CAN-SPAM (CAN-SPAM)
Also known as: CAN-SPAM Act
In short
CAN-SPAM is the United States federal law that sets the rules for sending commercial email. It requires accurate sender information, a truthful subject line, a physical postal address, and a simple way for recipients to stop receiving your messages.
It applies to B2B email as well as consumer email. Unlike stricter laws in some other regions, it is an opt-out regime: you can email without prior consent as long as you follow the rules and honor unsubscribe requests. This is general information, not legal advice.
What CAN-SPAM requires
- Honest headers: The From, To, and reply-to details must identify the real sender. No spoofed or misleading names or domains.
- Truthful subject line: The subject must not mislead recipients about the content of the message.
- Clear identification: Commercial messages should be recognizable as promotional in a reasonable way.
- Physical address: Include a valid postal address for your business.
- Visible opt-out: Give a clear, easy way to unsubscribe, and process requests within the legal window.
- Responsibility for vendors: If an agency or tool sends on your behalf, you are still accountable for compliance.
How CAN-SPAM applies to outbound sales
Sequences from SDRs and AEs count as commercial email when they promote a product or service. A one-to-one message that is clearly personal and about an existing deal is treated differently, but a templated cold sequence is covered.
Build compliance into the template
Add the postal address and an unsubscribe line to every sequence step, not only the first. Reps should not have to remember it.
Sync opt-outs everywhere
An unsubscribe in one tool must reach your CRM, your sequencing tool, and any marketing platform. Keep a central suppression list so a contact who opted out is not emailed from another system.
Example workflow
Say a rep sends a four-step cold sequence. Step two recipient replies "remove me". The rep marks the contact as opted out, the CRM field syncs to the sequencing tool, and the contact is added to the suppression list. No further steps send, and the contact is excluded from future imports.
CAN-SPAM vs. other email laws
CAN-SPAM is permissive about the first message but strict about opt-out. Laws such as CASL in Canada and GDPR in Europe generally lean on consent or a lawful basis. If you email across borders, follow the strictest rule that applies to the recipient.
Common mistakes
- Hiding the unsubscribe link or making people log in to use it.
- Ignoring opt-outs that arrive as plain replies.
- Using a misleading "Re:" subject to fake an existing conversation.
- Assuming that being legal under CAN-SPAM also satisfies other countries.
- Buying a list and never checking where it came from.
CAN-SPAM FAQs
What is CAN-SPAM?
CAN-SPAM is a United States law that sets requirements for commercial email. It requires honest sender and subject information, a physical postal address, and a clear unsubscribe method that the sender must honor within the legal timeframe. This is general information, not legal advice.
Does CAN-SPAM apply to B2B cold email?
Yes. The law covers commercial email regardless of whether the recipient is a consumer or a business contact. Cold outreach promoting a product or service must follow the header, address, and opt-out rules. This is general information, not legal advice.
Do you need consent to send emails under CAN-SPAM?
No, CAN-SPAM does not require prior consent for commercial email. It is an opt-out model: you can send if you follow the rules and stop emailing people who unsubscribe. Other laws, such as those in Canada or Europe, may require consent.
What are the CAN-SPAM unsubscribe requirements?
Every commercial email must include a clear, easy way to opt out, and the sender must honor requests within the legal window. You should not charge a fee or require more than a simple action, and you must not resell or share the address afterward.
