What a domain blacklist is
A domain blacklist (often called a URIBL, for URI blacklist) lists domain names that appear in spam, phishing or malware. Spam filters pull every domain out of a message, including the From address, the return path and every link in the body, and check each one against these lists. One listed domain anywhere in the message can be enough to send it to spam or reject it.
That is different from an IP blacklist, which lists the servers mail comes from. Your domain can be listed while your sending IP is clean, which surprises many teams. A listed domain follows you even if you switch email providers, because the domain travels with every message.
The main domain blacklists
Our check also resolves your MX records and tests those IPs on IP lists like Spamhaus ZEN and Barracuda BRBL, so you see both sides in one report. For removal steps for each list, see the blacklist directory.
| List | What it targets | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|
| Spamhaus DBL | Domains in spam messages, phishing and malware, plus newly abused domains | Very widely used by providers and filters |
| SURBL | Domains found in the body of spam, with sublists for phishing and malware | Many filtering products and open source filters |
| URIBL | Domains in spam message bodies, with black, grey and red sublists | Open source filters and many hosting providers |
| Others in our catalog | Specialty lists for phishing, new domains and abuse | Smaller set of receivers |
How to run a domain blacklist check by hand
Domain lists use the domain name directly, without reversing anything. You add the list zone after the domain and look up an A record.
-
1
Spamhaus DBL, run
dig +short example.com.dbl.spamhaus.org A. A reply like 127.0.1.2 means listed. No reply means not listed. -
2
SURBL, run
dig +short example.com.multi.surbl.org A. The last number of the reply shows which sublist matched. -
3
URIBL, run
dig +short example.com.multi.uribl.com A. Some lists refuse queries from large public resolvers, so run this from your own resolver. - 4 Check every domain that appears in your mail, including link tracking domains and image hosts.
Why domains get listed
Tracking domains catch many senders off guard. If your email platform rewrites links through a shared domain and that domain is listed, your messages carry the problem. Most platforms let you set up a custom tracking domain on your own subdomain, which keeps your reputation in your own hands.
- Your domain is used in links in spam, for example after a website form or plugin is abused.
- Your website is hacked and hosts a phishing page or malware.
- You use a shared link shortener or tracking domain that spammers also use.
- Your cold email sends high volume from a fresh domain with many complaints.
- A newly registered domain starts sending at volume right away, which some lists treat as risky.
What to do if your domain is listed
- 1 Read the list's lookup page for the reason. Spamhaus explains whether it was spam, phishing or a compromised site.
- 2 Scan your website for hacked pages, unknown files or redirects, and clean them up.
- 3 Check which messages carried the domain. Review list sources and pause any campaign that drew complaints.
- 4 Replace shared tracking and shortener domains with your own.
- 5 Request removal on the list's site once the cause is gone. Our guide on how to get off an email blacklist walks through each step.
Domain blacklists and domain reputation
A listing is a clear, public signal, but mailbox providers also keep their own private score for your domain. Gmail shows part of it in Google Postmaster Tools. If you are clean on every list and still land in spam, the problem is likely that private reputation or your authentication setup. The domain reputation checker adds SPF, DKIM and DMARC to the picture, and the email blacklist check works when you only have an address.
Keep watching after the check
Domain listings can appear and clear within days, and you may never see them from a one-off check. BlacklistMonitoring rechecks every domain and IP you add as often as every 5 minutes and alerts you by email, Slack, Teams or webhook when a listing appears or clears. Agencies can monitor client domains in separate workspaces and send white label reports. See blacklist monitoring for details or the pricing page for plans.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if my domain is blacklisted?
Enter the domain in the check above. It queries Spamhaus DBL, SURBL, URIBL and other domain lists, and tests your mail server IPs on 100+ IP lists. You can also run a DNS lookup of yourdomain.com.dbl.spamhaus.org yourself.
What is the Spamhaus DBL?
The Spamhaus Domain Block List lists domains found in spam, phishing and malware. Filters check the domains in your From address and links against it, so a DBL listing can block mail even from a clean server.
Can my domain be blacklisted if I never sent spam?
Yes. Spammers may put your domain in their links after abusing a form on your site, a hacked page may host phishing, or a shared tracking domain you use may be listed. Each of these affects your mail without you sending any spam.
Does a domain blacklist affect my website?
It mainly affects email. Some security products and browsers use separate lists such as Google Safe Browsing for websites. A domain listed for phishing or malware often appears on both, so clean up the site first.