DMARC p=none, quarantine and reject
Also called: p=none, p=quarantine, p=reject, DMARC enforcement
The three DMARC policy values. `none` requests no specific handling change; `quarantine` asks receivers to treat failing mail as suspicious; `reject` asks them to refuse it, preferably during the SMTP transaction.
In plain terms
Watch, then be suspicious, then refuse. Three steps on the same ladder.
Why it matters for deliverability
Moving up this ladder too quickly is the most common way to lose legitimate mail, because every unaligned sender you did not know about stops working the moment you leave p=none.
What to do about it
- Stay at p=none until aggregate reports account for all your legitimate mail.
- Move to quarantine with a percentage (`pct=`) before applying it to everything.
- Reach reject only when no unexplained sources remain.
Source
“reject: The Domain Owner wishes for Mail Receivers to reject email that fails the DMARC mechanism check. Rejection SHOULD occur during the SMTP transaction.”
Checked 2026-08-29
Related terms
Go deeper
Definitions reviewed 2026-08-29. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
See how your own mail is handled
Run a real message through MailTester and read the authentication results, spam score and delivery signals described on this page against your own domain.