State Spam Laws

State Laws Relating to Unsolicited Commercial or Bulk E-mail (SPAM)

Updated 01-24-06

Thirty-eight states have laws regulating unsolicited commercial or bulk electronic mail advertising. Many of these state laws prohibit misrepresenting or falsifying the origin of or the routing information on messages; using an Internet address of a third party without permission, or including misleading information in the subject line of a message. Some states also prohibit the sale or distribution of software that is designed solely to falsify or forge the point of origin of or the routing information on e-mail messages.

Most other aspects of state laws, such as labeling requirements for adult-oriented advertising, are preempted by the federal CAN-SPAM Act of 2003. The act preempts any state law that "expressly regulates the use of electronic mail to send commercial messages, except to the extent that any such statute, regulation, or rule prohibits falsity or deception in any portion of a commercial electronic mail message or information attached thereto." The act prohibits fraudulent and deceptive commercial e-mail messages and requires senders to include information allowing recipients to opt-out of receiving further messages.

The Federal Trade Commission has adopted a rule, effective May 19, 2004, requiring spam that contains sexually oriented material to include the warning “SEXUALLY-EXPLICIT:” in the subject line.

See also Unsolicited Commercial E-Mail.

Note: Some or all provisions of some of the state laws listed below may be preempted by the federal CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, including provisions regarding a private right of action.

State	Statute
Alaska	Alaska Stat. § 45.50.479
Arizona	Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 44-1372 et seq., 44-7201, -7202, -7203, -7204
Arkansas	Ark. Stat. § 5-41-205
California	Cal. Business & Professions Code § 17529-17529.9, 17538.4 to .45, 17538.41, 22948, et seq.
Colorado	Colo. Rev. Stat. § 6-2.5-101, -102, -103, -104, -105
Connecticut	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53-451
Delaware	Del. Code tit. 11 § 937 - 941
Florida	Fla. Stat. § 668.60 et seq.
Georgia	Ga. Code § 16-9-92, 16-9-100 to 109 (See S.B. 62)
Idaho	Idaho Code § 48-603E
Illinois	Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 30 § 500/25-70, 720 § 5/16D-3, 815 § 511/1 to /15
Indiana	Ind. Code § 24-5-22 (Expires 1-1-06)
Iowa	Iowa Code § 714E.1, .2, 716A.1, .2, .3, .4, .5, .6, .7
Kansas	Kan. Stat. Ann. § 50-6,107
Louisiana	La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 14:73.1, 14:73.6
Maine	Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 10 § 1497
Maryland	Md. Comm. Code Ann. § 14-3001, -3002, -3003, Md. Crim. Code Ann. § 3-805, -805.1
Michigan	Mich. Comp. Laws § 752.1061 to .1068
Minnesota	Minn. Stat. § 609.527
Missouri	Mo. Rev. Stat. § 407.1123, .1126, .1129, .1132
Nevada	Nev. Rev. Stat. § 205.492, 205.511 to .513, 41.705 to .735
New Mexico	N.M. Stat. Ann. § 57-12-23, -24
North Carolina	N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-453 - 458
North Dakota	N.D. Cent. Code § 51-27-01
Ohio	Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2307.64
Oklahoma	Okla. Stat. tit. 15 § 776.1, 776.2, 776.3, 776.4, 776.5, 776.6
Oregon	Or. Rev. Stat. § 646.607 (Also, temporary provisions relating to electronic mail are compiled as notes following ORS 646.578) (Expires 1-2-06)
Pennsylvania	Pa. Cons. Stat. tit. 18 § 5903, (2002 H.B. 2614, Act. No. 222)
Rhode Island	R.I. Gen. Laws § 6-47-2, 11-52-1, 11-52-2, 11-52-4.1, 11-52-6
South Dakota	S.D. Codified Laws Ann. § 37-24-37, -38, -39, -40
Tennessee	Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-2501, -2502
Texas	Texas Bus. & Com. Code Ann. § 46.001 to .011, 48 (See H.B. 1098)
Utah	Utah Code Ann. § 13-39-101, -102 , -201, -202
Virginia	Va. Code § 18.2-152.3C1, 18.2-152.4, -152.12
Washington	Wash. Rev. Code § 19.190.010 to .110
West Virginia	W. Va. Code § 46A-6G1, -6G2, -6G3, -6G4, -6G5
Wisconsin	Wis. Stat. § 944.25
Wyoming	Wyo. Stat. § 40-12-401 to -404

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