550 5.1.2: Bad Destination Domain
The 550 5.1.2 error means the recipient domain has no working mail servers. Learn the causes and how to fix this SMTP bounce.
Published · Last verified · Maintained by TamingDNS
550
5.1.2
Bad Destination Domain
Common
🔢 Enhanced Status Code Breakdown: 5.1.2
| Component | Value | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Class | 5 | Permanent failure (Hard bounce) |
| Subject | 1 | Address / Destination |
| Detail | 2 | Bad Destination Domain |
Per RFC 3463 Enhanced Mail System Status Codes. Class (X) = severity, Subject (Y) = category, Detail (Z) = specific condition.
💬 What This Error Means
The 'domain' part of the address (everything after the @) is wrong. Either the domain doesn't exist, or it doesn't have any mail servers set up to receive messages. It's like trying to send a letter to a city that isn't on the map.
Common Causes
- A typo in the domain name (like @gmial.com instead of @gmail.com)
- The company's domain has expired or been taken down
- The domain is real, but they haven't set up their "MX records" to receive email yet
How to Fix This
- Carefully check the spelling of the domain name
- Use our Domain Checker to see if the domain has working mail servers
- If it's your own domain, check your DNS settings to make sure your MX records are active
📚 Official Documentation
📋 Real-World Example Messages
These are real bounce message formats you might receive. Paste yours into the Bounce Decoder for instant analysis.
550 5.1.2 Bad destination mailbox address 550 5.1.2 <[email protected]>: Recipient address rejected: Domain not found
🔗 Related Error Codes
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