--- title: "What is CAN-SPAM?" description: "Start here if you are asking what is CAN-SPAM. The US email law covers accurate headers, a postal address and opt-outs. Read the glossary entry." url: https://assistbpo.com/glossary/can-spam/ updated: 2026-09-20 publisher: AssistBPO (SS Support Network LLC) language: en-US --- # What is CAN-SPAM? Glossary What is CAN-SPAM? CAN-SPAM, the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act, is the US federal law that sets rules for commercial email. It does not require opt-in consent but bans false headers and misleading subject lines, requires a postal address and an opt-out in every message, and requires opt-outs to be honored within 10 business days. The FTC enforces it. Updated September 2026 · Reviewed by [Nimra Khalid](https://assistbpo.com/team/nimra-khalid/) ## How does CAN-SPAM work? 1. The From, To and Reply-To fields and the routing information must accurately identify the sender and the sending domain. 2. The subject line reflects the content, and any advertisement is identified as such in a clear way. 3. Every message carries a valid physical postal address (a street address, PO box or registered private mailbox). 4. An opt-out link or reply mechanism works for at least 30 days after sending, and requests are processed within 10 business days. 5. The company that hires an agency or assistant to send email remains responsible for what is sent on its behalf. ## A worked example A Denver landscaping company asks a remote marketing assistant to email 2,600 past quote requests about spring cleanups. The assistant rewrites the template so the From name is the company, the subject reads 'Spring cleanup dates for your street' rather than a fake reply, and the footer shows the shop's street address and an unsubscribe link. Contacts who opted out from a past campaign are suppressed in Mailchimp before the send. The assistant then checks the suppression list twice a week so nobody who unsubscribed gets a follow-up. ## Where does CAN-SPAM show up in your tools? CAN-SPAM essentials are built into Mailchimp, Klaviyo and ActiveCampaign as required footer blocks and automatic unsubscribe handling, while HubSpot and Salesforce mark opted-out contacts so sequences skip them. ## Common mistakes - Using a subject line like 'Re: your order' on a first-touch promotion, which counts as deceptive. - Hiding the unsubscribe behind a login or a form that asks for more than an email address. - Believing that because CAN-SPAM allows opt-out email, the same list can be texted or called; those channels fall under TCPA. ## Why does CAN-SPAM matter? CAN-SPAM violations carry per-email penalties, and a single campaign of a few thousand messages adds up fast. The rules are also simply good deliverability practice, which keeps a small business out of the spam folder. This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. ## How does AssistBPO handle CAN-SPAM? AssistBPO email marketing assistants keep every US campaign inside CAN-SPAM: accurate sender identity, honest subject lines, a physical address and an unsubscribe on each send, with opt-outs processed the same day rather than at the 10-day limit. When a client also markets to Canadian or UK contacts, the assistant applies the stricter opt-in rule to those segments. [Campaigns and flows that go out on time](https://assistbpo.com/services/email-marketing/)[Get a staffing plan](https://assistbpo.com/get-a-staffing-plan/) ## Related terms - [CASL](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/casl/) - [Spam Act](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/spam-act/) - [TCPA](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/tcpa/) - [GDPR](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/gdpr/) - [Email marketing](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/email-marketing/) ## Where it is used - [Campaigns and flows that go out on time](https://assistbpo.com/services/email-marketing/) ## Next in the A to Z - [Catalog management](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/catalog-management/) - [Chatbot](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/chatbot/) - [Co-employment](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/co-employment/) [All 148 terms, A to Z](https://assistbpo.com/glossary/) Next step ## Your desk, staffed. Wherever you are. Tell us what is overloaded. A named person replies within 1 business day with a staffing plan, and we propose your assistant within 72 hours. [Get a staffing plan](https://assistbpo.com/get-a-staffing-plan/) [Book a 20-minute call](https://assistbpo.com/book-a-call/) Or call [+1-657-777-0006](tel:+16577770006) during US, UK or Australian business hours, or [hear our demo receptionist](https://assistbpo.com/demo-line/). - A named assistant proposed within 72 hours - Employed, screened and managed staff, never freelancers - Your hours, your tools, your data --- Source: https://assistbpo.com/glossary/can-spam/ · Contact: https://assistbpo.com/contact/ · Full site map for agents: https://assistbpo.com/llms.txt