Recipient Address Rejected: Access Denied – Causes & Fixes (SMTP 550 5.7.1)

Your email just bounced with ‘Recipient Address Rejected: Access Denied? It’s not always the recipient’s fault. This message is part of the SMTP 550 5.7.1 family of bounce errors. It may become a real headache not only for your customers but also for you. You might spend time, money, and energy on writing the perfect email, but if it doesn’t reach the recipient, then what’s the point?

What Does “Recipient Address Rejected: Access Denied” Mean?

SMTP error 550 5.7.1 means an email couldn’t get delivered because of security or policy-related problems. You might encounter this error when the recipient’s email server refuses to accept the email. Put in simple terms, it’s a bounce-back message from the recipient’s mail server.

This may be either because it sees the email as spam, does not meet the email authentication criteria, or the IP is on a blacklist. 

“550 5.7.1” code is the standard, commonly accepted code to refer to problems that arise from authentication gaps or content filtering policies. While the code is standard, the displayed wording may vary from one server to another. For example, it might look like this: “550 5.7.1 Message rejected due to content restrictions”

Reasons Behind “Address Rejected: Access Denied”

There may be various reasons for the “Recipient Address Rejected: Access Denied” problem. The recipient server’s security policies might block delivery because of the common triggers below: 

Blacklisted IP/ Domain 

When your IP has previously been flagged for malicious or spammy behavior, it might fall on a blacklist. This may result in a situation where the receiving server’s policies immediately reject the email. This is a proactive, preventive measure on their side to protect their domains from malicious, fraudulent senders. 

SPF/ DKIM/ DMARC Failures 

If SPF, DKIM, and DMARC fail or are configured incorrectly, the recipient’s server may reject your message delivery. This might also happen when you use the wrong credentials to send emails. Similar to the above poin on blacklists, this is also meant to protect the recipient from malicious actors, spoofing, and phishing.  

Strict Anti-Spam Filters 

When the recipient’s server is using strict anti-spam filters, these might even block your emails because of low-quality message content. Using spam-like words and phrases might immediately trigger them to reject your message. Strict anti-spam filters also pay attention to sender reputation. If yours is bad, be ready to get rejected. 

Invalid Recipient Address (Typos, Deactivated accounts)

Invalid, deactivated accounts might get the “Address Rejected: Access Denied” right away. If there are any typos in the address, the address might be viewed as invalid or nonexistent and get rejected.

Troubleshooting “Address Rejected: Access Denied” – A Sender’s Guide

Here are some actionable steps you can take to troubleshoot the “Address Rejected: Access Denied” issue.

1. Verify the Recipient Address

A quick and easy way to troubleshoot the issue is to verify the recipient address. Check to see if there are any typos, gaps, or other mistakes that make the address invalid. If everything is okay with the recipient address, then move to the next step. 

2. Test Blacklists

Try to see if your domain or IP address is listed on a blacklist. You don’t need to manually search every blacklist. There are online tools that do this in seconds. Use PowerDMARC’s blacklist checker to monitor your domains, emails, and IP addresses in over 200 real-time DNS Blacklists. 

3. Check Authentication

SPF: include: missing for your ESP?

Missing or incorrect “include:” mechanisms might often lead to authentication failures. There are online SPF checkers that you can use to ensure your domain’s SPF record is free of errors. Using such a service will also inform you if any authorized sending sources are missing from the record. This also includes the most important, your Email Service Provider (ESP).

DKIM: Key rotation needed?

Ensure your DKIM is enabled and the keys are valid. If you suspect a compromised or outdated key, it’s time for a DKIM key rotation. Even if you don’t have such suspicions, you should still rotate your key every 6-12 months. You can also use PowerDMARC’s DKIM checker to ensure your DKIM is in good shape. 

DMARC: Is policy too strict (p=reject)?

When you set your DMARC policy to “reject” (p=reject), all unauthenticated emails will be blocked. To avoid this, you can consider more lenient policies. You can switch to policy “none” or “quarantine” for troubleshooting. If everything is alright, you can move back to “reject.” In general, always start with a lenient policy and only gradually move to stricter ones. If you need to check and validate your DMARC record, you can use a DMARC checker. 

4. Reduce Spam Triggers

Try not to use URL shorteners, since these can trigger the anti-spam filters to block your message. Also, refrain from spammy language and overly promotional tone. Remove words like “fast cash,” “free trial,” etc., and see if the issue gets fixed. Always keep your content engaging, relevant, personalized, and valuable. 

5. Contact the Recipient’s IT Team

If you tried all of the above methods and you don’t know what caused the issue, contact the recipient’s IT team. There are many sample request templates available online, so you don’t need to craft the message from scratch. 

Solutions for Recipients Facing “Address Rejected: Access Denied”

You can fix the “Address Rejected: Access Denied” issue by following the steps below:

Check Server Filtering Rules

See if the server’s filtering and anti-spam rules are not too strict. If they are, they might block even legitimate, safe emails. This is especially the case with legitimate emails from new or external senders.

Whitelist or Allow Specific Domains/IPs

You help your trusted domains and IP addresses bypass the general filtering mechanisms. All you need to do is add them to the server’s whitelist or safe sender list. This can also help you avoid the above-mentioned problem of strict server filtering.

Review the Recipient Mail Server Logs for More Details

You can turn the recipient’s mail server logs into your reliable friend. They can help you understand why a given email was rejected. They are like that trusted and attentive friend who tells you exactly why your crush doesn’t like you. 

Adjust Mail Server Security Settings if Overly Strict

Try reducing your spam thresholds or getting rid of unnecessary blocking rules. Otherwise, if your mail server security settings are too strict, they can block legitimate emails. Opt for a more relaxed approach, both in email communications and chats with your crush. Who likes that too-serious partner?

Work with Their IT/Email Admin to Fix Delivery Issues

Work with the recipients’ organization’s IT or email administrators to resolve recurrent problems. This collaborative approach can help you solve problems more rapidly and effectively. You don’t have to struggle alone, especially when you have the right people around you. 

How to Prevent “Address Rejected: Access Denied” Errors

Below are some prevention mechanisms to reduce or eliminate the likelihood of these errors. 

Maintain a Good Sender Reputation.

Your sender reputation can play a huge role in reducing or boosting your email deliverability. If you constantly send high-quality, relevant content with which recipients engage, you are likely to enjoy a high email deliverability rate. But if you engage in sudden high-volume sending practices or use spammy language, don’t expect good results. 

Use Proper Authentication Protocols (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)

Ensure you have SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and other key email authentication protocols in place. These need to be correctly configured and not include any errors, otherwise, you might experience the opposite effect. If you don’t have any of these records in place, you can easily generate them for free:

For SPF:

For DKIM:

For DMARC:

Avoid Sending Suspicious Content

Ensure your content is safe and looks safe. Avoid elements that signal urgency or create FOMO. Don’t include links that you do not 100% know are safe and reliable. Ensure all the information in your email content is verified, tested, accurate, and does not contain any risks for the recipients. One mistake in this area can cause you hundreds of undelivered emails. 

Regularly Monitor Email Performance and Bounce Reports

Always examine bounce reports to gain detailed insights into your email performance. Prevention is better and easier than a cure. Regularly monitor your performance for any gaps and address them on time. Later, it might be too late. 

Final Words

The “Address Rejected: Access Denied” is a common problem in email communications. It’s a type of bounce-back message that arises when the recipient’s mail server refuses to accept the email. It may be due to email authentication misconfigurations, blacklisted IPs, and overly strict anti-spam filters. While they can be stressful to encounter, they are not difficult to fix. 

Need help fixing authentication issues or setting up DMARC, SPF, and DKIM? PowerDMARC is your one-stop solution! Contact us to speak to an email authentication expert today and start your journey towards a more secure future.

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Milena Baghdasaryan

Content Specialist at PowerDMARC

Milena is a skilled writer and content creator with 7+ years of experience in crafting engaging content on IT, cybersecurity, virtual events, and more. She has a proven track record of delivering high-quality work for international magazines and is a graduate of prestigious institutions such as New York University Abu Dhabi, UWC China, and the College of Europe.

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