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DMARC verification failed

The DMARC record card on the deliverability dashboard shows a red Failed badge, even though you’ve added the record to your DNS settings.

What’s happening

Section titled “What’s happening”

The most common cause is a casing error in the DMARC record value. The DMARC protocol requires the version tag to be v=DMARC1 in uppercase. A value starting with v=dmarc1 (lowercase) is invalid and causes verification to fail.

Other causes include:

  • The record hasn’t finished propagating through DNS (can take up to 48 hours after being added).
  • A typo or extra character in the Host or Value.
  • Some DNS providers (including Cloudflare) automatically wrap TXT values in double quotes. If you also add quotes manually, the value is malformed.
  • The record was added as the wrong type — DMARC requires a TXT record, not a CNAME.

How to fix it

Section titled “How to fix it”

1. Check for the uppercase v=DMARC1 tag

Section titled “1. Check for the uppercase v=DMARC1 tag”
  1. Log in to your DNS provider and find the DMARC TXT record (typically at _dmarc.yourorg.org or just _dmarc).
  2. Check that the value starts exactly with v=DMARC1; — capital letters, no space before the semicolon.
  3. Go to Email > Deliverability in MapleGather and compare your DNS value to the value shown on the DMARC record card. Copy the value from the card directly — it is confirmed correct.
  4. If you find a discrepancy, update the record and save.

2. Wait for propagation

Section titled “2. Wait for propagation”
  1. After making a correction, wait at least 15 minutes before selecting Verify on the DMARC card. Full propagation can take up to 48 hours.

3. Check for double-quoting

Section titled “3. Check for double-quoting”
  1. If your DNS provider (such as Cloudflare) automatically adds double-quote characters around TXT values, don’t add your own quotes when entering the value.
  2. In your provider’s edit UI, the raw value you type should not start and end with " — if the provider adds quotes, they’ll be shown differently in the UI.

4. Confirm the record type is TXT

Section titled “4. Confirm the record type is TXT”
  1. Find the DMARC record in your DNS settings and confirm its type is TXT, not CNAME, A, or any other type.

If that didn’t work

Section titled “If that didn’t work”
  • Use an external DNS lookup tool to query your _dmarc TXT record and see exactly what DNS is serving. Compare it character by character to the value on the record card.
  • Contact your DNS provider to confirm that TXT records at the _dmarc prefix are supported.
  • Contact MapleGather support if the record looks correct in external tools but still fails verification.
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