/or CMRS providers and triggers the obligation for these service providers to begin delivering 911 communications in the requested format within six months. The Text-to-911 Registry lists each PSAP by FCC ID number and name, county of operation, primary point of contact for coordinating text-to-911 service, method by which the PSAP will accept texts, and state or local governing entity authorizing the PSAP to accept texts. PSAPs are not required to use the Text-to-911 Registry; they may also request text-to-911 or RTT-to-911 service by providing written notification by any means reasonably acceptable to the text or CMRS provider.

The Text-to-911 Registry can be found here: Text-to-911 Registry (xls)

Last updated: November 27, 2024

* All clarifications/corrections are highlighted in yellow within the registry

Contact the Policy and Licensing Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau for additional information at t911psapregistry@fcc.gov.

Instructions for Entering Information in the Text-to-911 Registry. The Bureau has prepared a PSAP Readiness and Certification Form (Form) that allows 911 authorities and PSAPs to enter information in the Text-to-911 Registry on each PSAP that is requesting text-to-911 or RTT-to-911 service. The Form provides entries to indicate that the PSAP is ready to accept text and/or RTT communications and to provide point-of-contact and other information necessary for coordination with service providers. The Form enables the entry of multiple PSAPs.

PSAPs and 911 authorities wishing to use the Form should:

Download the Form: PSAP Text-to-911 Readiness & Certification Form [Word]
Fill out the Form. The Form requests the following information:
- Date of submission;
- Name and contact information of person submitting the form;
- PSAP facility information, including FCC issued PSAP ID number, name of facility, physical address, and county of operation;
- PSAP point of contact information for text-to-911 coordination;
- PSAP method for receiving texts (e.g., text to TTY, Web Browser, Direct IP, RTT, or other method);
- Identification of the state or local 911 service governing authority that has authorized the PSAP to accept text-to-911 service in the requested format;
- Certification that the PSAP is technically ready to receive texts.
Email the completed Form to: t911psapregistry@fcc.gov.

Contact the Policy and Licensing Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau for additional information at t911psapregistry@fcc.gov.

Privacy Act Statement

Authority: The Commission is authorized to pursue this collection pursuant to the authority contained in 47 U.S.C. §§ 151, 152, 154(i), 251(e), 301, 303, 332.

Purpose: The Commission maintains a centralized database called the “Text-to-911 Registry” to facilitate requests by Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) to receive 911 communications via text messages, including messages in real-time text (RTT) format. Registration in the Text-to-911 Registry serves as the required notice to covered text providers and triggers the obligation for all such providers to begin delivering 911 communications in the requested format within six months. PSAPs are directed to submit this form in order to appear in the Text-to-911 Registry. This form collects business contact information, which the Commission uses for implementation activities.

Routine Uses: The FCC may release information provided in this form when necessary and appropriate under 5 U.S.C. § 552a(b) of the Privacy Act to: the public in FCC releases of notices or actions or when required to comply with federal laws or FCC regulations requiring public disclosure of the information contained in our records; to third parties, including individuals and businesses in the communications industry and public safety, FCC vendors and their contractors, and to other federal agencies or state, local, U.S. territorial, and Tribal government entities to administer, support, participate in, or receive information related to, FCC programs and activities; or to ensure compliance with the confidentiality and other rules regarding information sharing in the FCC’s programs and activities; to other federal agencies or to other administrative or adjudicative bodies before which the FCC is authorized to appear; to federal, state, or local law enforcement when FCC becomes aware of an indication of a violation or potential violation of a civil or criminal statute, law, regulation, or order; to Federal agencies, non-Federal entities, their employees, and agents for the purpose of detecting and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse in Federal programs; to non-federal personnel, including contractors, grantees, and volunteers who have been engaged to assist the FCC in the performance of a contract service, grant, cooperative agreement, or other activity related to this system of records and who need to have access to the records in order to perform their activity; and, to  appropriate agencies, entities, and persons when the FCC suspects or has confirmed that there has been a breach of information related to this system. 

A complete list of the routine uses can be found in the system of records notice associated with this collection, FCC-2, Business Contacts and Certifications, posted at https://www.fcc.gov/managing-director/privacy-transparency/privacy-act-….

Disclosure: Submission of this form is voluntary. However, failure to provide complete information to the FCC, including name, contact information, and/or other necessary personally identifiable information (PII), may result in an invalid request for text-to-911 or RTT-to-911 service. In lieu of submitting this form to the FCC, PSAPs may alternatively request text-to-911 or RTT-to-911 service directly from a covered text provider by providing written notification by any means reasonably acceptable to the covered text provider.