Compliance
What is CAN-SPAM Act?
The US federal law setting rules for commercial email, including honest headers, a valid physical address, and a working opt-out.
The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 governs commercial email sent to US recipients and is enforced by the FTC. It requires accurate From, Reply-To, and routing information, non-deceptive subject lines, identification of the message as an advertisement where applicable, a valid physical postal address, and a clear opt-out that must be honored within 10 business days. It is an opt-out regime, so prior consent is not required, but penalties can reach five figures per violating email.
Why it matters for cold email
CAN-SPAM is the reason US cold email is legal at all: it permits unsolicited commercial mail as long as you identify yourself honestly, include a real postal address, and honor opt-outs. Skipping the address or unsubscribe, or spoofing headers to dodge filters, converts a legal cold email into a violation.
Related terms
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