How to Set Up SPF for Mailchimp

Authorize Mailchimp to send marketing email on behalf of your domain by adding the correct SPF include mechanism.

Quick Answer — The Record You Need

Record Type

TXT

Host / Name

Value

v=spf1 include:servers.mcsv.net ~all

Add include:servers.mcsv.net to your existing SPF record. Do not create a second SPF record.

Step-by-Step Setup

Log in to Mailchimp

Go to mailchimp.com and sign in to your account.

Navigate to domain authentication

Go to Account > Settings > Domains. Click "Add & Verify Domain" or select your existing domain.

Check your existing SPF record

Look up your current SPF record to see if one already exists.

dig TXT yourdomain.com +short | grep spf

Add Mailchimp to your SPF record

Add include:servers.mcsv.net to your existing SPF record. If you have no SPF record, create a new TXT record at @.

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:servers.mcsv.net ~all

Verify in Mailchimp

Return to Mailchimp domain settings and click "Verify". Mailchimp will confirm the SPF record is detected.

Before & After

Before

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all

After

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:servers.mcsv.net ~all

Common Gotchas

The correct include is servers.mcsv.net, not mailchimp.com. This is Mailchimp's shared sending infrastructure.
Mailchimp's custom domain authentication (CNAME-based) may handle SPF differently. Check the specific records Mailchimp provides in your account.
If you exceed 10 DNS lookups in your SPF record, consider using SPF flattening or removing unused includes.

Verify Your Setup

After adding your DNS records, use our free SPF checker to verify everything is configured correctly. DNS changes typically propagate within minutes, but can take up to 48 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

What SPF record do I need for Mailchimp?

Add include:servers.mcsv.net to your SPF record. For example: v=spf1 include:servers.mcsv.net ~all. Combine it with your other email providers in a single SPF record.

Is Mailchimp SPF required for sending?

While Mailchimp can send without your SPF record, adding it improves deliverability and helps pass DMARC alignment checks.

What is servers.mcsv.net?

servers.mcsv.net is Mailchimp's SPF include domain. The mcsv abbreviation stands for MailChimp Server. It authorizes all of Mailchimp's mail servers to send on your behalf.