Email DNS Records
After you create an email domain in the Console, eCourtDate generates the DNS records you need to add at your DNS provider. Email delivery runs through Amazon SES, so these records point to Amazon SES infrastructure.
Always copy the exact record names and values shown in the Console for your domain. The examples below illustrate the format, but tokens and region specific values are generated per domain. Use Download CSV to export every record, or Notify to email them to whoever manages your DNS.
Understanding the record types
- TXT record: a text note attached to your domain. Used to prove ownership and to publish email authentication policies (SPF and DMARC).
- CNAME record: an alias pointing one name to another. DKIM records use CNAMEs that point to Amazon SES signing keys.
- MX record: tells email systems where to deliver mail for your domain. Required only if you want eCourtDate to receive inbound email at this domain.
Required records
| Type | Name | Example value | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| TXT | _amazonses.yourdomain.com | Verification token from Console | Email Domain Verification |
| TXT | yourdomain.com | v=spf1 include:amazonses.com ~all | SPF Email Authentication |
| TXT | _dmarc.yourdomain.com | "v=DMARC1; p=none;" | DMARC Monitoring |
| CNAME | <token>._domainkey.yourdomain.com | <token>.dkim.amazonses.com | DKIM Authentication |
DKIM uses three CNAME records, one per signing token. The tokens appear in the Console after you click Enable DKIM.
Optional records
Inbound email
Add an MX record only if you want eCourtDate to receive inbound email at this domain. Use a subdomain rather than your main agency domain.
| Type | Name | Example value | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| MX | yourdomain.com | 10 inbound-smtp.us-east-1.amazonaws.com | Email Routing and Inbound Email |
Custom MAIL FROM domain
A custom MAIL FROM domain can improve deliverability by aligning the envelope sender with your domain. These records are optional.
| Type | Name | Example value | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| MX | mail.yourdomain.com | 10 feedback-smtp.us-east-1.amazonses.com | Custom MAIL FROM Domain |
| TXT | mail.yourdomain.com | v=spf1 include:amazonses.com ~all | SPF for Custom MAIL FROM Domain |
What SPF, DKIM, and DMARC do
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework): lists which servers are authorized to send email for your domain. The eCourtDate value authorizes Amazon SES.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): adds a cryptographic signature to outbound email so receivers can confirm it was not tampered with.
- DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance): tells receiving servers what to do when an email fails SPF or DKIM. The default policy is
p=none, which monitors without affecting delivery.
Configure all three for the best deliverability. Without them, your messages are more likely to be flagged as spam.
Adding records at your provider
Add each record exactly as shown in the Console. After saving, allow time for DNS to propagate. Changes may take 24 to 72 hours to propagate globally, though many appear within a few hours. You can confirm records are visible using a public DNS lookup tool such as dnschecker.org.
See also
- Email Domain Setup: the full setup sequence.
- Verification and Monitoring: confirm records and read the Monitoring Report.
- Troubleshooting: resolve deliverability and inbound issues.