# What is DMARC? Definition and examples · Leadraft

URL: https://leadraft.co/glossary/dmarc
Summary: DMARC is a DNS policy that tells receivers what to do with mail that fails SPF and DKIM alignment for your domain, and where to send reports.

Glossary · Email & deliverability · Last updated October 31, 2026

# DMARC

DMARC is a DNS policy that tells receivers what to do with mail that fails SPF and DKIM alignment for your domain, and where to send reports.

**Also called:** Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance.

DMARC builds on SPF and DKIM. It checks that at least one of them passes \*and\* aligns with the domain in the visible From address. A domain publishes a TXT record at `_dmarc.yourdomain.com`, such as `v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:reports@yourdomain.com`, where `p` is the policy: `none` (monitor), `quarantine` or `reject`.

The original specification was RFC 7489. In 2026 the IETF published RFC 9989, a standards-track version that obsoletes it, with reporting split into companion documents. Records still start `v=DMARC1`.

Google requires bulk senders to Gmail to publish DMARC, and says the policy can be `none`. Yahoo requires a valid DMARC policy of at least `p=none` that passes. Outlook.com requires `p=none` or stricter, aligned with SPF or DKIM, for domains sending more than 5,000 emails a day.

For cold email, publish at least `p=none` on each sending domain and read the aggregate reports for a few weeks. They show every server sending as your domain, which catches forgotten tools before you tighten the policy.

## Example

An agency publishes `v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@getacmeagency.com`. Reports show its sequencer is passing DKIM but not SPF alignment, which is fine for DMARC because one aligned pass is enough.

## Sources

1.  1.[IETF, RFC 9989: Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC)](https://www.rfc-editor.org/info/rfc9989)
2.  2.[Google, Email sender guidelines](https://support.google.com/a/answer/81126)
3.  3.[Yahoo, Sender best practices](https://senders.yahooinc.com/best-practices/)
4.  4.[Microsoft, Outlook.com Postmaster policies](https://substrate.office.com/ip-domain-management-snds/postmaster/Policies)

## Related terms

-   [SPFSPF (Sender Policy Framework) is a DNS record that lists which servers are allowed to send email for a domain, so receivers can spot forgeries.](https://leadraft.co/glossary/spf)
-   [DKIMDKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) is a cryptographic signature added to email so receivers can verify which domain sent it and that it wasn't altered.](https://leadraft.co/glossary/dkim)
-   [Email deliverabilityEmail deliverability is the ability of your emails to reach recipients' inboxes rather than bouncing or landing in spam.](https://leadraft.co/glossary/email-deliverability)
-   [Sender reputationSender reputation is the trust mailbox providers place in your sending domain and IP, built from complaints, bounces, authentication and engagement.](https://leadraft.co/glossary/sender-reputation)

## Further reading

-   [Cold-email checklist for agencies](https://leadraft.co/blog/cold-email-checklist-for-agencies)

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Last built: 2026-11-09