Use Settings → Transactional domains for receipts, password resets, invoices, and other application email. This path is separate from marketing campaigns.
Need the big picture first? See Sending domains overview.
For campaigns and automations, verify a dedicated subdomain under Marketing domains.
What to add
Add your root brand domain, not a full email address:
| Enter | Do not enter |
|---|---|
acme.com |
noreply@acme.com |
baffapp.com |
https://baffapp.com |
Keep marketing on a different hostname such as news.acme.com.
Setup checklist
- Open Settings → Transactional domains.
- Enter your domain (example:
acme.com) and click Add transactional domain. - Open the DNS records panel for that domain.
- At your DNS host, create every required record Mailivate shows.
- If your provider auto-appends the domain, enter only the Name shown (for example
@orpsrp). - Turn off CDN proxy on return-path CNAMEs.
- Click Check DNS.
- When status is verified, send from addresses on that domain — for example
noreply@acme.com.
Create an API token under Account → API Tokens, then follow Send transactional email (API).
Records you will publish
| Record | Purpose |
|---|---|
| SPF TXT | Authorizes Mailivate’s transactional servers to send for your domain |
| Return-path CNAME | Routes bounces back to Mailivate |
| Ownership TXT | Proves you control the domain |
| DKIM TXT | Signs messages for inbox placement (may appear shortly after the domain is added) |
| DMARC TXT (recommended) | Policy for handling failed authentication — start with p=none |
Name field tips
| Name shown | Typical meaning |
|---|---|
@ |
Root of the domain (acme.com) |
Host label such as psrp |
Subdomain psrp.acme.com |
selector._domainkey |
DKIM host under your domain |
After verification
- Use From addresses on the verified domain only.
- Prefer a stable identity such as
App <noreply@acme.com>orBilling <billing@acme.com>. - Test with
POST /api/emailbefore wiring production flows (account must be approved). - Campaigns still need a marketing domain — this transactional domain will not authorize them.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | What to try |
|---|---|
| Check DNS still pending | Wait for propagation, confirm values match exactly, disable CDN proxy on CNAMEs |
| DKIM still pending | Refresh / Check DNS again after a few minutes — Mailivate issues DKIM after setup |
| API rejects From | Confirm the domain status is verified and the From host matches the verified domain exactly |
| Wrong plane | Marketing From addresses belong on Marketing domains |