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DMARC Checker

Run a free DMARC check to validate your domain's DMARC record, see which policy you enforce, and find out what to fix to stop spoofing.

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What is a DMARC Record Checker?

A DMARC record checker validates your domain's email authentication policy by querying DNS records at _dmarc.yourdomain.com and verifying syntax, policy configuration, and alignment with SPF and DKIM standards.

Policy Detection

Automatically detect and validate your DMARC policy settings including none, quarantine, or reject enforcement levels.

Syntax Validation

Verify DMARC record syntax including proper formatting, required parameters, and semicolon placement.

Complete Protection

DMARC works with SPF and DKIM to provide comprehensive email authentication.

How DMARC Authentication Works

Policy-based email authentication and reporting

1

SPF & DKIM Check

When an email arrives, the receiving server checks SPF and DKIM authentication. DMARC requires at least one of these to pass with proper domain alignment.

2

Policy Lookup

The receiving server queries your DMARC record at _dmarc.yourdomain.com to determine how to handle emails that fail authentication.

3

Policy Enforcement

Based on your policy (none, quarantine, or reject), the server takes action and sends you aggregate reports about authentication results.

Why DMARC Records Matter

Essential for email security and brand protection

Prevent Email Spoofing

DMARC prevents attackers from sending phishing emails that appear to come from your domain. This protects your customers and brand reputation from fraudulent messages.

Gain Visibility

DMARC reports show you exactly who is sending emails on your behalf, which authentication methods are passing or failing, and potential unauthorized use of your domain.

Improve Deliverability

Email providers strongly favor domains with DMARC configured. Proper DMARC implementation significantly improves inbox placement rates and sender reputation scores.

Industry Standard

DMARC is becoming mandatory for many organizations and industries. Major email providers are increasingly requiring DMARC for bulk senders and will enforce stricter policies.

What your DMARC result means

Each tag in your DMARC record, in plain English

p=none (monitor)

Receivers deliver failing mail as usual and only send you reports. The right place to start, but it doesn't protect you from spoofing.

p=quarantine

Mail that fails DMARC goes to spam or junk. A good middle step once your reports show your own senders pass.

p=reject

Mail that fails DMARC is refused outright. The strongest protection against spoofing. BIMI logos need quarantine or reject.

rua and ruf

rua is where aggregate reports go: daily XML summaries of who sent as your domain. ruf requests per-message failure reports, which many providers no longer send.

pct

pct applies your policy to only a share of failing mail, for example pct=25 to quarantine a quarter of it while you roll out. It defaults to 100.

Alignment (adkim, aspf)

DMARC passes only when SPF or DKIM passes and its domain matches your From domain. r (relaxed) allows subdomains to match; s (strict) requires an exact match.

How to fix DMARC

  1. Publish a record if you have none. Build one with the DMARC generator, or add a TXT record at _dmarc.yourdomain.com with v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com.
  2. Fix SPF and DKIM for every sender. Confirm each service that sends as your domain passes theSPF checkerand theDKIM checker, and that it signs with your domain rather than its own.
  3. Read your aggregate reports. After a week or two, the rua reports show any legitimate source that still fails alignment.
  4. Tighten the policy step by step. Move to p=quarantine, optionally with a low pct, then to p=reject once nothing legitimate fails.

Gmail and Yahoo DMARC requirements for bulk senders

Since February 2024, Gmail and Yahoo require anyone who sends around 5,000 or more messages a day to their users to meet these rules:

  • Authenticate with both SPF and DKIM.
  • Publish a DMARC record. A policy of p=none is enough; enforcement isn't required.
  • Align the From domain with the SPF or DKIM domain, so DMARC passes.
  • Support one-click unsubscribe on marketing and subscribed messages.
  • Keep the spam complaint rate below 0.3%.

Sources:Google email sender guidelinesandYahoo sender best practices. Last checked October 2026.

Related Resources

Learn more about DMARC and email authentication

Mastering Email Authentication Guide

Complete guide to implementing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for optimal email security.

Setup DKIM, SPF, DMARC & BIMI

Step-by-step guide to configuring all email authentication protocols including BIMI.

Email Warm-Up for New Domain

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Complete Email Authentication Suite

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DKIM Checker

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Frequently Asked Questions About DMARC Records

Everything you need to know about DMARC authentication

A DMARC record is a DNS TXT record that tells receiving servers what to do with email that fails SPF or DKIM. DMARC stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance. It also asks receivers to send you reports, so you can see every service that sends email using your domain.

Your DMARC record lives in DNS as a TXT record on the _dmarc subdomain, for example _dmarc.yourdomain.com. You can see it in your DNS provider's dashboard, such as Cloudflare or GoDaddy, or run a DMARC check above to fetch it instantly. If nothing is found, your domain has no DMARC policy yet.

DMARC has three policies set by the p= tag. p=none only monitors and takes no action on failing mail. p=quarantine asks receivers to send failing mail to spam. p=reject asks them to block it outright. Most domains start at none, read their reports, then move to quarantine and reject.

Start with "v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@yourdomain.com" so you receive reports without affecting delivery. Once the reports show that all your legitimate senders pass SPF or DKIM with alignment, move to p=quarantine and then p=reject. Use a mailbox you actually monitor, or a DMARC reporting service, for the rua address.

To fix DMARC, first make sure the record exists at _dmarc.yourdomain.com and starts with v=DMARC1. Then fix the underlying authentication: every service that sends as your domain needs SPF or DKIM that passes and aligns with your From domain. Your aggregate reports show which senders fail, so you know which ones to set up.

DMARC passes when either SPF or DKIM passes and aligns with the From domain, so technically one is enough. In practice you should set up both. SPF breaks when mail is forwarded, and DKIM covers that case. Gmail and Yahoo also require both from bulk senders, alongside a DMARC record.

Yes, DMARC itself is free. It is an open standard, and publishing a record only costs a TXT entry in your DNS. What can cost money is reading the reports: aggregate reports arrive as XML files, so many teams pay for a DMARC reporting service once their volume grows. Checking your record here is free too.

Without a DMARC record, anyone can spoof your domain more easily, and you get no reports about who is sending as you. Since 2024, Gmail and Yahoo also require a DMARC record from anyone sending 5,000 or more messages a day, so bulk email without one is more likely to be filtered or rejected.

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