Where should a DMARC record be created in DNS?

A DMARC record MUST be created as a TXT record under the specific hostname '_dmarc.yourdomain.com' (never at the apex domain directly).

What is the difference between p=none, p=quarantine, and p=reject?

'p=none' monitors and generates reports without affecting delivery. 'p=quarantine' directs failing emails to spam/junk folders. 'p=reject' blocks failing emails outright.

How do I check if my domain has DMARC enabled?

Query the TXT record for '_dmarc.yourdomain.com' in our DNS Lookup tool or run 'dig TXT _dmarc.example.com' from terminal.

Home/DNS Lookup/DMARC Record

SPF

DNS Resource Record Type

DMARC Record: Domain-based Message Authentication (DMARC)

Email authentication, policy enforcement, and reporting protocol built on top of SPF and DKIM.

Record Type

DMARC

Query Protocol

DNS Port 53

Standard / RFC

RFC 7489

Recommended TTL

3600 seconds

Query Live DMARC Records

Query any domain name to inspect authoritative DMARC records, response latency, and TTL values.

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BIND Zone File Syntax

Standard BIND representation of this record in authoritative master zone files:

_dmarc.example.com. 3600 IN TXT "v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@example.com; pct=100"

Recommended TTL: 3600 seconds (1 hour).

Common Configuration Pitfalls

Setting 'p=reject' before verifying that legitimate marketing and transactional email services pass SPF and DKIM alignment, resulting in lost business emails.
Omitting the required 'v=DMARC1' version tag at the beginning of the record.
Publishing the DMARC record at the root apex (@) instead of the mandatory '_dmarc' host prefix.

How the DMARC Record Operates in DNS Resolution

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) is a DNS TXT record published at the '_dmarc' subdomain. It allows domain owners to publish enforcement policies (p=none, p=quarantine, p=reject) dictating how receiving mail servers should handle incoming emails that fail SPF or DKIM alignment checks, and specifies reporting addresses for forensic and aggregate telemetry.

Explore Other DNS Record Types

Frequently Asked Questions

Technical answers and configuration advice for DNS DMARC records.

A DMARC record is a DNS TXT record published at _dmarc.yourdomain.com that instructs receiving email servers how to handle emails that fail SPF or DKIM checks.