Postal address on a marketing message: 4 lines

• Before sending a marketing message about maintenance or a special, verify that the message includes your valid physical postal address, as stated by the Federal Trade Commission.
• The message must also disclose clearly and conspicuously that it is an advertisement, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
• Ensure the subject line accurately reflects the content of the message, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
• Include a clear and conspicuous explanation of how the recipient can opt out of getting marketing email from you in the future, as required by the Federal Trade Commission.

Note that each separate email in violation of the CAN-SPAM Act is subject to penalties of up to $53,088, so non-compliance can be costly, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Keep these lines distinct on your draft to ensure each requirement is met before dispatch.

The law defines commercial messages as any electronic mail message the primary purpose of which is the commercial advertisement or promotion of a commercial product or service, according to Federal Trade Commission. This definition includes email that promotes content on commercial websites, according to Federal Trade Commission. Type one real postal address for the shop on the next marketing message.

The message must include a valid physical postal address of the sender, according to Legal Information Institute. This requirement applies to commercial electronic mail under the protections described in 15 U.S. Code § 7704. The address line is distinct from other content rules and must be present before the message is sent.

The message also requires clear and conspicuous identification that the message is an advertisement or solicitation, according to Legal Information Institute. This identification must be visible and unambiguous to the recipient. The advertisement line serves to inform the reader of the commercial nature of the communication.

Both the postal address and the advertisement identification are separate requirements. The address provides the sender’s physical location, while the advertisement line clarifies the message’s purpose. These lines do not replace each other; each must appear on the message. The scope of these rules is tied to the specific publisher and audience stated in the source. A Washington or Minnesota sentence is not a rule for every state. A penalty figure is not a price the shop charges.

When preparing a marketing message about maintenance or a special, ensure the postal address is a real, physical location for the shop. The advertisement line should be written in a way that is easily seen and understood as identifying the message as an advertisement or solicitation.

The subject line of a commercial electronic mail message must accurately reflect the content of the message, according to the Federal Trade Commission. This requirement applies to the message as a whole, not to any single sentence or promotional offer. A dispatcher preparing a maintenance special or a seasonal offer should check that the words in the subject line describe what the customer will actually see when they open the message. The same habit is in Customer arrival updates: 4 messages and owners. If the body of the message discusses furnace maintenance and a 10% discount on filter replacements, the subject line should reference those items. A subject line that says "Big Sale" when the message contains no sale, or "Your Vehicle is Ready" when the message is a marketing offer, does not accurately reflect the content.

Minnesota law adds a specific condition for messages containing adult material. According to the Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes, if the message contains information that consists of material of a sexual nature that may only be viewed by an individual 18 years of age and older, the subject line of the message must include "ADV-ADULT" as the first characters. This rule is limited to messages with that specific type of content. A standard HVAC maintenance reminder, a plumbing special, or a seasonal discount offer does not contain material of a sexual nature and therefore does not trigger the "ADV-ADULT" requirement. The Minnesota statute does not apply to every state; it is a rule specific to Minnesota.

The opt-out line is a distinct requirement from the postal address line. The Federal Trade Commission states that your message must include a clear and conspicuous explanation of how the recipient can opt out of getting marketing email from you in the future, according to Federal Trade Commission. This explanation must be visible and clear to the recipient.

You may create a menu to allow a recipient to opt out of certain types of messages, but you must include the option to stop all marketing messages from you, according to Federal Trade Commission. If you offer specific categories for opt-out, the "stop all" option remains mandatory.

The timing for honoring this request is defined in the U.S. Code. It is a violation for the sender to initiate the transmission to the recipient, more than 10 business days after such a request arrives, of a commercial electronic mail message that falls within the scope of the request, according to Legal Information Institute. This 10-business-day period is the clock for processing the opt-out.

Keep in mind that subscribers and members can opt out of marketing emails, too, according to Federal Trade Commission. The opt-out right applies to these groups as well.

Do not combine the opt-out explanation with the postal address line in your drafting process. Treat the 10-business-day clock as the timing rule for the opt-out, not as part of the address requirement. When you draft your next marketing message, write the opt-out explanation as a separate line. Ensure the "stop all" option is present if you use a menu. Verify that your process can honor the request within 10 business days after it arrives.

The table below lists the specific rule lines, keeping each entry tied to its publisher and stated audience.

The scope of this rule is limited to the specific conditions of location and residency knowledge described in the text. The second line provides the mechanism for determining residency knowledge, stating that a person knows the recipient is a Washington resident if that information is available upon request from the registrant of the internet domain name in the recipient's address. This definition applies specifically to the purposes of the section it resides in.

The source identifies the governing text as RCW 19.190.020, which frames the legal context for these specific transmission rules. The term "commercial electronic mail message" is the central subject of these provisions, distinguishing the regulated communication from other types of electronic mail. Each row in the table reflects the exact wording and scope provided by the publisher, ensuring that the rules are not generalized beyond their stated audience. The qualifiers emphasize that these sentences are not universal rules for every state but are specific to the jurisdictions and contexts named in the source material.

When applying these lines to a marketing message, the dispatcher must verify that the message fits the definition of a commercial electronic mail message and that the transmission does not violate the specific prohibitions regarding Washington-based computers or known Washington residents. The knowledge of residency is tied to the availability of information from the domain registrant, which serves as the factual basis for the sender's awareness. This structured approach ensures that the message lines are grounded in the specific legal text provided, avoiding any extrapolation of the rules to other states or contexts not covered by the cited statute. The table serves as a direct reference for the exact language and scope of the Washington State Legislature's provisions on this topic.

A shop prepares 1 marketing note about a maintenance visit. The subject line names that maintenance visit. The note includes 1 line saying the message is an advertisement. It includes 1 physical postal address for the shop. It includes 1 opt-out line with the choice to stop all marketing messages. If the reader asks to stop, the shop sends no further marketing message that falls within that request after 10 business days. The note has no material that only a person 18 or older may view, so the subject line does not open with ADV-ADULT. The 4 lines stay separate.

Read the draft once today. Mark the postal address, the advertisement line, the subject line, and the opt-out line, and keep each of those lines easy to see before the message goes out. Pair that read with Six stop words to check before a customer text so the customer-facing words stay plain.

What address does the business guide say the message must include?

The CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business states that your message must include your valid physical postal address according to Federal Trade Commission. This requirement applies to the specific message being sent.

What does the statute page say about a physical postal address?

15 U.S. Code § 7704 - Other protections for users of commercial electronic mail specifies a valid physical postal address of the sender according to Legal Information Institute. The statute text identifies the address component required for the sender.

What does the subject-line sentence require?

The subject line must accurately reflect the content of the message according to Federal Trade Commission. This rule ensures the subject line matches the actual content of the commercial electronic mail.

Who does the ADV-ADULT line apply to?

If the message contains information that consists of material of a sexual nature that may only be viewed by an individual 18 years of age and older, the subject line of the message must include "ADV-ADULT" as the first characters according to Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. This specific wording applies to messages containing such material.

What is the 10-business-day line about?

The line addresses the sender initiating transmission to the recipient more than 10 business days after such a request arrives, of a commercial electronic mail message that falls within the scope of the request according to Legal Information Institute. This defines the timing constraint for sending messages after an opt-out request.