MailProof · Compliance guide
The US CAN-SPAM Act requires honest headers, a clear unsubscribe, a physical postal address, and honoring opt-outs within 10 business days — up to $53,088 per email.
This rule applies if you send marketing or promotional emails. Send marketing emails? Check for a clear unsubscribe, your postal address, and honest headers. Not sure? The free checker tells you in about a minute — no signup.
In practice, MailProof's checker looks at whether you can answer "yes" to each of these. Each one is a place sellers commonly get caught:
⚠️ Exposure: up to $51,744 per email (FTC). Status: In force.
Statutory maximums are worst-case ceilings, not a prediction — but they're why this is worth ten minutes now.
A truthful From/subject, a clear and free way to unsubscribe, and a valid physical postal address. You must honor opt-outs within 10 business days.
Yes — it applies to all commercial email, including the first one. There's no exemption for small senders.
Each separate email in violation can incur penalties up to $53,088, and multiple parties (e.g. the brand and its agency) can be liable.
RuleGoose checks this against the US CAN-SPAM Act (15 U.S.C. 7701) + FTC Rule. Read it yourself: eCFR — 16 CFR Part 316 (CAN-SPAM Rule) →
or get one RuleGoose Score across every rule that applies to you.
Informational only, not legal advice, and not affiliated with the FTC. Last reviewed 2026-06-28.