Does CASL apply to text messages? Reminders, review requests and promos, sorted
Yes, CASL covers business texts, but not every text needs consent. Which ones do, which are carved out, and what every one of them must include.
Alex Rowan · Marketing & content, MAXAUTOMATE · Vancouver, BC
Short answerYes. CASL covers commercial electronic messages sent to an electronic address, and a phone number used for texting is one. A business text that encourages someone to buy needs consent, your business name, a way to reach you and a STOP option. Booking confirmations and plain reminders skip the consent step but still need the name, contact details and STOP.
When I search for texting rules, most of what comes up is written for the US. Canada has its own law, and it treats a text to a client much like a marketing email. I read the Act, the regulations and the CRTC’s own FAQ so you don’t have to.
Our CASL checklist walks through setting up texting step by step. This post answers the questions people actually type, one at a time.
What does CASL stand for, and what does it cover?
CASL stands for Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation. It covers commercial messages sent to an electronic address, and a phone number you text counts as one.
So CASL doesn’t apply to every electronic message, only commercial ones. But “commercial” is broad: it’s about any of the message’s purposes, not just the main one. If a text nudges someone toward booking, buying or coming back, assume it counts. Phone calls fall under a separate set of CRTC rules, the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules.
Which business texts need consent?
Marketing texts need consent. Texts that only confirm or move along a booking the client made don’t, and neither does a plain reply to someone’s question. Every one of them should still carry your name, a link to your details and STOP. Here are the usual suspects:
| Text | Where it sits | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Booking confirmation | Carved out of consent | It solely confirms a booking the client made (section 6(6)(b)) |
| Plain reminder | Generally carved out | It sticks to the appointment, so it’s generally read as section 6(6)(b) |
| Reminder with an offer | Needs consent | The offer means it no longer “solely” confirms the booking |
| Missed-call reply | Generally exempt | A reply to “a request, inquiry or complaint” is outside section 6 (SOR/2013-221, s.3(b)); the rules don’t say whether an unanswered call counts, so include your name and STOP anyway |
| Review request | Treat as needing consent | The Act doesn’t name it, but a public review promotes your business. A purchase in the past two years gives implied consent (section 10(10)) |
| Promotion or win-back offer | Needs consent | Encouraging a purchase is the core of “commercial” (section 1(2)) |
| “Reply YES to get our offers” | Needs consent itself | A request for consent is itself a commercial message (section 1(3)), so you can’t cold-text a stranger to ask |
| “You left your scarf here” | Likely not commercial | If it truly has no business purpose, the section 1(2) test isn’t met. We still add the name and STOP |
Two words do a lot of work there. “Solely” is why a reminder with a discount loses its carve-out. “Generally” is there because the Act doesn’t list reminders, review requests or missed-call replies by name, so the safe habit is to follow the stricter reading. For reminders that stay on the right side of the line, see our appointment reminder templates.
What counts as consent for a text?
Two kinds count: express, where the person said yes, and implied, where the Act infers it from a recent purchase or inquiry. Silence and pre-ticked boxes never count.
The cleanest place to ask is the booking form. Here’s consent wording for Cedar & Co. Hair, a made-up salon for this example:
It names the purpose, the business, the address and phone, and how to withdraw. Reminders don’t need this box, which is why it only mentions offers. If you’re unsure whether implied consent covers someone, the CRTC’s advice is short: ask for express consent.
What must every commercial text include?
Three things: your business name, a way to reach you, and a way to unsubscribe. In a text, the contact details can sit behind a link.
In practice, a compliant text ends like this:
The link goes to a page with your address, phone and an unsubscribe option. Federal guidance from ISED makes the practical point plainly: offering STOP isn’t enough, the request has to be respected when someone uses it.
What happens if you get it wrong, and who enforces CASL?
The CRTC enforces the rules on commercial messages, and the maximum penalties are large, though the stated aim is compliance rather than punishment.
If you receive spam texts yourself, the federal government’s Spam Reporting Centre takes reports online. Unwanted phone calls go to the National Do Not Call List instead.
You don’t need to memorize any of this if your system does it for you. In the system we build, every text names your business and carries the STOP line, STOP applies immediately, and the consent box on your booking page is never pre-ticked. See what it sends on our AI automation page, then start with a free demo site, built within 48 hours of a 15-minute call, or a free video audit of the texts you send today.
Questions people ask
What does CASL stand for?
Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation. It's the common name for the federal statute S.C. 2010, c. 23, whose official title is a long sentence about electronic commerce. The CRTC enforces its rules on commercial electronic messages, and texts are included.
Does CASL apply to all types of electronic messages?
No. It applies to commercial electronic messages sent to an electronic address, such as an email account or a phone number used for texting. Live voice calls, faxes and voice recordings sent to a phone are excluded by section 6(8), and unsolicited calls fall under the CRTC's telemarketing rules instead.
Is an appointment reminder text covered by CASL?
CASL applies, but a reminder that solely confirms or facilitates a booking the client made is generally carved out of the consent requirement by section 6(6)(b). It still needs your business name, your contact details or a link to them, and a way to reply STOP.
What should a CASL consent request for texts say?
What you will text about, who is asking, your mailing address plus a phone number, email or website, and that the person can withdraw consent at any time (section 10(1) and the CRTC regulations, s.4). Use an unticked box, separate from your terms, and keep a record of every yes.
How do I add an unsubscribe option to a text message?
End every commercial text with “Reply STOP to opt out” and make sure a STOP reply actually stops the messages. The CRTC also accepts a link to a page where the person can unsubscribe. Either way, requests must be honoured without delay and within 10 business days.
Sources
- Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation, S.C. 2010, c. 23 (Justice Laws) · checked 2026-10-18
- Electronic Commerce Protection Regulations (CRTC), SOR/2012-36 · checked 2026-10-18
- Electronic Commerce Protection Regulations, SOR/2013-221 · checked 2026-10-18
- CRTC — Frequently asked questions about Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation · checked 2026-10-18
- ISED — Texting for good client relations · checked 2026-10-18
- Government of Canada — Report spam (Spam Reporting Centre) · checked 2026-10-18
