If you've just published a DMARC record or you're not even sure if you have one the first thing you'll want to do is check whether it's actually working. A misconfigured DMARC record won't protect your domain, and in some cases, it can quietly cause legitimate emails to fail or end up in spam.

The good news? Validating your DMARC record takes less than a minute. You don't need to be a DNS expert or hire anyone to do it. You just need the right tool.

Why Validating Your DMARC Record Matters

DMARC — which stands for Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance — tells receiving mail servers what to do when an email fails authentication checks. If your record has a typo, missing tags, or an incorrect policy value, those instructions either won't be read or won't be enforced properly.

That's a problem whether you're running a small business or sending thousands of emails a day. Google and Yahoo now require DMARC for bulk senders, and more inbox providers are following that direction. A broken record means your domain is exposed to spoofing, your emails may land in junk folders, and your brand reputation takes a hit without you even knowing it's happening.

Validating your record doesn't just confirm it exists — it checks that the syntax is correct, the policy is readable, and there are no conflicts that could undermine your email security.

What Does a Valid DMARC Record Look Like?

A basic DMARC record looks something like this:

v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:reports@yourdomain.com

Each tag has a specific meaning:

• v=DMARC1 — Identifies this as a DMARC record (required)

• p= — The policy: none (monitor only), quarantine (send to spam), or reject (block the message)

• rua= — Where aggregate reports are sent

• ruf= — Where forensic (failure) reports go

• adkim= — DKIM alignment mode (r for relaxed, s for strict)

• aspf= — SPF alignment mode (r for relaxed, s for strict)

• pct= — Percentage of emails the policy applies to (defaults to 100)

Even one small error in that string — a missing semicolon, a wrong tag name, an invalid email address in the rua field — is enough to make your record unreadable to receiving mail servers.

The Easiest Way to Validate Your DMARC Record

The quickest and most reliable way to check your DMARC record is to use Dmarclytics' free Domain Intelligence tool.

You simply enter your domain name, and it instantly pulls your live DMARC record from DNS and tells you:

• Whether a DMARC record exists at all

• Whether the syntax and tag values are valid

• What policy is currently set (none, quarantine, or reject)

• Whether your SPF and DKIM records are also in place

• Any obvious configuration gaps that need attention

There's no account required to run a basic check. It uses publicly available DNS data and gives you results in seconds. For most people, this is all you need to confirm your record is live and readable.

What Happens After Validation?

Validation tells you your record is technically correct, but it doesn't tell you whether your emails are actually passing authentication in the wild. That's where ongoing monitoring comes in.

Once you've confirmed your record is valid, the next step is to start collecting DMARC aggregate reports. These reports — sent daily by inbox providers like Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo — show you which sources are sending email from your domain and whether those emails are passing or failing SPF and DKIM checks.

Dmarclytics parses and visualises those reports for you in a clear dashboard. Instead of sifting through raw XML files, you get a plain-English breakdown of what's passing, what's failing, and which senders may need their authentication records updated.

Common DMARC Validation Errors to Watch Out For

Even experienced teams make mistakes when setting up DMARC records. Here are some of the most common issues a validation tool will flag:

• Missing the v=DMARC1 tag — This is required and must be the first tag in the record

• Invalid policy value — Only none, quarantine, and reject are accepted

• No rua tag — Without a reporting address, you'll never receive aggregate data

• Multiple DMARC records on the same domain — Only one TXT record at _dmarc.yourdomain.com is permitted

• Typos in the reporting email address — If the rua address is wrong, reports never arrive

• pct value outside 0–100 — Some tools will still publish this, but it's invalid

A good validator catches all of these before they become real-world delivery problems.

Free vs. Paid: What's the Difference?

The free Domain Intelligence check on Dmarclytics is designed for quick spot-checks — verifying your record exists, confirming the syntax, and checking your SPF and DKIM status at the same time. It's the right starting point for anyone setting up DMARC for the first time or troubleshooting a suspected misconfiguration.

For teams that want to go further — tracking who's sending from their domain, monitoring pass/fail rates over time, receiving alerts when something changes, and moving confidently from p=none to p=reject — Dmarclytics offers a full monitoring platform with a free 14-day trial.

The difference is the difference between a one-time health check and continuous visibility. Both matter, but for most domains, the process starts with validation.

How to Validate Your DMARC Record Right Now

It takes about 30 seconds. Here's all you need to do:

1. Go to dmarclytics.io

2. Enter your domain name in the search field

3. Review your DMARC, SPF, and DKIM results instantly

4. If there are issues flagged, update your DNS record accordingly

5. Re-run the check after your DNS changes propagate (usually within an hour)

If no DMARC record is found, the tool will let you know — and you can use the built-in record generator to create one from scratch.

The Bottom Line

A DMARC record that exists but isn't configured correctly offers very little real protection. Validating it is a simple step that most domain owners skip — and it's often the reason emails go to spam or spoofing goes undetected.

Dmarclytics' Domain Intelligence tool gives you an instant read on your current setup at no cost. Whether you're just getting started with DMARC or doing a routine health check, it's the fastest way to know exactly where your domain stands.

Check your DMARC record now →

Ready to go beyond validation? Start a free trial and see every sender, every authentication result, and every potential threat — all in one place.