Physical Address Requirement

The physical address requirement is the rule, found in CAN-SPAM and CASL, that every commercial email must include the sender's valid postal address. Under CAN-SPAM this can be a street address, a registered PO box or a registered private mailbox.

Compliance & PrivacyUpdated September 30, 2026

In short

Put a real, current postal address in every commercial email; a registered PO box or private mailbox is acceptable in the US.

Key points

  1. The CAN-SPAM Act requires every commercial email to include the sender's valid physical postal address [1][2].
  2. The FTC rule defines this as a current street address, a PO box registered with the US Postal Service, or a private mailbox registered with a commercial mail receiving agency [3].
  3. The requirement covers B2B Cold Email as well as newsletters, since CAN-SPAM makes no exception for business-to-business messages [1].
  4. CASL requires a mailing address plus at least one of a phone number, an email address or a web address, valid for at least 60 days after sending [4].
  5. The UK's PECR requires you to identify yourself and give a valid contact address for Opt-Out requests, which can be an email address [5].
  6. The usual place for the address is the Email Signature or footer, where it sits next to the opt-out line [1].

What CAN-SPAM requires

Section 7704(a)(5) of the CAN-SPAM Act requires every commercial electronic mail message to include clear and conspicuous identification that it is an advertisement, notice of the opportunity to opt out, and a valid physical postal address of the sender [2]. The FTC's 2008 rule defined the term: the sender's current street address, a Post Office box the sender has accurately registered with the US Postal Service, or a private mailbox registered with a commercial mail receiving agency [3]. The purpose is accountability; a recipient or regulator should be able to find the business behind a message. The FTC guide lists this among its core requirements, and each non-compliant email can bring a civil penalty [1]. A missing or fake address is one of the easiest violations to prove, and one of the easiest to avoid.

Other jurisdictions

Other laws take a similar approach with different details. Under CASL, the CRTC's regulations require the sender's name, a mailing address, and a phone number, email address or web address, all of which must remain valid for at least 60 days after the message is sent [4]. The UK's PECR is looser: it requires that you do not disguise or conceal your identity and that you give a valid address for opt-out requests, which in practice can be an email address or a link [5]. Under the GDPR, a privacy notice must also give the controller's identity and contact details, which reinforces the same idea. If you email across borders, including a full postal address in every message satisfies all of these at once.

Practical tips for outbound senders

For Outbound Sales from a personal mailbox, add the company name and postal address to the Email Signature so it appears on every first email and Follow-Up Email. Remote teams and early-stage startups often use a registered virtual mailbox or PO box rather than a home address, which CAN-SPAM allows as long as it is properly registered [3]. Keep the address current: an outdated address after a move is no longer valid. Keep the format simple and in plain text, which also suits a Plain-Text Email style. Place the opt-out line nearby so the footer handles both duties. None of this conflicts with Email Deliverability; a real signature with contact details tends to look more trustworthy, not less. This is general information, not legal advice.

Sources
  1. CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business — Federal Trade Commission
  2. 15 U.S. Code 7704 — Other protection for users of commercial electronic mail — Cornell LII
  3. 16 CFR 316.2 — Definitions — eCFR
  4. Electronic Commerce Protection Regulations (CRTC) SOR/2012-36 — Justice Laws Website
  5. Electronic mail marketing — Information Commissioner's Office
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Related terms

CAN-SPAM Act

CAN-SPAM lets you send commercial email in the US without prior consent, as long as you are honest about who you are, include an address, and honor opt-outs quickly.

CASL

CASL is a consent-first law: to email someone in Canada commercially you need express or implied consent, plus clear identification and an unsubscribe that works.

Email Signature

An email signature is the sign-off block that tells the reader who you are and how to reach you.

Opt-Out

Every commercial email needs an easy way to say stop, and once someone does, you must stop emailing them within the legal deadline and keep them suppressed.

PECR

Under PECR you can email UK companies without consent, but sole traders and some partnerships are treated like individuals and usually need consent or a soft opt-in.

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Bulk Sender RequirementsOutbound Sales

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