Guidance on the Minimum Technical Requirements for Email Communications
Important Technical Information Regarding the Submission of Email
In order for an electronic message to be successfully delivered to the HIPO, the sender's mail server must comply with generally
accepted technical and security standards governing electronic mail services.
If the sender's system does not meet the fundamental security requirements applicable to internet-based email communications,
the message may be automatically rejected during technical validation checks and, consequently, will not be delivered. In
such cases, the message will not reach the HIPO, and the HIPO will not receive any notification of the attempted transmission.
The sender, however, will normally receive a non-delivery notification (bounce message) from their own email system.
To ensure successful delivery, the sender's email system should have, at a minimum, the following configurations in place:
- valid and correctly configured DNS records;
- a functioning reverse DNS (PTR) record;
- a properly configured SPF record;
- where possible, DKIM signing enabled;
- an appropriate DMARC configuration;
- an IP address that is not listed on any recognised blacklist associated with spam or malicious activities.
These settings constitute generally accepted security requirements for internet-based electronic mail communications.
If an email sent to the HIPO is returned as undeliverable, the sender should verify that the technical requirements listed
above are in place and correctly configured.
If, despite compliance with these requirements, an email sent to the HIPO is still returned as undeliverable, please contact
the HIPO by telephone or by postal mail
