DMARC psd= Tag: Public Suffix Domain (psd)

The DMARC psd tag (RFC 9989) indicates whether the domain is a Public Suffix Domain. Relevant for domain registries and operators of top-level or shared domains.

Published · Last verified · Maintained by TamingDNS

Importance
Optional
Tag
psd=
Default
u (unknown)
Example
psd=n

✅ Valid Values

y This is a Public Suffix Domain. Its direct subdomains are organisational domains.
n Not a Public Suffix Domain, and this domain is the organisational domain for itself and its subdomains.
u The default. Not a PSD, and it may or may not be an organisational domain, so receivers run the RFC 9989 §4.10 tree walk to find out.

💬 What This Tag Does

Added in RFC 9989 (DMARCbis), the "psd" tag marks whether a domain is a Public Suffix Domain (like a TLD or shared hosting domain). This is almost never relevant to ordinary domain owners. It's designed for domain registries and operators of shared domain spaces. Setting psd=y tells receivers that the domain's subdomains should each be treated as their own organisational domain.

📋 Complete Example Records

Every one of these is a complete record you can paste as it stands. Each goes in a TXT record at _dmarc.yourdomain.com. Check yours with the DMARC Checker or assemble one in the DMARC Builder.

v=DMARC1; p=reject; sp=none; np=reject; psd=y; rua=mailto:dmarcrpts@fTLD.com,mailto:04bd0f9f9f@rua.easydmarc.us

The .bank top-level domain's own record. This is what psd=y is for, and almost nobody reading this needs to publish it.

v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=mailto:dmarc-feedback@example.com

With no "psd" tag the default "u" applies. Receivers run the tree walk to work out the organisational domain, which is the right answer for an ordinary domain.

v=DMARC1; p=reject; psd=n; rua=mailto:dmarc-feedback@example.com

This claims more than leaving the tag out. "n" asserts the domain is not a PSD and is the organisational domain for itself and its subdomains.

🛡️ Related Tools

Analyse your current DMARC record, build a new one, or read the aggregate reports that tell you whether the policy is safe to tighten.

DMARC Analyser → DMARC Builder → DMARC Report Viewer → SPF Checker →
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