[Last updated 07/12/2025]
Why DMARC Is Now Required for Email Forwarding and What You Need to Know
Introduction
Due to new requirements from major email providers (like Google, Microsoft and others), domains that use email forwarding must have proper authentication records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) in place. Without these, forwarded emails may be lost or blocked without notification.
What Is Happening?
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Email providers are enforcing DMARC policies. Started in 2024 by some and Microsoft May 2025.
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Domains without DMARC may see forwarded emails disappear or get rejected. Troubleshooting requests for logs can take days and are billable.
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This affects anyone using domain-level email forwarding, especially if only MX and SPF records are set.
Why Is This a Challenge?
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Manual Setup Required: Implementing forwarding with DKIM, DMARC, and SPF often requires manual configuration. With providers like Enom, DKIM records must be requested and added individually for each domain—a process that takes additional time and care.
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Legacy Technology: DNS-level email forwarding is now considered outdated. It lacks the reliability, tracking, and deliverability of modern email solutions that use dedicated mailboxes.
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Limited Troubleshooting: Without mailboxes, tracking or troubleshooting delivery issues, making support more complex.
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Evolving Standards: Email authentication requirements from major providers are becoming stricter, making legacy forwarding methods increasingly difficult to maintain.
What Do You Need to Do?
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Add DKIM: For each domain, DKIM setup at Enom requires submitting a manual request by KartHost on your behalf, which is essential for authentication. Enom does not have a DKIM generator for the legacy domain name email forwarding.
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Set Up DMARC: Define your DMARC policy, reporting address, and frequency, and you must provide this if KartHost is asked to add it.
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Monitor Reports: Review DMARC reports to ensure your emails are being delivered as intended.
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Keep SPF Updated: Update your SPF record if your email sending or forwarding setup changes.
Is Domain Name Email Forwarding Still Recommended?
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Email forwarding without dedicated mailboxes is an older, less reliable method that is becoming increasingly difficult to support due to new industry restrictions.
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Most modern providers and businesses have moved to direct mailboxes or alias-based solutions for better reliability and tracking.
- Troubleshooting of issues is a billable service.
What About Gmail or Outlook/Hotmail?
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Gmail and Outlook do not offer domain-level email forwarding as a built-in feature for custom domains. They require proper authentication for all incoming mail, including forwarded messages.
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If you rely on forwarding, you must comply with these authentication requirements.
- KartHost, however, offers domain name aliases within KloudEmail Basic or Suite. Requirement to activate one mailbox for the emails to forward from to provide tracking logs to help with future support. (You will also be able to send from that mailbox with the email address using your domain name)
Service Fee Notice
Domains with email forwarding only may be asked to pay the Domain Name Concierge Service Fee, as this is a manual setup.
This fee helps cover the cost of manual setup and ongoing support as industry standards evolve.
Further Reading to Understand DMARC
For a detailed explanation, see our Knowledgebase article:
DMARC Understanding and Why it is Needed.
