diff --git a/app/schemas.py b/app/schemas.py
index 016cfadb7..b3aa0ac49 100644
--- a/app/schemas.py
+++ b/app/schemas.py
@@ -6,7 +6,11 @@ from . import models
 from app.dao.permissions_dao import permission_dao
 from marshmallow import (post_load, ValidationError, validates, validates_schema)
 from marshmallow_sqlalchemy import field_for
-from utils.recipients import validate_email_address, InvalidEmailError, validate_phone_number, InvalidPhoneError
+from utils.recipients import (
+    validate_email_address, InvalidEmailError,
+    validate_phone_number, InvalidPhoneError,
+    format_phone_number
+)
 
 
 # TODO I think marshmallow provides a better integration and error handling.
@@ -130,6 +134,13 @@ class SmsNotificationSchema(NotificationSchema):
         except InvalidPhoneError as error:
             raise ValidationError('Invalid phone number: {}'.format(error))
 
+    @post_load
+    def format_phone_number(self, item):
+        item['to'] = format_phone_number(validate_phone_number(
+            item['to'])
+        )
+        return item
+
 
 class EmailNotificationSchema(NotificationSchema):
     to = fields.Str(required=True)
diff --git a/tests/app/notifications/test_rest.py b/tests/app/notifications/test_rest.py
index 967a74d39..5d8ed0b73 100644
--- a/tests/app/notifications/test_rest.py
+++ b/tests/app/notifications/test_rest.py
@@ -504,7 +504,7 @@ def test_should_allow_valid_sms_notification(notify_api, sample_template, mocker
             mocker.patch('app.encryption.encrypt', return_value="something_encrypted")
 
             data = {
-                'to': '+447700900855',
+                'to': '07700 900 855',
                 'template': sample_template.id
             }
 
@@ -521,6 +521,7 @@ def test_should_allow_valid_sms_notification(notify_api, sample_template, mocker
                 headers=[('Content-Type', 'application/json'), auth_header])
 
             notification_id = json.loads(response.data)['notification_id']
+            assert app.encryption.encrypt.call_args[0][0]['to'] == '+447700900855'
             app.celery.tasks.send_sms.apply_async.assert_called_once_with(
                 (str(sample_template.service_id),
                  notification_id,