Is email warmup legal?

Yes, email warmup is legal, but it must align with global privacy and anti-spam regulations. To ensure compliance, businesses need to understand how the practice fits within frameworks like the CAN-SPAM Act (United States), GDPR (Europe), and CASL (Canada)【85】【86】.

Email warmup compliance checklist:

1. Avoid personal data misuse: If your warmup involves engaging with real recipients or customer data, you must obtain explicit consent under GDPR and provide an opt-out option under CAN-SPAM. If the warmup uses only your internal accounts or simulation tools, the risk of violating these laws decreases.
2. Follow transparent practices: All warmup messages must accurately represent the sender and include relevant identifiers, such as a valid “from” address and a way to opt out, as required by CAN-SPAM.
3. Mitigate spam risks: Ensure your warmup activity mimics natural behavior to avoid spam traps and prevent your domain from being flagged as spam. Frequent or aggressive sending may trigger ESPs to reduce your reputation, so follow best practices like low sending volumes and gradual scaling.
4. Focus on B2B email: Avoid using personal email as much as possible. You can use tools like EmailListVerify to remove free email provider like Gmail from your database.

Summary:

As long as email warmup stays transparent, avoids misuse of personal data, and adheres to regional regulations, it is a legal way to build email reputation and avoid spam filters. Careful monitoring, especially when using automated tools, helps businesses remain compliant and protects their email deliverability.