Domain Verification

Domain verification in RelayPost proves to receiving mail servers that you authorized RelayPost to send email for your domain. RelayPost generates DKIM keys and a DMARC record you add to DNS, then verifies them automatically. Verified domains achieve significantly better inbox placement.

How it works

When you add a domain, RelayPost generates:

• A DKIM key pair — used to cryptographically sign your emails
• A DMARC record — that tells receiving servers how to handle authentication failures
• DNS records — that you add to your domain’s DNS settings

Once the records are in place, RelayPost verifies them and marks your domain as verified.

Note: SPF is handled automatically by RelayPost’s sending infrastructure (via the MAIL FROM domain). You do not need to add an SPF record for RelayPost.

Add and verify a domain

1. Add the domain

   POST /api/v1/domains

   curl -X POST https://api.relaypost.dev/v1/domains \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
     -d '{ "domain": "yourapp.com" }'

   Response:

   {
     "data": {
       "id": "dom_abc123",
       "domain": "yourapp.com",
       "is_verified": false,
       "dkim_verified": false,
       "dkim_selector": "relaypost",
       "dkim_public_key": "MIGfMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA4...",
       "dns_records": [
         {
           "type": "TXT",
           "name": "relaypost._domainkey.yourapp.com",
           "value": "v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=MIGfMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA4..."
         },
         {
           "type": "TXT",
           "name": "_dmarc.yourapp.com",
           "value": "v=DMARC1; p=quarantine"
         }
       ],
       "created_at": "2025-01-15T10:30:00.000Z"
     }
   }

   The response includes the dkim_selector and dkim_public_key you’ll need for DNS. SPF is handled automatically by RelayPost’s sending infrastructure.

2. Add DNS records

   Add these records at your DNS provider (Cloudflare, Route 53, Namecheap, etc.):

   DKIM record (TXT)

   Field	Value
   Type	TXT
   Name	{dkimSelector}._domainkey.yourapp.com
   Value	v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p={dkimPublicKey}

   DMARC record (TXT)

   Field	Value
   Type	TXT
   Name	_dmarc.yourapp.com
   Value	v=DMARC1; p=quarantine

   Tip

   SPF is handled automatically by RelayPost’s sending infrastructure. You only need to add DKIM and DMARC records.

3. Trigger verification

   DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours, but usually completes within minutes. Once propagated:

   GET /api/v1/domains/:id/verify

   curl "https://api.relaypost.dev/v1/domains/dom_abc123/verify" \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

   Response:

   {
     "data": {
       "id": "dom_abc123",
       "domain": "yourapp.com",
       "is_verified": true,
       "dkim_verified": true,
       "dkim_selector": "relaypost",
       "dkim_public_key": "MIGfMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA4...",
       "verified_at": "2025-01-15T11:00:00.000Z",
       "created_at": "2025-01-15T10:30:00.000Z"
     }
   }

   The response shows which checks passed. dkim_verified must be true for full verification.

Check domain status

GET /api/v1/domains

curl "https://api.relaypost.dev/v1/domains" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"

Response:

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "dom_abc123",
      "domain": "yourapp.com",
      "is_verified": true,
      "dkim_verified": true,
      "dkim_selector": "relaypost",
      "dkim_public_key": "MIGfMA0GCSqGSIb3DQEBAQUAA4...",
      "verified_at": "2025-01-15T11:00:00.000Z",
      "created_at": "2025-01-15T10:30:00.000Z"
    }
  ]
}

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
DKIM fails	Check the selector name matches exactly: {selector}._domainkey.yourapp.com
DMARC fails	Ensure the TXT record is at _dmarc.yourapp.com with value starting with v=DMARC1
Both fail	DNS may not have propagated yet — wait 15-30 minutes and try again
Still failing	Some DNS providers add quotes around TXT values automatically — make sure there aren’t double quotes

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does domain verification take?

DNS propagation typically completes within 5–30 minutes, though it can take up to 48 hours in rare cases. Once DNS records are in place, trigger a verification check from the API or dashboard.

What DNS records do I need to add?

You need two TXT records: a DKIM record at selector._domainkey.yourdomain.com with your public key, and a DMARC record at _dmarc.yourdomain.com with your DMARC policy. SPF is handled automatically by RelayPost’s sending infrastructure.

Why is my domain verification failing?

Common causes: DNS records haven’t propagated yet (wait 15–30 minutes), the DKIM selector name doesn’t match exactly, your DNS provider added extra quotes around the TXT value, or you have multiple SPF records on the same domain (merge them into one).