SOP: Domain Verification in SendGrid

Purpose:
 To authenticate a sending domain in SendGrid to improve email deliverability and prevent emails from being marked as spam.

Who This Is For:
 Team members responsible for email setup, DNS management, or SendGrid configuration.

Time Required:
 10–20 minutes (DNS propagation may take longer)

✅ Prerequisites

• Active SendGrid account
  
  

• Access to domain DNS settings (GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Namecheap, etc.)
  
  

• Domain you will send emails from (example: yourdomain.com)
  
  

Step 1: Open Domain Authentication in SendGrid

1. Log in to SendGrid
   
   

2. Navigate to Settings → Sender Authentication
   
   

3. Under Domain Authentication, click Authenticate Your Domain
   
   

Step 2: Select Your DNS Provider

1. Choose your DNS host from the list
   
   

   • (GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Namecheap, Other)
     
     

2. Select Yes or No for automated security
   
   

   • Recommended: Yes
     
     

3. Click Next
   
   

? Choosing “Other” is fine if your provider isn’t listed.

Step 3: Enter Your Sending Domain

1. Enter the domain you’ll send from
   
   

   • Example: example.com
     
     

2. Click Next
   
   

⚠️ Do not include https:// or www.

Step 4: Copy DNS Records from SendGrid

SendGrid will generate CNAME records (usually 3–5).

You will see:

• Host / Name
  
  

• Type (CNAME)
  
  

• Value / Points To
  
  

? Do not modify these values.

Step 5: Add DNS Records to Your Domain Host

1. Open your DNS provider in a new tab
   
   

2. Go to DNS Management
   
   

3. Add each CNAME record exactly as shown:
   
   

   • Type: CNAME
     
     

   • Host/Name: (from SendGrid)
     
     

   • Value: (from SendGrid)
     
     

   • TTL: Default or Auto
     
     

4. Save changes
   
   

⚠️ Remove the domain portion if your provider auto-appends it.

Step 6: Verify Domain in SendGrid

1. Return to SendGrid
   
   

2. Click Verify
   
   

3. Wait for confirmation
   
   

⏳ Verification can take:

• Instant → 5 minutes
  
  

• Up to 24 hours (rare)
  
  

Step 7: Confirm Domain Authentication Status

Once verified:

• Status shows Authenticated
  
  

• DKIM and SPF are active
  
  

• Domain is safe for sending
  
  

✅ No further action needed.

❗ Common Issues & Fixes

❌ Verification Failed

• Double-check CNAME values
  
  

• Remove duplicate records
  
  

• Wait 15–30 minutes and retry
  
  

❌ Hostname Error

• Remove yourdomain.com from the Host field if auto-added
  
  

❌ Still Pending

• DNS provider may be slow → wait up to 24 hours
  
  

✅ Completion Checklist

• Domain entered correctly
  
  

• All CNAME records added
  
  

• Domain shows Authenticated
  
  

• Test email successfully sent
  
  

? Internal Best Practices

• Use one sending subdomain (ex: mail.yourdomain.com)
  
  

• Authenticate every domain used in SendGrid
  
  

• Document DNS changes internally