Grenadian businesses often ask a simple question: what law actually governs a marketing email sent from St. George’s? The honest answer is that Grenada’s framework is still being completed. There is no dedicated anti-spam statute, the main privacy law has been passed but is not yet in force, and many of the strictest rules that affect you come from the countries where your recipients live. This page sets out the pieces.
This page is general information, not legal advice. For decisions about your own campaigns, speak to a lawyer in Grenada.
The Data Protection Act, 2023
Parliament passed the Data Protection Act, 2023 (Act No. 1 of 2023), and it was published in the Official Gazette in May 2023. It takes effect only on a date the Prime Minister appoints by Order in the Gazette, possibly in stages, and, as far as we could verify at the time of writing, that has not yet happened. Check the current status before relying on this page.
Once in force, the Act will matter for anyone keeping a mailing list. It is built around consent as the main basis for processing personal data, alongside other grounds such as performing a contract. It sets out principles on notice and choice, disclosure, security, retention, data integrity and access, and it gives individuals rights to see and correct the data held about them. It also creates an Information Commission to handle complaints and take enforcement action. A list built on clear, recorded consent is the best way to prepare.
The Electronic Crimes Act, 2013
The Electronic Crimes Act contains a section headed “spoof and spam”. It is aimed at deception rather than at ordinary newsletters: sending electronic messages from a counterfeit source, sending multiple emails intended to mislead recipients or providers about where they came from, and falsifying header information. These are criminal offences. A legitimate business sending from its own authenticated domain, under its own name, is on the right side of this line. It is one more reason to set up SPF and DKIM properly.
The Electronic Transactions Act, 2008
This Act gives electronic records and transactions legal effect in Grenada, which underpins online contracts, e-receipts and digital sign-ups. It does not set rules for marketing messages.
Telecoms and SMS: NTRC and ECTEL
Grenada’s telecoms sector is overseen by the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC), working within the regional framework of the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL). In April 2024, Grenada’s Parliament approved ECTEL’s Electronic Communications Bill, which modernises the sector’s rules. These bodies regulate operators and networks, not individual marketing texts, so there is no Grenadian SMS marketing code comparable to those in some other countries. Operators can still filter messages that look like abuse, so consent matters for SMS as well. See our SMS marketing page for practical rules.
The laws your recipients bring with them
This is where most Grenadian senders face real obligations. If your list includes people abroad, their local rules apply to the messages you send them:
- United States: CAN-SPAM requires accurate headers, a non-misleading subject line, a postal address and a working opt-out honoured promptly. Texts to US mobiles also fall under the TCPA.
- Canada: CASL requires consent before sending commercial electronic messages, including texts. See our summary of Canadian emailing law.
- European Union and United Kingdom: the GDPR and UK GDPR, together with each country’s e-privacy rules, generally require opt-in consent for marketing to individuals.
With tourism, the university community and the diaspora, a typical Grenadian list includes many of these people. Treating the strictest standard as your baseline is usually simpler than running different rules for each country.
A practical compliance checklist
- Collect opt-in consent with a clear statement of what people will receive, and keep a record of when and how.
- Identify your business clearly in every message, with a physical address.
- Include a one-click unsubscribe link and act on it straight away. Mailpro handles unsubscribes automatically.
- Never buy or rent email lists.
- Keep personal data secure and only for as long as you need it.
Where your data is stored
Mailpro hosts customer data in Switzerland on private infrastructure, outside US jurisdiction, with TLS 1.3 encryption, and never sells or rents contact data. Switzerland has an EU adequacy decision, and Mailpro is built for GDPR compliance, which helps when your list includes European recipients.
What changes when the Data Protection Act comes into force
Businesses that already work on a consent basis will find the transition straightforward. Those that have built lists informally, from business cards, old booking records or bought lists, should use the time now to tidy up. In practice, expect to need:
- A clear record of how and when each contact agreed to receive marketing.
- A privacy notice explaining what you collect, why and who you share it with.
- A simple process for handling requests from people who want to see or correct their data.
- Reasonable security measures for personal data, including in the tools you use.
- A habit of deleting data you no longer need.
Watch for announcements from the Government of Grenada and, once it is set up, the Information Commission, which will be the main source of guidance.
SMS and WhatsApp messages
Text messages are subject to the same principles as email. Collect a phone number for marketing only with the person’s agreement, identify your business in the message and honour “STOP” requests. For customers in the United States, the TCPA applies to marketing texts, and Canadian numbers are covered by CASL. Messaging apps have their own business policies, which usually require opt-in as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to register with anyone to send newsletters from Grenada?
No. There is no registration for email marketing senders. Your obligations come from how you collect and use data, and from the laws that apply to your recipients.
Can I email business contacts without consent?
Grenadian law does not currently set a specific rule on business-to-business email. But if the contact is in Canada, the EU or the UK, their rules may still require consent or a close existing relationship. When in doubt, ask.
Can I use a list I bought?
We strongly advise against it. Bought lists produce bounces and complaints, damage your sender reputation and are incompatible with consent-based laws abroad. Mailpro does not allow purchased lists.
Does sending from Grenada exempt me from foreign laws?
No. Laws such as CASL and the GDPR are generally applied based on where the recipient is, not where the sender is based. If you deliberately market to people in those countries, plan to meet their rules.
For more detail, read whether email campaigns are legal in Grenada and how to get permission to send them.