--- title: "A simple explanation of DMARC compliance laws | AutoSPF" description: ""The most misunderstood thing about DMARC is that SPF passing is not enough - the domains have to align," says Brad Slavin, General Manager of DuoCircle." image: "https://autospf.com/og/blog/a-simple-explanation-of-dmarc-compliance-laws.png" canonical: "https://autospf.com/blog/a-simple-explanation-of-dmarc-compliance-laws/" --- Quick Answer DMARC is no longer just a best practice; it is now a requirement. Now, regulatory bodies across the world mandate the implementation of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for safeguarding user and employee details. If you send bulk emails or work in finance, healthcare, government, or SaaS, you need DMARC, or else you will be subjected to penalties. A simple explanation of DMARC compliance laws Your browser does not support the audio element. 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[ Check DMARC Record → ](/tools/dmarc-checker/) Share [ ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fa-simple-explanation-of-dmarc-compliance-laws%2F "Share on LinkedIn") [ ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=A%20simple%20explanation%20of%20DMARC%20compliance%20laws&url=https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fa-simple-explanation-of-dmarc-compliance-laws%2F "Share on X/Twitter") [ ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fa-simple-explanation-of-dmarc-compliance-laws%2F "Share on Facebook") [ ](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fa-simple-explanation-of-dmarc-compliance-laws%2F&title=A%20simple%20explanation%20of%20DMARC%20compliance%20laws "Share on Reddit") [ ](mailto:?subject=A%20simple%20explanation%20of%20DMARC%20compliance%20laws&body=Check out this article: https%3A%2F%2Fautospf.com%2Fblog%2Fa-simple-explanation-of-dmarc-compliance-laws%2F "Share via Email") ![DMARC compliance laws](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/2025/06/spf-record-syntax-9025.jpg) > “The most misunderstood thing about DMARC is that SPF passing is not enough - the domains have to align,” says Brad Slavin, General Manager of DuoCircle. “We see this constantly: SPF passes, DKIM passes, but DMARC still fails because the Return-Path domain doesn’t match the From header. Third-party senders break alignment by default unless you configure a custom return-path.” DMARC is no longer just a best practice; it is now a requirement. Now, regulatory bodies across the world mandate the implementation of [SPF](/blog/what-is-spf-email-a-guide-to-sender-validation-technology/), DKIM, and DMARC for safeguarding user and employee details. If you send bulk emails or work in finance, healthcare, government, or [SaaS](https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/definition/Software-as-a-Service), you need DMARC, or else you will be subjected to penalties. _DMARC ([RFC 7489](https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc7489)) ties SPF and DKIM together by requiring alignment between the envelope sender and the visible `From` header. According to Google’s February 2024 bulk sender requirements, a DMARC policy of at least `p=none` is now mandatory for any domain sending 5,000+ messages per day to Gmail users._ For a complete overview, see our [comprehensive DMARC guide](/blog/what-is-dmarc-email-authentication-guide/). This blog provides a brief overview of the major global DMARC compliance requirements. ## 1\. Google and Yahoo’s bulk email sender requirements As per Google and Yahoo’s bulk email sender requirements (effective from February 2024), domains that send more than 5,000 emails a day to Gmail and Yahoo users must have SPF, [DKIM](/10-reasons-for-regular-spf-record-checks-in-cybersecurity/dkim-record-check/), and DMARC in place. _The DMARC policy should be set to at least p=none, and there should be an easy one-click ‘unsubscribe’ option_. ![email sender requirements ](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/2025/06/spf-validator-5907.jpg) ## 2\. PCI DSS v4.0 [PCI DSS](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Payment%5FCard%5FIndustry%5FData%5FSecurity%5FStandard) is short for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. It mandates that organizations handling cardholder data comply with some guidelines. While DMARC is not explicitly required in PCI DSS, it helps fulfill Rule 6, which emphasizes the importance of maintaining system security. ## 3\. U.S. Federal Mandates (CISA, BOD 18-01) Since October 2018, all U.S. federal agencies using .gov domains have been required by CISA to publish a [DMARC record](/10-reasons-for-regular-spf-record-checks-in-cybersecurity/dmarc-record-check/) with a p=reject policy, along with properly setting up SPF and DKIM. This rule helps set the standard for [email security](/) across the public sector and pushes many other organizations to follow suit. ![email security ](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/2025/06/spf-record-syntax-2970.jpg) ## 4\. European Union - NIS2 Directive (2023-2024) Since October 2024, European countries are expected to introduce national laws. These laws target critical sectors and digital infrastructure providers, encouraging them to practice basic [cyber hygiene](https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/blogs/cyber-hygiene-novel-attack-vector/) and deploy SPF, DKIM, and DMARC as part of the regime. There’s also a strong push from ENISA, the [EU’s cybersecurity agency](https://www.linkedin.com/company/european-union-agency-for-cybersecurity-enisa/), to make these protections more common across the region. ## 5\. HIPAA Compliance Organizations that store and handle electronic protected health information are supposed to follow strong email security rules. HIPAA rules don’t explicitly mention the deployment of DMARC, but [email authentication](/blog/role-relevance-of-dns-spf-records-for-email-authentication/) is one of the top email-security tools. To meet the requirements, healthcare providers must use a combination of SPF, DKIM, DMARC, [BIMI](https://www.digicert.com/faq/email-trust/what-is-bimi-and-why-is-it-important), MTS-TLS, and other filters to prevent sensitive patient data from falling into the hands of [malicious actors](https://cybersecuritynews.com/google-play-amazon-gift-card-using-100s-of-malicious-domains-to-steal-data/). ![FFIEC guidelines](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/2025/06/spf-record-tester-5608.jpg) ## 6\. FFIEC Guidance In the U.S. banking sector, regulators like the [OCC](https://www.sanctionscanner.com/knowledge-base/office-of-the-comptroller-of-the-currency-523), FDIC, Federal Reserve, and NCUA strongly recommend using email protections to prevent spoofing and fraud. While DMARC isn’t a strict requirement, the [FFIEC](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/ffiec.asp) (Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council) clearly suggests using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC as part of its cybersecurity assessment tools. These protections help banks and financial institutions secure their [email communication](https://www.tidio.com/blog/email-communication/) and reduce the risk of [phishing attacks](https://www.msspalert.com/brief/novel-usps-spoofing-phishing-attack-relies-on-malicious-pdfs). ## 7\. ICANN [ICANN](https://www.icann.org/) is the global body that is responsible for overseeing domain names and internet safety. It highly encourages domain owners to use DMARC to prevent impersonation, phishing, and spoofing, especially for parked or unused domains. ICANN also requires domain registrars to assist their customers in setting stricter [DMARC](https://dmarcreport.com/what-is-dmarc/) policies, such as p=quarantine or p=reject, for optimal protection. ## Topics [ DKIM ](/tags/dkim/)[ DMARC ](/tags/dmarc/)[ email security ](/tags/email-security/)[ SPF ](/tags/spf/) ![Vasile Diaconu](https://media.mailhop.org/autospf/images/authors/vasile-diaconu.jpg) [ Vasile Diaconu ](/authors/vasile-diaconu/) Operations Lead Operations Lead at DuoCircle. Runs project management, developer coordination, and technical support execution for AutoSPF. [LinkedIn Profile →](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vasile-diaconu/) ## Ready to get started? Try AutoSPF free — no credit card required. [ Book a Demo ](/book-a-demo/) ## Related Articles [ Foundational 5m 4 ChatGPT and AI-based scams to be wary of in the second half of 2024 Aug 16, 2024 ](/blog/4-ai-and-chatgpt-scams-to-watch-for-in-2024/)[ Foundational 14m Common SPF Record Problems And How You Can Fix Them Today Aug 28, 2025 ](/blog/common-spf-record-problems-and-how-you-can-fix-them-today/)[ Foundational 14m DNS SPF Record Example Explained: Protect Your Domain from Spoofing Oct 7, 2025 ](/blog/dns-spf-record-example-explained-protect-your-domain-from-spoofing/)[ Foundational 16m DreamHost SPF Record: A Step-by-Step Email Setup Guide May 14, 2025 ](/blog/dreamhost-spf-record-a-step-by-step-email-setup-guide/) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138897474","name":"AutoSPF","url":"https://autospf.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://autospf.com/images/autospf-logo.png"},"description":"Automatic SPF flattening and email authentication management. 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