What do bounce error messages 550 5.7.1 and 554 mean and how to resolve them?

Email marketer from EmailToolTester says 550 and 554 error codes mean the email was blocked by the recipient's server. Check to make sure you're not sending spam-like content and that the recipient's address is correct.

Email marketer from SparkPost says 550 errors mean that the message wasn't delivered because the destination mailbox was invalid or the user doesn't have permission to receive messages. They advise handling these failures and removing the email addresses to improve deliverability.

Email marketer from Reddit explains that a 550 error usually means the recipient's server is refusing the message. Common causes include the recipient address not existing, or your IP/domain being blacklisted. They suggest verifying the email address and checking your sender reputation.

Email marketer from ActiveCampaign explains that 5xx errors are hard bounces, meaning the email address is invalid and needs to be removed from your sending list. They highlight the importance of maintaining a clean list for email deliverability.

Email marketer from Mailjet shares that 550 errors often indicate a permanent failure and means the receiving server is rejecting the email. It may be due to a non-existent email address or a policy block. They suggest verifying the recipient's email address and checking for any deliverability issues with the sender's domain.

Email marketer from WebHostingTalk forum shares that 550 indicates a problem receiving emails to that user/domain. It could be that it doesn't exist, or that the destination server is refusing emails for other reasons (such as being blacklisted). Contact the postmaster to confirm.

Email marketer from SendGrid explains that a 550 error generally indicates a permanent failure, meaning the receiving server could not or would not deliver the email. This could be due to an invalid email address, spam filtering, or a blocked sender. They recommend cleaning your email list and improving your sender reputation.

Email marketer from StackOverflow explains that a 554 error often indicates that the email was rejected due to content filtering or security policies on the recipient's server. They advise reviewing the email content for potential spam triggers or reaching out to the recipient to whitelist the sender.

Email marketer from Postmark states that 5xx errors represent permanent failures and that email addresses should automatically be removed from your mailing list to maintain a good sender reputation. Addresses that trigger 5xx errors will never be able to be delivered to so are a waste to keep on the list.

Expert from Email Geeks explains the bounce messages indicate spam/reputation blocking, and the receiving ISP likely doesn't want the mail. Because Megan is not the ESP, she should contact her ESP to get more information.

Expert from Email Geeks suggests that since Megan is on a shared Amazon IP, the issue is likely with Amazon's IP reputation and recommends that Megan contact Amazon.

Expert from Email Geeks recommends ensuring DKIM is properly set up and offers to test Megan's email authentication configuration.

Expert from Word to the Wise explains that bounce messages (including 550 errors) can be caused by issues such as a bad IP address, being on a blocklist, or problems with email authentication. She recommends checking your sending infrastructure and ensuring proper authentication is set up.

Documentation from Microsoft Learn explains that the 550 5.7.1 error indicates a general delivery issue, often due to sender IP address being blocked or a problem with the sender's email authentication. Resolution involves contacting the recipient's email administrator or the sender's email service provider to investigate and resolve the blocking or authentication issue.

Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help indicates that a 550 error can mean that there is a problem with the recipient's email address. Google suggests you contact them by phone to confirm the address and check if they are rejecting your emails, or contact the domain host to confirm if the domain is accepting emails.

Documentation from Mimecast Community explains the 554 error means the email was rejected due to security policies. This can be due to a local blocklist or content-based block. They suggest reviewing Mimecast's documentation or contacting support to understand the specific filtering rule triggered.

Documentation from RFC Editor explains that the 5.7.1 SMTP enhanced status code generally indicates a delivery policy violation. This means the sender lacks the authorization to send to the recipient, or the email content violates the receiving system's policy.

Documentation from cPanel Documentation suggests a 550 error code typically indicates that the email account is unavailable or does not exist on the receiving server. The email address may have been entered incorrectly, or the account may have been deleted.