Emails to Epworth rejected with "Permanent error evaluating DMARC policy"

Question

We use Microsoft 365 Exchange Online and emails sent to recipients at @epworth.org.au are rejected with the error "Permanent error evaluating DMARC policy." This only affects Epworth; emails to other domains are delivered successfully. Has anyone experienced this with Microsoft 365? We're looking for guidance on whether this points to an SPF, DKIM, DMARC or Exchange Online configuration issue, or if it could be related to the recipient's email security.

Answer 1

Dear @South East Care

According to my research, a "Permanent Error Evaluating DMARC Policy" bounce means the receiving system stopped delivery during DMARC processing and treated the condition as permanent. Common causes include:

• Invalid or malformed DMARC records
• Multiple DMARC records published for the same domain
• DNS lookup failures when retrieving DMARC information
• SPF or DKIM alignment issues affecting DMARC validation
• Problems within the recipient's mail security gateway during DMARC evaluation

Therefore, here are some troubleshooting steps I recommend you look through. Please try again and let me know the outcome:

• [Quick Fix] 554 5.7.5 Permanent Error Evaluating DMARC Policy
• 554 5.7.5 Permanent Error Evaluating DMARC Policy [SOLVED]
• What causes 'Permanent Error Evaluating DMARC Policy' bounce message?

Disclaimer: These links are shared by community members for your convenience. These point to third-party sites that are not managed or verified by Microsoft. We can’t guarantee the quality, safety, or suitability of any content or software found there. Please review carefully and make sure you understand any potential risks before using it.

I hope this information is helpful. Please follow these steps and let me know if it works for you. If not, we can work together to resolve this.

Thank you for your patience and your understanding. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. I'm looking forward to your reply.

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