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5.1.2: the recipient domain does not exist

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Hard bounceYour problem

The domain after the @ in the address you sent to does not exist in DNS, or publishes no mail servers at all. A typo is the usual cause — .con for .com — so check the spelling first. If the address is right, the recipient's domain has a DNS fault and only its owner can fix it.

The error

550 5.1.2 Host or domain name not found. Name service error for name=example.con

553 5.1.2 We weren't able to find the recipient domain

What it means

The domain in the recipient address cannot be found in DNS, or has no mail servers. The problem is the part after the @.

Something about the message or the address you sent to needs changing.

Why it happens

The domain half of an address fails differently from the mailbox half: there is no server to ask, so the failure happens in DNS before any mail is attempted. Typo domains are the bulk of it, but an expired domain or one whose MX records were removed during a migration produces the same bounce.

How to fix it

  1. Check the domain for a typo — gmial.com and hotmial.com are perennial.
  2. Confirm the domain still exists and has MX records.
  3. Remove the address; a non-existent domain will not start existing.

Related guides

  • 5.4.6: a mail routing loop — The message was passed between servers in a circle until the loop was detected. Two systems each believe the other is responsible for the domain.
  • 550 5.1.1: the mailbox does not exist — The address does not exist on the receiving system. This is the single most common bounce there is.
  • 550: a permanent rejection — A permanent rejection. Without an enhanced code, 550 covers everything from a non-existent address to a policy block, so the text of the bounce is what identifies the cause.