Domain Setup | docs.do.dev

To send emails through Send.dev, you need to verify ownership of your sending domain. This ensures deliverability and protects against spoofing.

Why Domain Verification Matters

Deliverability - Emails from verified domains have higher inbox placement
Authentication - DKIM signing proves emails are legitimate
Reputation - Your domain builds its own sender reputation
Branding - Send from your own domain (e.g., hello@mail.yourdomain.com)

Use a Subdomain

We strongly recommend using a subdomain like mail.yourdomain.com or send.yourdomain.com instead of your root domain. This isolates your email sending reputation from your main domain.

Add a Domain

POST/v1/domainsRequires API Key

Add a new sending domain

Via Dashboard

Navigate to Domains in your dashboard
Click Add Domain
Enter your subdomain (e.g., mail.yourdomain.com)
Click Add Domain

Via API

curl -X POST https://api.send.dev/v1/domains \
-H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_your_api_key" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
  "domain": "mail.yourdomain.com"
}'

201Domain added

{
"id": "dom_01HXYZ123456789",
"domain": "mail.yourdomain.com",
"status": "pending",
"dns_records": {
  "dkim": [
    {
      "type": "CNAME",
      "name": "send1._domainkey.mail.yourdomain.com",
      "value": "send1.dkim.send.dev",
      "status": "pending"
    },
    {
      "type": "CNAME",
      "name": "send2._domainkey.mail.yourdomain.com",
      "value": "send2.dkim.send.dev",
      "status": "pending"
    },
    {
      "type": "CNAME",
      "name": "send3._domainkey.mail.yourdomain.com",
      "value": "send3.dkim.send.dev",
      "status": "pending"
    }
  ],
  "spf": {
    "type": "TXT",
    "name": "mail.yourdomain.com",
    "value": "v=spf1 include:spf.send.dev ~all",
    "status": "pending"
  },
  "dmarc": {
    "type": "TXT",
    "name": "_dmarc.mail.yourdomain.com",
    "value": "v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@send.dev",
    "status": "pending",
    "required": false
  },
  "return_path": {
    "type": "CNAME",
    "name": "bounce.mail.yourdomain.com",
    "value": "bounce.send.dev",
    "status": "pending"
  }
},
"created_at": "2025-01-13T10:00:00Z"
}

Configure DNS Records

After adding your domain, you'll receive DNS records to configure. Add these to your DNS provider.

Required Records

Record	Purpose	Priority
DKIM	Email authentication via cryptographic signature	Required
SPF	Authorizes Send.dev to send on your behalf	Required
Return Path	Handles bounces properly	Required
DMARC	Alignment and reporting policy	Recommended

DNS Provider Guides

We have specific guides for popular DNS providers:

See the DNS Configuration page for detailed instructions.

Verify Domain

POST/v1/domains/:id/verifyRequires API Key

Trigger DNS verification for a domain

After adding DNS records, trigger verification:

Via Dashboard

Go to Domains
Find your domain
Click Verify DNS

Via API

curl -X POST https://api.send.dev/v1/domains/dom_01HXYZ123456789/verify \
-H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_your_api_key"

200Verification status

{
"id": "dom_01HXYZ123456789",
"domain": "mail.yourdomain.com",
"status": "verified",
"dns_records": {
  "dkim": [
    {
      "type": "CNAME",
      "name": "send1._domainkey.mail.yourdomain.com",
      "value": "send1.dkim.send.dev",
      "status": "verified"
    },
    {
      "type": "CNAME",
      "name": "send2._domainkey.mail.yourdomain.com",
      "value": "send2.dkim.send.dev",
      "status": "verified"
    },
    {
      "type": "CNAME",
      "name": "send3._domainkey.mail.yourdomain.com",
      "value": "send3.dkim.send.dev",
      "status": "verified"
    }
  ],
  "spf": {
    "type": "TXT",
    "name": "mail.yourdomain.com",
    "value": "v=spf1 include:spf.send.dev ~all",
    "status": "verified"
  },
  "dmarc": {
    "type": "TXT",
    "name": "_dmarc.mail.yourdomain.com",
    "value": "v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:dmarc@send.dev",
    "status": "verified"
  },
  "return_path": {
    "type": "CNAME",
    "name": "bounce.mail.yourdomain.com",
    "value": "bounce.send.dev",
    "status": "verified"
  }
},
"verified_at": "2025-01-13T10:30:00Z"
}

DNS Propagation

DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate globally, though most changes are visible within minutes. If verification fails, wait and try again.

Domain Status

Status	Description
`pending`	Domain added, awaiting DNS configuration
`verifying`	DNS check in progress
`verified`	All DNS records verified, ready to send
`failed`	DNS verification failed (see errors)
`suspended`	Domain suspended due to policy violation

List Domains

GET/v1/domainsRequires API Key

List all configured domains

curl https://api.send.dev/v1/domains \
-H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_your_api_key"

200Domain list

{
"data": [
  {
    "id": "dom_01HXYZ123456789",
    "domain": "mail.yourdomain.com",
    "status": "verified",
    "verified_at": "2025-01-13T10:30:00Z",
    "created_at": "2025-01-13T10:00:00Z"
  },
  {
    "id": "dom_01HABC987654321",
    "domain": "notifications.yourdomain.com",
    "status": "pending",
    "verified_at": null,
    "created_at": "2025-01-14T09:00:00Z"
  }
],
"has_more": false
}

Delete Domain

DELETE/v1/domains/:idRequires API Key

Remove a domain

curl -X DELETE https://api.send.dev/v1/domains/dom_01HXYZ123456789 \
-H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_your_api_key"

Permanent Action

Deleting a domain will prevent any further emails from being sent from that domain. This action cannot be undone.

Multiple Domains

You can add multiple domains to your account for different use cases:

mail.yourdomain.com - Transactional emails
marketing.yourdomain.com - Marketing campaigns
notifications.yourdomain.com - System notifications

Each domain has its own reputation, so issues with one domain won't affect others.

Subdomain Best Practices

Recommended Setup

Subdomain	Use Case
`mail.yourdomain.com`	General transactional emails
`notify.yourdomain.com`	Notifications and alerts
`news.yourdomain.com`	Newsletters and marketing
`support.yourdomain.com`	Customer support emails

Why Use Subdomains?

Reputation Isolation - Marketing emails won't affect transactional delivery
Easier Management - Separate analytics per use case
Policy Flexibility - Different DMARC policies per subdomain
Root Domain Protection - Protect your main domain's reputation

Troubleshooting

"DNS record not found"

Verify records are added correctly to your DNS provider
Check for typos in record names and values
Wait for DNS propagation (up to 48 hours)
Use a DNS lookup tool to verify records are visible

"SPF record conflict"

If you have an existing SPF record, merge them:

# Before (conflict)
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all
v=spf1 include:spf.send.dev ~all

# After (merged)
v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:spf.send.dev ~all

"DKIM verification failed"

Ensure all 3 DKIM CNAME records are added
Check for trailing dots in CNAME values (some providers add them automatically)
Verify CNAME targets are correct

Next Steps

DNS Configuration - Detailed DNS setup instructions
Sending Emails - Start sending from your domain
Best Practices - Optimize deliverability

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