You have a list of business emails. Before the first send, here is what the FTC says CAN-SPAM requires, whether it covers B2B email, how opt-outs work, and what a mistake can cost.
A lead list gives you addresses. It does not give you a free pass on how you use them. The U.S. rules for commercial email are in the CAN-SPAM Act, and the FTC publishes a plain-language guide for businesses. This article follows that guide and says where it stops, so you know what to ask a lawyer.
Many people assume the law is only about emails to consumers. The FTC says otherwise: “The law makes no exception for business-to-business email.” A cold email to a roofer, dentist or plumber has to follow the same rules.
The FTC also says each separate email that breaks the rules can be subject to a penalty of up to $53,088. The guide notes that this figure was updated in January 2024 and is adjusted for inflation, so check the current number. A 500-address campaign is 500 separate emails.
| FTC requirement | What it means for your campaign |
|---|---|
| 1. No false or misleading header information | “From,” “To,” “Reply-To” and routing details must be accurate and identify the person or business that sent the message. |
| 2. No deceptive subject lines | The subject has to match what the email is actually about. |
| 3. Identify the message as an ad | The email must clearly say it is an advertisement. The law gives you flexibility in how. |
| 4. Tell recipients where you are located | Include a valid physical postal address. |
| 5. Tell recipients how to opt out | Explain it clearly and make it easy. Include a way to stop all marketing email from you. |
| 6. Subscribers and members can opt out too | Being a customer or on a list does not remove someone’s right to stop your marketing emails. |
| 7. Honor opt-outs promptly | Within 10 business days. Your opt-out method must keep working for at least 30 days after you send. |
| 8. Monitor what others do for you | If you hire a company to send your emails, you are still responsible. Both companies can be held liable. |
Requirement 4 means a real mailing address in every email. The FTC guide says it can be your current street address, a post office box you have registered with the U.S. Postal Service, or a private mailbox registered with a commercial mail receiving agency. If you do not want your home address in your emails, a registered box is the usual route.
Planning to call instead? Read our guide to Do Not Call rules for lead lists. Not sure how many addresses a Google Maps list will have? See do Google Maps leads come with emails, and for how a business list is put together, our contractor leads list guide.
Pay once. Credits never expire. Phone cross-checked against Google, email when found. Delivered within 2 business days. You handle your own opt-outs and sender details.
See Pricing →Yes. The FTC’s compliance guide says: “The law makes no exception for business-to-business email.” That means a cold email to a roofer, dentist or plumber has to follow the same rules as an email to a consumer.
CAN-SPAM is built around opt-out rather than prior permission: you must give a clear way to stop and honor it within 10 business days. Other laws, your email provider’s rules and some states or countries can be stricter, so ask a lawyer before you rely on that.
The FTC says each separate email in violation can be subject to a penalty of up to $53,088. The FTC notes the figure is adjusted for inflation (it was updated in January 2024), so check the current amount.
Within 10 business days, according to the FTC. Your opt-out method must also keep working for at least 30 days after you send the message, and you cannot charge a fee or ask for more than an email address.
No. We cannot know who has opted out of your emails. Our process checks emails when one is found, which is not a consent or compliance check. Keep your own opt-out list and add your own sender details.
Read on October 16, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice. Penalty amounts are adjusted over time, so confirm current figures with the FTC and talk to a qualified attorney before you start a campaign.