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Email types complianceReviewed September 7, 2026

What is Transactional email?

A transactional email primarily facilitates, completes, or confirms a transaction or relationship the recipient already agreed to.

Who this applies to#

  • Use the transactional classification when the primary content completes or updates an agreed transaction or account relationship

What Transactional email requires#

  • Keep routing information accurate and ensure promotional material does not become the message's primary purpose

What this does not require#

  • A primarily transactional message is not required to use the commercial-message opt-out treatment described for promotional email, although other laws and promises can still apply

Common mistakes#

  1. Using an order reference to disguise a promotion
  2. Putting the operational information after dominant advertising
  3. Assuming every automated email is transactional

Transactional email checklist#

  • Identify the agreed transaction
  • Put the operational content first
  • Limit promotion
  • Keep routing accurate

Commonly confused with#

Official sources#