Guides
What must a cold email footer include?
Everywhere we cover, the email must say who it is from and give a working way to opt out, object or unsubscribe.
Some countries add more: a valid postal address in the UK and US, contact details valid for 30 days in Australia, an unsubscribe valid for 60 days in Canada, and a clear commercial label in the US, Spain, Italy, Latvia and the Netherlands.
Checked on 7 November 2026
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What the footer must include, country by country
United Kingdom
For companies, and for existing customers under the soft opt-in:
Give a simple, free way to refuse in this and every message, identify yourself, and include a valid postal address.
Say who you are and who the email is from, include a valid postal address, and give a simple free way to stop further emails (PECR regulation 23). Never disguise the sender.
- PECR 2003 regulation 22(3) (checked on 3 October 2026)
More: United Kingdom guide
United States
For any commercial email:
Truthful From and subject line; make clear it is a commercial message; include your valid physical postal address; give a clear opt-out that works for at least 30 days and honour it within 10 business days. California and Washington add their own rules against misleading subject lines and headers.
- FTC CAN-SPAM Act compliance guide for business (checked on 3 October 2026)
More: United States guide
Canada
Where implied consent applies:
Identify the sender and anyone on whose behalf the message is sent, give contact information, and include an unsubscribe that works by the same means, stays valid for at least 60 days and is honoured within 10 business days.
- Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation, sections 6, 10(9)(b) and 11 (checked on 3 October 2026)
More: Canada guide
Germany
For existing customers, the only case where Germany allows it without consent:
Tell the customer clearly in every message that they can object at any time at no cost beyond basic transmission costs; identify yourself.
- UWG section 7(3), English translation (checked on 3 October 2026)
More: Germany guide
France
For generic addresses and role-relevant professionals:
Identify the sender and give a simple way to object or unsubscribe in every message.
State who you are, say why the message relates to their role, and give a simple way to object in every message.
- CNIL, La prospection commerciale par courrier électronique (checked on 3 October 2026)
More: France guide
Australia
Where consent exists:
Clearly and accurately identify the individual or organisation that authorised the message; include accurate contact details (such as a postal address plus phone or email) that remain valid for at least 30 days; include a clear and conspicuous unsubscribe statement with a working electronic address that can receive unsubscribe requests for at least 30 days, free of charge and without requiring a login or extra personal information; action unsubscribes within 5 business days.
- Spam Act 2003 (Cth), Schedule 2 clause 4(2) (consent inferred from publication of an electronic address), Compilation No. 10 (checked on 17 October 2026)
More: Australia guide
Ireland
For companies, work addresses and existing customers:
State clearly who the sender is (do not disguise or conceal the identity of the person on whose behalf the email is sent); include a valid address at which the sender can be contacted; include a valid address or link to which the recipient can send a request to stop, offered clearly, easily and free of charge in every message; for named individuals also give or link to GDPR privacy information including the right to object.
State clearly who the sender is (do not disguise or conceal the identity of the person on whose behalf the email is sent); include a valid address at which the sender can be contacted; include a valid address or link to which the recipient can send a request that such communication shall cease; honour any objection permanently.
State clearly who the sender is (do not disguise or conceal the identity of the person on whose behalf the email is sent); include a valid address at which the sender can be contacted; include a valid address or link to which the recipient can send a request that such communication shall cease; because this is a named person, give or link to GDPR privacy information (who you are, why you hold their work email, where you got it, their right to object) and honour objections permanently.
- S.I. No. 336/2011 (Irish ePrivacy Regulations), Regulation 13(11) (checked on 17 October 2026)
More: Ireland guide
Netherlands
For existing customers:
State the true identity of the person or company on whose behalf the email is sent; include a valid postal address or telephone number to which the recipient can send a request to stop; make the email clearly recognisable as a commercial message; give a free, easy opt-out in this and every message; be able to prove the customer relationship and that an opt-out was offered when the address was collected.
- Telecommunicatiewet, artikel 11.7 lid 4 (geldend van 15-08-2026) (checked on 17 October 2026)
More: Netherlands guide
Spain
For any commercial email, and to existing customers:
Make the message clearly identifiable as a commercial communication and name the person or company it is sent for (article 20.1). Include a valid email address or other electronic address for revoking consent (article 22.1), and a simple free way to object in every message (article 21.2).
Make the message clearly identifiable as a commercial communication and name the person or company it is sent for (article 20.1). Include a valid email address or other electronic address for revoking consent (article 22.1).
- LSSI, article 21.2 (checked on 2 November 2026)
More: Spain guide
Italy
For any commercial email, and to existing customers:
Say from the first line that it is a commercial communication and name the person or company it is sent for (d.lgs. 70/2003, article 8). Never disguise the sender, and give a working address at which the person can object or exercise their rights, easily and free of charge (article 130(4) and (5)).
Say from the first line that it is a commercial communication and name the person or company it is sent for (d.lgs. 70/2003, article 8). Never disguise the sender, and give a working address at which the person can exercise their rights (article 130(5)).
- Privacy Code (d.lgs. 196/2003), article 130(4) (checked on 2 November 2026)
More: Italy guide
Latvia
For any commercial email:
Make it clearly recognisable as a commercial communication, identify the business it is sent for, state the offer and its conditions precisely, and give a way to refuse further messages (section 8(1)). Use a valid reply address and honour every refusal (section 9(4)).
- Information Society Services Law, section 9(6); Data State Inspectorate guidance on commercial communications (checked on 2 November 2026)
More: Latvia guide
United Arab Emirates
For any marketing email:
Identify the sender accurately and specifically (TDRA policy, article 5.6), give a free way to unsubscribe in every message (articles 6.10 and 6.12), and honour it.
Egypt
For any direct marketing email:
Identify the sender, give a valid and complete address where the sender can be reached, say clearly that the message is direct marketing, and give a clear, simple way to opt out or withdraw consent (Law 151 of 2020, article 17).
- Personal Data Protection Law (Law 151 of 2020), article 1 (definitions of Personal Data and Data Subject) (checked on 7 November 2026)
More: Egypt guide
Qatar
For any direct marketing email:
Identify the originator, say clearly that the message is direct marketing, and give a valid address the person can use to stop the messages or withdraw consent (Law 13 of 2016, article 22). Contact details in Arabic and English and a stop within two business days are also recommended.
- Personal Data Privacy Protection Law (Law 13 of 2016), article 1 (definitions of Individual and Personal Data) (checked on 7 November 2026)
More: Qatar guide
For developers
curl https://precleared.dev/api/v1/check \
-H "Authorization: Bearer pc_live_..." \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"recipient_email": "jane@example.co.uk",
"sender_country": "GB",
"pitch": "Bookkeeping software for small firms",
"address_source": "published",
"company_number": "01234567",
"recipient_country": "GB"
}'Over MCP, call contact_check with the same fields at https://precleared.dev/mcp.
Common questions
Does a cold email need a postal address?
In the UK and US, yes. Australia asks for accurate contact details such as a postal address plus phone or email, and the Netherlands a postal address or phone number for stop requests.
How fast must I honour an unsubscribe?
Within 10 business days in the US and Canada, and within 5 business days in Australia. Everywhere else we cover, honour it and stop.
Can Precleared check my footer?
Yes. Pass the draft as email with a check and the answer says which footer requirements it meets. The draft isn't stored; only its hash goes on the receipt.
Country guides
Other questions
Decision support with sources, not legal advice.