What causes 'Permanent Error Evaluating DMARC Policy' bounce message?
Summary
What email marketers say10Marketer opinions
Email marketer from Stack Overflow explains that this error occurs due to an unparseable DMARC record. The suggested action is to validate the DMARC record for syntax errors, use a DMARC record checker, and ensure it conforms to the standard.
Email marketer from Email on Acid shares that if the DMARC record has been recently updated, it might not have propagated across all DNS servers yet. This can cause temporary evaluation errors. The advice is to wait 24-48 hours for full propagation after making changes to a DMARC record.
Email marketer from MXToolbox shares that one reason for this error is incorrect or incomplete DMARC configurations. The user is advised to use MXToolbox's DMARC record lookup tool to check for issues, such as missing or incorrect tags, or general syntax errors.
Email marketer from dmarcian explains that an invalid domain name used in the rua or ruf tags within the DMARC record could cause a permanent error. The domain needs to be a valid domain.
Email marketer from Word to the Wise responds that a 'Permanent Error Evaluating DMARC Policy' is caused by a malformed record, which can cause issues with SPF, DKIM, or DMARC. You should check your published record with a 3rd party validation tool.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that a possible cause for this error is the DMARC record not being properly published or propagated, DNS issues, or interference from other DNS records. Ensure the DMARC record is correctly published and reachable.
Email marketer from Superuser explains that intermittent DNS issues can cause a temporary failure to retrieve or parse the DMARC record. Although usually temporary, persistent issues can result in ongoing DMARC evaluation errors. They suggest checking DNS propagation and server stability.
Marketer from Email Geeks shares that temporary errors evaluating DMARC policy might be returned on DNS lookup failures, specifically noting it was returned from a Proofpoint MX record.
Marketer from Email Geeks mentions that the bounce response is issued by Proofpoint, not Google.
Marketer from Email Geeks suggests the error sounds like the DMARC policy in DNS is malformed, causing a permanent evaluation error. They also found some malformed records missing the "mailto" in the rua declaration and also errors caused by extra dots in the DMARC record.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Experts from Email Geeks concur with the idea of a malformed DMARC record being the problem. Further information was found stating it could be extra dots in the DMARC record causing it.
Expert from Email Geeks shares details of a unique bounce message: "554 5.7.5 Permanent Error Evaluating DMARC Policy" from Google and wonders if it indicates a DNS failure or a malformed DMARC policy.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that a 'Permanent Error Evaluating DMARC Policy' often indicates a syntax error or other issue within the DMARC record itself. They advise carefully reviewing the record for any mistakes in formatting, tags, or values that might be causing the parsing failure.
Expert from Word to the Wise notes that a permanent error evaluating DMARC policy often stems from configuration mistakes within the DMARC record or related DNS settings. This includes incorrect syntax, invalid tags, or improperly configured DNS entries. It is essential to double-check the setup with a reliable DMARC validation tool.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from EasyDMARC explains the most common DMARC syntax errors include typos, incorrect tag usage (e.g., using 'ru' instead of 'rua'), invalid characters, and incorrect order of tags. It also mentions that some DNS providers have limitations on record length, which can lead to truncation and errors.
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains a permanent DMARC error may occur if the DMARC record itself is malformed. This could be due to syntax errors, incorrect tags, or values that do not conform to the DMARC specification. They suggest checking the DMARC record syntax and structure.
Documentation from RFC Editor states that errors in the DMARC record format will cause the policy to fail. This document outlines the official specifications and guidelines to ensure correct implementation.
Documentation from DMARC Analyzer shares common DMARC record mistakes such as syntax errors, incorrect tag usage, invalid characters, or exceeding length limits. The article recommends using a DMARC record validator to identify and correct these errors.
Documentation from Agari explains that the DNS record length can be a factor. A DMARC record that exceeds the maximum allowable length can be truncated, leading to syntax errors.