How to Check and Read Your DMARC Record
A DMARC record is what stops attackers from sending email as your domain — and tells you when they try. But a record that exists isn't the same as a record that protects you. Here's how to check whether you have one, and how to read what it actually says.
Check if you have a DMARC record
DMARC lives in a TXT record at _dmarc.yourdomain.com. From the command line:
dig +short TXT _dmarc.example.com
Or without any tools, query it over DNS-over-HTTPS in a browser:
https://dns.google/resolve?name=_dmarc.example.com&type=TXT
No result means you have no DMARC protection at all — anyone can spoof your domain. If you get a record, read on.
Read the record
A typical record looks like:
v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:dmarc@example.com; pct=100; sp=quarantine
| Tag | Meaning |
|---|---|
| v=DMARC1 | Version — must be first |
| p= | Policy for failures: none, quarantine, or reject |
| rua= | Where aggregate reports are sent |
| pct= | Percentage of mail the policy applies to (ramp with this) |
| sp= | Policy for subdomains |
The part that matters: p=
- p=none — monitor only. Reports spoofing but blocks nothing. A useful starting point, and a very common place records get stuck forever.
- p=quarantine — failing mail goes to spam.
- p=reject — failing mail is refused outright. The goal state.
If your record says p=none, you're seeing the spoofing in reports but not stopping it. The path to real protection is none → quarantine → reject, covered in how to stop email spoofing. Note that as of the 2026 DMARCbis update, enforcement by mailbox providers like Gmail and Yahoo is stricter than ever.
Keep checking it
DNS records get edited, and a record can quietly revert to p=none or disappear in a migration. Our free checker flags a missing DMARC record and a policy stuck at p=none, alongside your TLS and header posture. Check your domain below.
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