Summary
A 550 5.7.1 error indicates a permanent failure where the receiving mail server refuses to accept an email. The causes are varied but commonly relate to sender authentication problems (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), a low sender reputation (often due to spam-like content or unengaged recipients), policy violations, or the sender lacking authorization. It can also indicate a generic rejection or that the sender's domain/IP is blocklisted. Troubleshooting includes checking sender reputation, verifying email authentication settings, avoiding spammy content, complying with policies, and investigating the specific error message details.
Key findings
- Authentication Problems: Incorrect or missing SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are a primary cause of the error.
- Reputation Issues: A low sender reputation, often due to sending spam-like content or to unengaged recipients, triggers rejection.
- Policy Violations: Emails can be rejected for violating policies or triggering spam filters on the receiving server.
- Generic Rejection/Blocklisting: The error may signal a generic rejection or that the sender's domain or IP is on a blocklist.
- Permanent Failure: The 550 5.7.1 error signifies a permanent failure, indicating the message was not accepted.
Key considerations
- Check Authentication Records: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured to properly authenticate email.
- Monitor Sender Reputation: Proactively monitor sender reputation to address any issues affecting deliverability.
- Avoid Spam Triggers: Refrain from using spammy content or practices to avoid triggering spam filters.
- Comply with Policies: Adhere to recipient server policies to prevent rejections.
- Investigate Error Details: Examine the specific error message details for clues about the rejection cause.
What email marketers say
10 marketer opinions
A 550 5.7.1 error in email delivery is a general rejection message from the receiving server, indicating that it has refused to accept the email. Common reasons include issues with the sender's email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), a low sender reputation, suspicion of spam, policy violations, or the sender lacking authorization to send emails through the recipient's server. Troubleshooting steps involve checking sender reputation, verifying email authentication settings, avoiding spammy content, and ensuring compliance with email policies.
Key opinions
- Authentication Issues: Missing or misconfigured SPF, DKIM, or DMARC records are frequent causes of the 550 5.7.1 error, leading the receiving server to distrust the email's origin.
- Reputation Problems: A low sender reputation, due to spam-like content or sending to unengaged recipients, can result in the receiving server rejecting the email.
- Policy Violations: The email may be rejected if it violates policies or triggers spam filters on the receiving server.
- Generic Rejection: The 550 5.7.1 error often serves as a generic rejection message, indicating a general problem with delivery without specifying the precise cause.
Key considerations
- Check Authentication: Ensure that SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured to authenticate your email sending practices.
- Monitor Reputation: Regularly monitor sender reputation to identify and address any factors that might be negatively impacting it.
- Avoid Spam Triggers: Refrain from using spammy content or practices in emails to avoid triggering spam filters on the receiving server.
- Comply with Policies: Understand and adhere to the policies of the recipient's email server to prevent rejection due to policy violations.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email on Acid shares that the 550 5.7.1 error is often due to a low sender reputation, indicating that the sending server is viewed as untrustworthy by the receiving server. This could be due to sending spam-like content, or sending to unengaged recipients.
27 Mar 2022 - Email on Acid
Marketer view
Email marketer from Reddit user explains that a common cause of 550 5.7.1 is missing or incorrect SPF/DKIM records, which makes the receiving server suspicious of the email's origin.
3 Jul 2021 - Reddit
What the experts say
2 expert opinions
A 550 5.7.1 error signifies a permanent delivery failure where the receiving mail server refuses the message. Common causes include sender authentication problems, spam filtering policies, or generic policy violations. Examining the detailed error message is crucial for identifying specific clues regarding the rejection cause.
Key opinions
- Permanent Failure: The 550 5.7.1 error indicates a permanent failure, meaning the receiving mail server will not accept the message.
- Authentication/Spam: Causes often relate to sender authentication issues or spam filtering policies.
- Policy Violation: The error can also signify a rejection due to a generic policy violation by the sender.
Key considerations
- Investigate Details: Carefully check the specific details within the error message for clues about the cause of the rejection.
- Review Authentication: Ensure that sender authentication mechanisms (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) are correctly configured.
- Address Policies: Review and comply with any relevant sending policies to avoid violations.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise shares that a 550 5.7.1 error means the email was rejected due to a generic policy violation. Check the details of the error message for specific clues.
18 Jul 2023 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource explains that a 550 5.7.1 error indicates a permanent failure, meaning the receiving mail server has refused to accept the message. The exact cause varies but often relates to sender authentication problems or spam filtering policies.
14 Jun 2023 - Spam Resource
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
A 550 5.7.1 error is a general email delivery refusal. This can be caused by sender restrictions, policy reasons, issues with sender email configuration, reputation, authentication, or because the sender's domain or IP address is not accepted or is listed on a blocklist. Spam filtering is a potential cause.
Key findings
- General Rejection: 550 5.7.1 indicates a general rejection of the email.
- Sender Restrictions/Policies: Rejection often due to sender restrictions or policy reasons on the recipient's side.
- Configuration/Reputation: The error indicates a problem with sender's email configuration, reputation, or authentication.
- Blocklisting: Rejection because the server doesn't accept mail from sender's domain/IP, or sender is on a blocklist.
Key considerations
- Check Sender Restrictions: Investigate any potential sender restrictions imposed by the recipient's server.
- Review Configuration: Ensure proper email configuration, including authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
- Monitor Reputation: Monitor sender reputation to identify and address any issues affecting deliverability.
- Check Blocklists: Verify if the sending domain or IP address is listed on any blocklists and take steps to be removed if necessary.
Technical article
Documentation from cPanel Documentation says that a 550 5.7.1 error means the email was rejected because the server doesn't accept mail from the sender's domain or IP address, or the sender is listed on a blocklist.
14 Sep 2024 - cPanel Documentation
Technical article
Documentation from SparkPost reports that the 550 5.7.1 error is a general rejection code, which can be caused by various factors, including spam filtering, sender reputation problems, or authentication issues.
6 Nov 2024 - SparkPost
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