A Quick Guide to NZ's Anti-Spam Law
The Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act ("anti-spam law") came into effect in New Zealand on 5th September 2007.
We've put together this quick guide to help New Zealand business owners avoid issues with email communications.
NOTE: This is a general guide only. If you have any doubt whether your business emails comply with the law, we suggest you consult your lawyer.
The Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act - in a nutshell
The Act is the NZ government's way of joining the international "war" against spam. It encourages businesses to adopt email best practices, and enables action against those who don't comply.
What it means to you as a business person
When planning to send emails (even one-off messages), you MUST make sure that you
- gain prior consent before sending any email
- record when, where and how that consent was given, in order to produce evidence should any issues arise
- clearly identify who the email is from and supply contact details, which must be valid for at least 30 days from the date of the email
- provide a free, clear and easy to use mechanism for people to unsubscribe from your messages, which also must remain valid for at least 30 days
- action all requests to unsubscribe within 5 working days from the date of receipt
Further reading
What the Act means for businesses
PDF guide for businesses
Frequently asked questions
Should NZ business owners panic about how to comply?
Can you really send that email?
Want to lose half-a-million bucks?
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