Fixing a Rejected or Changes-Needed Campaign

Campaign reviews are done by human reviewers, not automated systems. When they need something from you, the campaign status changes to changes_needed or rejected. Here's how to read the feedback and get your campaign approved.

Campaign status lifecycle

created → pending → in_review → active
                              ↘ changes_needed → (resubmit) → in_review
                              ↘ rejected
                              ↘ deactivated
                              ↘ canceled

• created — you submitted the campaign, Surge has received it
• pending — queued for submission to the carrier network (internal state; the API returns in_review while here)
• in_review — actively being reviewed by TCR and carrier reviewers
• active — approved; you can attach phone numbers and send production traffic
• changes_needed — reviewer flagged issues; you need to update and resubmit (internal state; the API returns rejected while here)
• rejected — campaign was rejected; see notes on appealing below
• deactivated — previously active campaign suspended by carrier
• canceled — you or Surge canceled the campaign

API status values. The campaign status field in API responses uses a condensed set of public values: created, in_review, active, rejected, canceled, deactivated. Both the pending and in_review internal states surface as "in_review" in the API. Both the changes_needed and rejected internal states surface as "rejected". Keep this in mind when polling for status or using the update table below.

Understanding "changes needed" feedback

When a campaign moves to changes_needed, Surge sends you an email with reviewer notes. Read it carefully — reviewers include specific details about what needs to change.

Common patterns and what they mean:

Updating a campaign

To address feedback, update the relevant campaign fields and resubmit. Campaigns can only be updated in certain statuses:

If you try to update while in_review, wait for the review to complete. The reviewer will either approve it, request changes (moving it to changes_needed), or reject it. Only then can you update.

curl -X PATCH https://api.surge.app/campaigns/CAMPAIGN_ID \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "consent_flow": "Users enter their phone number during checkout. An unchecked checkbox labeled \"I agree to receive text messages from Acme Corp\" is present. Required disclosures are shown: \"Message frequency varies. Msg&data rates apply. Reply STOP to opt out. View our Privacy Policy at acme.com/privacy.\"",
    "message_samples": [
      "Acme Corp: Your order #12345 has shipped! Track it: https://acme.com/track",
      "Acme Corp: Your cart is waiting. Complete your order: https://acme.com/cart. Reply STOP to opt out."
    ]
  }'

After updating a changes_needed or rejected campaign, the campaign moves back to pending and then in_review.

Checking campaign status

Poll the campaign endpoint to track the current status:

curl https://api.surge.app/campaigns/CAMPAIGN_ID \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

{
  "id": "cpn_01jrzhe8d9enptypyx360pcmxl",
  "status": "in_review",
  "use_cases": ["marketing"],
  "volume": "low"
}

Or subscribe to the campaign.approved webhook event to get notified the moment a campaign goes active — this avoids polling. See Webhook Events.

Rejected campaigns

A rejected status is more serious than changes_needed. Unlike changes_needed, a rejection doesn't automatically move the campaign back into the queue when you update it — you may need to create a new campaign entirely.

If your campaign is rejected:

1. Read the rejection notice carefully — reviewers include the specific reason
2. Address every listed issue before doing anything else (partial fixes typically lead to another rejection)
3. Contact Surge support to confirm whether to resubmit the existing campaign or start a new one

Rejections related to spam or misuse may affect your account's ability to register future campaigns. Make sure your opt-in flow, sample messages, and business identity are solid before resubmitting. If you're unsure what went wrong, Avoiding Rejection covers the seven most common patterns.