Glossary
Glossary1 min read

DMARC

DMARC tells receivers what to do when SPF or DKIM fails and reports who sends mail in your name. A definition, with the in-depth guide linked.

RT
RepMail Team

Product & Engineering · July 17, 2026 · 1 min read

DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance) is the policy layer over SPF and DKIM. It requires the authenticated domain to align with your visible From address, and tells receivers whether to accept, quarantine, or reject mail that fails.

Its three policies are p=none (monitor), p=quarantine, and p=reject. Roll them out in that order.

See the full guide: Full guide: DMARC policies.

Resources in this guide

DMARC policies
Reference
PolicyEffect
p=noneMonitor and report only
p=quarantineSend failures to spam
p=rejectReject failures outright
dmarc
authentication
dns
glossary

Frequently asked questions

What is DMARC alignment?

Alignment requires the domain that passed SPF or DKIM to match the domain in your From address, which is what stops impersonators from forging your name.

Continue learning

Full guide: DMARC policies

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