> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.tuco.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Is iMessage Marketing Legal? TCPA & Consent Rules

> iMessage and SMS outreach is legal in the US when you follow TCPA: get prior express written consent, honor opt-outs, and respect quiet hours. How Tuco AI helps you stay compliant.

**Automated iMessage and SMS outreach is legal in the United States as long as you follow the TCPA: get prior express written consent before sending marketing texts, identify yourself, honor opt-outs immediately, and only send during allowed hours.** This page describes implementation patterns, not legal advice — always confirm specifics with your own counsel. Tuco AI gives you the primitives (consent fields, opt-out detection, suppression, message logs) to build a compliant program; how you use them is your responsibility.

## US TCPA requirements at a glance

These are the widely-reported baseline rules for marketing text messages in the US. Requirements vary by jurisdiction and change over time.

| Requirement                              | What it means                                                                                                          |
| ---------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Prior express written consent (PEWC)** | Get documented opt-in before sending marketing texts, with a "consent is not a condition of purchase" disclosure.      |
| **Quiet hours**                          | Don't send marketing texts before 8 AM or after 9 PM in the **recipient's** local time zone.                           |
| **Honor opt-outs**                       | Stop promptly when someone replies STOP / UNSUBSCRIBE / REMOVE.                                                        |
| **Sender identity**                      | Clearly identify who is messaging.                                                                                     |
| **Damages**                              | TCPA statutory damages are commonly cited at **$500–$1,500 per violating message** — treat compliance as non-optional. |

## How Tuco helps you stay compliant

<Steps>
  <Step title="Track consent on the lead">
    Store consent attributes on each lead (e.g. `hasConsentedToMessaging`, `consentSource`, `consentTimestamp`) and filter your audience to consented contacts before you send.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Detect and honor opt-outs">
    Tuco ingests inbound replies and surfaces them in the inbox and via webhooks. Classify STOP-type replies, set opt-out flags, and exclude those contacts from future sends.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Suppress and exclude">
    Maintain global suppression lists and campaign-level exclusions so you never contact opted-out or do-not-contact addresses. See [DNC handling](/features/dnc).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Keep records">
    Use Tuco's message and webhook history as evidence of what was sent and when, correlated with your own consent records.
  </Step>
</Steps>

See the full [compliance & opt-outs](/features/compliance-and-optouts) and [anti-spam guidelines](/features/anti-spam-guidelines) references.

## Is automated iMessage against Apple's rules?

Apple's officially sanctioned business channel is **Apple Messages for Business**, which is designed for customer-initiated conversations and requires a human escalation path — it is not an outbound marketing-blast tool. Tuco is built for reaching your **own consented contacts** with identified, opt-out-respecting outreach. Keep your audiences opt-in, honor every STOP, and don't message people who never agreed to hear from you.

## Frequently asked questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Is it legal to send marketing texts over iMessage?">
    Yes, in the US, when you comply with the TCPA — prior express written consent, clear sender identity, honored opt-outs, and allowed sending hours. The same rules that govern SMS marketing apply to iMessage marketing.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does the TCPA apply to iMessage?">
    The TCPA governs marketing "calls" and text messages to mobile numbers. Treat iMessage marketing the same as SMS marketing for consent, opt-out, and timing purposes, and consult counsel for your specifics.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How do opt-outs work in Tuco?">
    Replies are ingested and available in the inbox and via webhooks. You classify opt-out language (STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, REMOVE), flag the lead, and future campaign logic excludes them. Set up suppression lists so opted-out contacts are never re-added.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What are texting quiet hours?">
    A common TCPA guideline is no marketing texts before 8 AM or after 9 PM in the recipient's local time zone. Schedule campaigns with the recipient's time zone in mind.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does Tuco give legal advice?">
    No. Tuco provides compliance primitives — consent fields, opt-out detection, suppression, and audit logs. You are responsible for how you collect consent and design campaigns; consult your legal counsel.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Card title="Compliance & opt-outs reference" icon="scale-balanced" href="/features/compliance-and-optouts">
  Consent storage, opt-out patterns, suppression, and record-keeping in detail.
</Card>