Emailing and calling businesses in the United States

Can I email businesses from a list in the United States?

The FTC says CAN-SPAM makes no exception for business-to-business email, so every commercial email to a business must follow it. The FTC's guide lists what each message must do, such as honest headers, a postal address and a working opt-out, rather than a prior-consent step. Most sales calls to businesses are exempt from the TSR.

Main rules: CAN-SPAM Act and the FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR). A summary of the official guidance linked below, checked 2026-11-11; not legal advice.

Email

  • No B2B exception: the FTC says all commercial email must comply.
  • Do not use false or misleading header information or deceptive subject lines.
  • Say clearly that the message is an advertisement, and include a valid physical postal address.
  • Explain clearly how to opt out, and honour opt-outs within 10 business days without a fee or asking for more than an email address.
  • The FTC says to monitor what others do on your behalf.

Phone calls

  • The FTC says most calls between a telemarketer and a business are exempt from the TSR.
  • Calls to sell nondurable office or cleaning supplies (such as paper, toner or ink) are not exempt, although the FTC says they are exempt from the National Do Not Call Registry provisions.
  • Calls that ask people at work to buy for themselves are not business-to-business calls and are covered by the TSR.

Sources

Other countries: outreach rules by country.