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    CASL Consent Checker and Compliance Checklist

    Answer two questions to see whether you can send someone a commercial email or text, and until when.

    Last reviewed . Anti-spam rules change, so check the official sources linked below before you rely on a detail.

    Can I email or text this person?

    1. How did you get this person's email address or phone number?

    Your answer appears here. Nothing you enter leaves your browser. This is general information, not legal advice.

    CASL compliance checklist

    Thirteen checks, each tied to the section of the Act or regulations it comes from. Print it, tape it next to the send button.

    Before you send

    • You know how you got consent for every contact on the list. CASL s. 6(1)(a), s. 13
    • Implied contacts have a purchase, contract or inquiry date, and none have expired. s. 10(10)
    • Sign-up and booking forms use an unticked box with a clear description of what people will get. s. 10(1); SOR/2012-36 s. 4
    • No purchased or scraped addresses. s. 10(9)

    In every message

    • Your business name, and the name of anyone you are sending for. SOR/2012-36 s. 2(1)(a) to (c)
    • A mailing address. s. 2(1)(d)
    • A phone number that reaches a person or voicemail, an email address, or a web address. s. 2(1)(d)
    • An unsubscribe link or address that is clear, prominent and easy to use. CASL s. 11(1); SOR/2012-36 s. 3
    • For texts: a clear link to a page with the details, if they do not fit in the message. SOR/2012-36 s. 2(2)

    After you send

    • The unsubscribe and contact details keep working for at least 60 days. CASL s. 6(3), s. 11(2)
    • Unsubscribes are honoured within 10 business days, without any further step from the person. s. 11(3)
    • Unsubscribes reach every tool that sends: newsletter, CRM, booking reminders and text platform. s. 11(3)
    • Consent records are kept: who, when, how and for what. s. 13

    How the checker decides

    • The Act sets no expiry for express consent. It lasts until the person withdraws it (CASL sections 10 and 11).
    • Purchases, leases, barter and contracts give two years, counted back from the day you send (section 10(10)).
    • Inquiries and applications give six months (section 10(10)(e)).
    • Business cards and published addresses only cover messages relevant to the person's role (section 10(9)(b) and (c)).
    • Referrals allow one message that names the referrer (SOR/2013-221 section 4).
    • Messages between organizations with a relationship, about the receiving organization's activities, are exempt (SOR/2013-221 section 3(a)(ii)).

    It does not cover charities, political parties or clubs, consent collected by a third party, or messages to people outside Canada. For those, read the consent guide and the official text.

    Questions about the checker

    Is there an official CASL compliance checklist?

    The government does not publish one official checklist. The checklist on this page follows the Act and the two regulations section by section: consent, identification, contact information and the unsubscribe mechanism.

    Does this tool store anything I enter?

    No. The checker runs in your browser. Nothing you choose or type is sent to Vortio or saved.

    What if a customer buys from me again?

    The two-year period is counted back from the day you send the message, so a newer purchase gives you a newer start date. Use the date of the most recent purchase or the date the contract ended.

    What should I record as proof of consent?

    Record who consented, the date, how they did it (the form, the checkbox wording, or a note of a verbal yes), and what they agreed to receive. For implied consent, keep the purchase or inquiry date so you know when it ends.

    Sources

    Checked on November 11, 2026.

    Continue the CASL Guide

    CASL Consent: Express vs Implied, and When It Expires

    The two kinds of consent, the two-year and six-month clocks, business cards, referrals, pre-checked boxes and wording you can copy.

    What Every Commercial Email and Text Needs Under CASL

    Sender details, mailing address, contact and an unsubscribe honoured within 10 business days, with email footer and text templates.

    CASL Fines and Penalties: What the Law Says and What Has Happened

    Penalties up to $1 million for individuals and $10 million for businesses, how amounts are set, real CRTC cases and director liability.