What Is a DMARC Record?
DMARC is a short TXT record in your domain's DNS that tells Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook and other mailbox providers what to do with email that claims to come from you but fails SPF and DKIM checks. It can let that mail through, send it to spam or block it, and it asks receivers to email you daily reports about who is sending mail with your domain.
DMARC is no longer optional for marketers. The Google email sender guidelines require it for anyone sending about 5,000 or more messages a day to Gmail, with at least p=none and a From domain that aligns with SPF or DKIM. Yahoo and Microsoft Outlook have similar rules. This generator builds a correct record, and the checker reads an existing one against RFC 9989, the updated DMARC standard published in May 2026.
How to Create and Add Your DMARC Record
- Set up SPF and DKIM first. DMARC builds on them. Your email platform shows the records to add for both.
- Enter your domain and a report address, then keep the policy on
nonefor your first record. - Copy the host and value into your DNS panel as a new TXT record. In most panels the host is just
_dmarc. - Read the reports for 2 to 4 weeks. Make sure every tool that sends for you, such as your newsletter, CRM and shop, passes.
- Tighten the policy to
quarantine, thenreject. Paste the live record into the checker after each change.
DMARC Tags Explained
| Tag | Example | What it does |
|---|---|---|
v | v=DMARC1 | Version. Required, and it must come first |
p | p=quarantine | What to do with failing mail: none, quarantine or reject |
rua | rua=mailto:dmarc@yourshop.in | Where daily aggregate reports go. Strongly recommended |
sp and np | sp=reject | Policies for subdomains, and for subdomains that do not exist. They default to p |
adkim and aspf | adkim=s | Relaxed (the default) accepts subdomains of your domain, strict needs an exact match |
t | t=y | New test mode. Receivers apply the next softer policy, so reject acts like quarantine |
pct, ri, rf | pct=50 | Removed in RFC 9989. Receivers ignore them, so you can delete them |
The full tag list is in RFC 9989 on the RFC Editor site. Google's sender guidelines FAQ covers what Gmail checks.
Practical Tips
- Only one record per domain. Two DMARC records cancel each other out. Edit the existing one instead of adding another.
- Use a separate mailbox for reports. Aggregate reports are XML files and busy domains get many a day. A free or paid DMARC report service makes them readable.
- Do not jump to reject. A newsletter tool or invoice system you forgot about will have its mail blocked. Fix every sender in the reports first.
- Clean up old tags. If your record still has
pct, it no longer softens anything under the new standard. Uset=yfor testing instead.
Make Sure Your Emails Arrive
Authentication gets you to the inbox; good content keeps you there. Read our email marketing strategy guide, learn about consent and lists in data privacy and first party data, and if your site sends mail from code, see how to send email in PHP. Then polish your next campaign with the email subject line tester.
Frequently Asked Questions
1What is the best DMARC policy to start with?
Start with p=none and a rua report address. It changes nothing for your mail but shows you every service sending as your domain. After 2 to 4 weeks of clean reports, move to p=quarantine and then to p=reject for full protection.
2Where do I add the DMARC record?
Add it as a TXT record in the DNS settings where your domain is managed, such as your domain registrar, hosting panel or Cloudflare. Most panels want the host as _dmarc, and they add your domain for you. It is not added inside your email marketing tool.
3Is DMARC required to send email to Gmail?
Google requires DMARC for anyone sending about 5,000 or more messages a day to Gmail accounts, with a policy of at least p=none and a From domain aligned with SPF or DKIM. Smaller senders need SPF or DKIM, but DMARC is still strongly recommended.
4What changed in DMARC with RFC 9989?
RFC 9989, published in May 2026, replaced the original DMARC standard. It removed the pct, ri and rf tags, added np for subdomains that do not exist, t for test mode and psd for domain registries. Existing records keep working, and receivers simply ignore the removed tags.