Phone System · 1 min read
Error 21408: SMS Not Allowed to This Country or Region
What this error means
Error 21408 means the destination country or region is not currently available for messaging from your account. Regional controls stop messages from going to countries you have not enabled and help you avoid unexpected international sending.
Common causes
- The destination region has not been enabled for your account.
- The destination does not support SMS or MMS.
- Regulatory restrictions block delivery to that country.
- The contact's number has the wrong country code, so it looks international.
- A workflow or campaign is sending to an international contact you did not expect.
How to fix it
- Open the contact and confirm the number and country code are correct. A missing or wrong country code is the most common cause.
- If the contact really is in another country, check whether you intend to message that region.
- Go to Settings → Phone System and review the messaging geographic permissions for your account. Enable the region if it is available and you have a lawful reason to message it.
- If the region cannot be enabled, use another channel such as email or WhatsApp to reach that contact.
- Re-send the message once the region is enabled.
Tips
- Only enable the countries you actively message.
- Check local consent and sender rules before you start messaging a new country.
- Add a workflow filter on country if a campaign should only reach domestic contacts.