What information must be included in commercial emails under CAN-SPAM?

Every commercial email must include a valid physical postal address where the sender can receive mail. This can be: a current street address, a post office box registered with the US Postal Service, or a private mailbox registered with a commercial mail receiving agency under USPS regulations. Virtual addresses that actually receive mail qualify; fictional addresses do not.

A clear and conspicuous unsubscribe mechanism is required-typically a link in the footer. The opt-out must be easy to recognize, read, and understand. It cannot require the recipient to pay a fee, provide information beyond their email address, or take steps other than sending a reply email or visiting a single web page. The mechanism must work for at least 30 days after the email is sent.

Commercial emails must also disclose that the message is an advertisement, though CAN-SPAM provides flexibility in how this is accomplished. It udoesn't mandate specific language like "This is an advertisement." The disclosure must simply give recipients fair notice of the commercial nature. These requirements are non-negotiable minimums-missing any one creates legal exposure and signals amateur operations to recipients.