The error message '554 5.7.1 Recipient address rejected: Unknown recipient' indicates that the receiving email address cannot be found. This usually has one of the following causes:
- Incorrect, or not yet implemented DNS settings
- The email address that you send mail to does not exist
- A configuration error on the receiving mail server
The cause of this problem is always with the receiver and only the sender of the email receives the error message. You do not need to do any further research into the cause of this problem at your end.
You can see if you can contact the recipient in any other way (e.g. by telephone) and point the receiver to this article.
Incorrect, or not yet implemented DNS settings
A problem in the DNS settings, or more specifically: the MX record, can also cause this message. Therefore, we recommend checking this.
For example, you may have moved your domain, or have made a DNS adjustment. It then takes up to 24 hours (often shorter) before the DNS changes are processed.
Incidentally, the 554 5.7.1 error message is returned by the receiving mail server to the sender of an email. This means that an MX record is present with the 554 5.7.1 report at the receiving domain, and the receiving mail server is also easily accessible. However, it is important to check whether your DNS refers to the correct mail server.
The email address that you send mail to does not exist
There are a very large number of possible ways / places where the recipient can have an email address. Do you use email from a party other than TransIP? Then, it is best to contact that party. Do you use (i.e. the recipient) a web hosting package from us? You can then use this article to verify if the email address exists. For VPS control panels, you can consult our email documentation:
A configuration error on the receiving mail server
A possible configuration error can best be excluded by the administrator of your mail server. Are not you the administrator yourself? Then contact the administrator.
It is important to realize that the 554 5.7.1 error message is returned by the receiving mail server to the sender of an email. Therefore, your mail server is enabled and can also be reached. In this case, it is important to view your log files for error messages and to check whether the email address in question exists.
Cannot find a solution for a VPS that you host with us? Ask our support department for a second opinion and send the answers to the questions you find in this article.
Should you have any questions left regarding this article, do not hesitate to contact our support department. You can reach them via the ‘Contact Us’ button at the bottom of this page.