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Email DNS error codes

When our domain checks find a problem, this is what it means and how to fix it.

SPF

SPF_MISSING SPF record missing (SPF_MISSING) No TXT record starting with v=spf1 was found at the root of the domain, so receiving servers cannot check which servers are allowed to send mail for it. MULTIPLE_SPF_RECORDS Multiple SPF records (MULTIPLE_SPF_RECORDS) More than one TXT record starting with v=spf1 was found on the domain. A domain may publish only one SPF record. MISSING_ALL SPF record has no "all" mechanism (MISSING_ALL) The SPF record has no all mechanism at the end, so it never tells receivers how to treat servers that are not listed. DNS_LOOKUP_LIMIT SPF exceeds 10 DNS lookups (DNS_LOOKUP_LIMIT) Evaluating the SPF record requires more than 10 DNS-querying mechanisms (include, a, mx, ptr, exists, redirect), which exceeds the limit set by the SPF standard. SPF_PROVIDER_NOT_INCLUDED Mailbox provider not in SPF (SPF_PROVIDER_NOT_INCLUDED) An SPF record exists, but it does not authorize the mail provider that actually sends for this mailbox, so messages from that provider can fail SPF.

DKIM

DKIM_NOT_FOUND DKIM record not found (DKIM_NOT_FOUND) No DKIM public key was found at <selector>._domainkey.<domain> for the selector that was checked, so receivers cannot verify a DKIM signature from this domain.

DMARC

DMARC_MISSING DMARC record missing (DMARC_MISSING) No TXT record starting with v=DMARC1 was found at _dmarc.<domain>. MULTIPLE_DMARC_RECORDS Multiple DMARC records (MULTIPLE_DMARC_RECORDS) More than one TXT record starting with v=DMARC1 was found at _dmarc.<domain>. INVALID_POLICY Invalid DMARC policy (INVALID_POLICY) The DMARC record’s p= tag is missing or has a value other than none, quarantine or reject, or the record does not start with v=DMARC1.

MX

MX_MISSING MX record missing (MX_MISSING) No MX record was found for the domain, so there is no published server to receive mail for it.

Blacklist

RBL_LISTED Domain or IP on a blocklist (RBL_LISTED) The domain or a related sending IP was found on at least one public DNS-based blocklist (RBL/DNSBL) that receivers use to filter mail.