Critical SeverityDMARC

Fix: No DMARC Record Found

Your domain does not have a DMARC TXT record at _dmarc.yourdomain.com. Without DMARC, there is no policy telling receivers what to do with emails that fail SPF and DKIM authentication.

Quick Fix

Add a DMARC TXT record at `_dmarc.yourdomain.com`.

What This Error Means

No DMARC DNS record was found for your domain. This means even if you have SPF and DKIM configured, there is no policy instructing receivers on how to handle authentication failures.

Why It Matters

DMARC is the policy layer that ties SPF and DKIM together. Without it, spoofed emails from your domain have a higher chance of being delivered. Google and Yahoo require DMARC for bulk senders.

Step-by-Step Fix

1

Create a basic DMARC record

Start with a monitoring-only policy to collect data before enforcing.

Example
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected]
2

Add the TXT record to DNS

Create a TXT record at the _dmarc subdomain.

Example
Type: TXT
Host: _dmarc
Value: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected]
TTL: 3600
3

Set up a reporting address

The rua address will receive aggregate reports. Consider using a DMARC report processor to parse the XML reports into readable dashboards.

4

Verify the record

Check that the DMARC record is published and parseable.

Example
dig +short TXT _dmarc.yourdomain.com
# Expected: "v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected]"
5

Plan enforcement upgrade

After 2-4 weeks of monitoring reports, plan to upgrade to p=quarantine and eventually p=reject.

Common Gotchas

  • The DMARC record must be at exactly _dmarc.yourdomain.com (a TXT record on the _dmarc subdomain). Putting it on the root domain will not work.
  • If you send DMARC reports to a different domain, the receiving domain must publish a DNS authorization record at yourdomain.com._report._dmarc.otherdomain.com.
  • Starting with p=reject without monitoring first can block legitimate email. Always start with p=none.

Verify Your Fix

After making changes, use our free scanner to verify the fix is working correctly. DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate, but most propagate within minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the simplest DMARC record I can start with?

The simplest functional DMARC record is: v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:[email protected] — This monitors without enforcing, and sends you aggregate reports.

Do I need SPF and DKIM before setting up DMARC?

DMARC checks alignment with SPF and/or DKIM, so at least one should be configured. Ideally, set up both SPF and DKIM before deploying DMARC.

Is DMARC required?

As of 2024, Google and Yahoo require DMARC for domains sending more than 5,000 emails per day. Even for smaller senders, DMARC is strongly recommended.

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