mx.nxdomain

Domain Does Not Exist

What we check

Before anything else we ask DNS whether the name exists at all. An authoritative NXDOMAIN answer means no record of any type exists under the name (RFC 2308 §2.1) — not an MX, not an A record, not a TXT record for SPF.

What this finding means

The domain you scanned is not registered, has expired, or is not delegated from its parent zone. There is no mail setup to audit: SPF, DKIM, DMARC, MTA-STS and the mail servers were not evaluated, and the report carries no grade.

This is different from a domain with no MX records (mx.missing, which exists but publishes no mail servers) and from a Null MX (mx.null_mx, a deliberate "no mail here" declaration).

Why it matters

• Most likely a typo. exmaple.com instead of example.com is the single most common way a domain is entered wrong. Check the spelling before changing anything.
• Expired registrations. A domain that lapsed answers NXDOMAIN once the registry drops it. Mail to it bounces, and anyone can re-register it.
• Broken delegation. A domain whose NS records at the parent point nowhere answers NXDOMAIN (or SERVFAIL) even though the zone file may be fine on your servers.

How to fix

1. Check the spelling of the domain and scan again.

2. If the domain is yours, confirm the registration is active at your registrar and that the parent zone delegates to your nameservers:

   copy

   dig +short NS example.com
   dig +short SOA example.com
   

3. Once the name resolves, configure MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC and scan again for a full report.

How it's graded

Not scored — a domain that does not exist has no mail setup to grade, so the report shows no grade at all instead of a deduction; the Grading page lists this finding under "Findings without a deduction". See Grading Methodology.