What does the DMARC v= tag do?

DMARC `v=` Tag: Version (v)

The DMARC v tag identifies the record as DMARC1. It must be the first tag in every DMARC record. Without it, the record is ignored by receivers.

Published May 10, 2026 · Last verified August 7, 2026 · Maintained by TamingDNS

Importance
Required

Tag
v=

Default
None

Example
v=DMARC1

✅ Valid Values

            DMARC1        

💬 What This Tag Does

The "v" tag is a required header that tells receiving mail servers this is a DMARC record. It must always be the very first tag and its value must always be "DMARC1". Records that don't start with v=DMARC1 are silently ignored by receivers.

📋 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=none; rua=mailto:dmarc-feedback@example.com

RFC 9989 Appendix B.2.1 opens with this one. Monitoring only, with reports going somewhere you will read them.

v=DMARC1

Valid on its own. A syntactically sound record with no "p" tag is treated as though it said p=none, so this publishes a policy without stating one.

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

The version tag has to come first. When it does not, the entire record MUST be ignored, and the domain is treated as though it published nothing.

example.com._report._dmarc.thirdparty.example.net. TXT "v=DMARC1;"

Here the same tag does a different job. A reporting provider publishes this to confirm it accepts reports on example.com's behalf (RFC 9989 Appendix B.2.3).