How does Twilio bill for short codes?
Short codes are billed in three-month increments. The first short code payment is due before we are able to submit your application to the carriers for approval. Your second short code payment will be collected slightly early (two weeks before the thee-month mark) to guarantee that we have successfully received your payment before we renew your short code with the central registry. After the second payment, you will be billed every three months.
You are required to pay for your short code throughout the approval process, even if approval takes longer than expected.