Each email that violates CAN-SPAM can cost up to $53,088 in penalties
Verified Confidence: high
Primary source found; it says the same thing, the scope matches, and it is reasonably current.
- Commonly cited as
- "CAN-SPAM fines per email" / "What is the penalty for violating CAN-SPAM?"
- True origin
- Federal Trade Commission — CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business
- Type
- Reference fact: A frequently needed number or rule taken directly from a primary source (e.g. Pew, Census, IAB/PwC, FTC), with its as-of date.
- Year
- 2023 (guide); amount current for 2026
- Data as of
- Guide page shows $53,088; FTC kept 2025 penalty levels for 2026
- Last checked
- What the source says
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.
- Method & sample
- FTC business guidance; amount matches 16 CFR 1.98.
- Drift between quote and source
- Date: older posts quote earlier, lower inflation-adjusted amounts
- Interest
- n/a (federal regulator).
Safe rephrasing
Under the FTC's CAN-SPAM guidance, each separate non-compliant commercial email can draw penalties of up to $53,088.
Sources we opened
- FTC — CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business (primary)
- eCFR — 16 CFR 1.98 (primary)
Machine-readable: /api/claims/can-spam-penalty-53088-per-email.json · Last checked 2026-10-16