554 SMTP bounce: transaction failed
What 554 means
The server refuses the transaction. In a greeting, it means the host provides no SMTP service at that address. Permanent for this attempt.
Message text
Transaction failed (Or, in the case of a connection-opening response, "No SMTP service here")
Common causes of 554
- MX points to a host that does not run SMTP on port 25
- Message rejected by content or policy filters on the receiving side
- Sender identity or routing refused by the receiver
How to fix 554
- Check MX records with MX lookup; the MX host must run SMTP.
- Check your sending IP with blocklist check.
- Verify SPF and DMARC with SPF checker and DMARC checker.
Check your domain
Check the SPF record of your sending domainRuns in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Have the full bounce message? Paste it into the bounce code lookup and it will match the code and the provider for you. Open the bounce code lookup.
How to read 554
The first part, 554, is the SMTP reply code. Transaction failed: a general permanent failure, often a policy or reputation block. Replies that start with 4 are temporary and replies that start with 5 are permanent (RFC 5321 §4.2.1).
This reply carries no enhanced status code. The three-digit reply code is the only machine-readable signal, so read the text that follows it to learn the reason.
Do not keep resending the same message: a permanent failure repeats until the cause is fixed. Correct the cause, then send a new message.
Official source: www.rfc-editor.org. Last verified 2026-10-20.
Related guides
- How to create an SPF record (syntax and examples)
- How DKIM works and how to publish a DKIM record
- How to set up a DMARC record, from p=none to p=reject
Related codes
- 554 Yahoo: account does not exist
- 550 SMTP: mailbox unavailable
- 551 SMTP: user not local
- 552 SMTP: storage exceeded
- 553 SMTP: mailbox name not allowed
- 5.1.1 SMTP: bad destination mailbox
FAQ
What does 554 mean?
The server refuses the transaction. In a greeting, it means the host provides no SMTP service at that address. Permanent for this attempt. This is a permanent failure.
How do I fix 554?
Check MX records with MX lookup; the MX host must run SMTP. Check your sending IP with blocklist check. Verify SPF and DMARC with SPF checker and DMARC checker.
Is 554 permanent, and should I retry?
554 is a permanent failure, so retrying the same message will fail again. Fix the cause first, then send a new message.