Multiple SPF Records: Why It Breaks Email and How to Fix It

Last updated 2026-05-29 — By The InboxGreen Team

"Multiple SPF records" means your domain has more than one TXT record starting with v=spf1. This is a hard error. The SPF specification (RFC 7208) explicitly states that only one SPF record is allowed per domain. When receivers find two, they return a PermError, which means SPF fails completely regardless of what the records say. The fix is to merge all SPF includes into a single record and delete the duplicate.

What it means

SPF works by looking up a single authoritative TXT record at your domain root. If your DNS returns two records starting with v=spf1, the SPF evaluation cannot proceed. This is not a soft warning; it is a specification violation. Most providers treat PermError the same as a hard SPF fail, which can affect DMARC alignment and inbox placement.

Why it matters

This problem is more common than it looks. It typically happens when a new sending service is added (Mailchimp, SendGrid, HubSpot) and the setup guide tells the user to "add this SPF record" without checking whether one already exists. The result is two records that silently break authentication for all senders.

How to merge two SPF records into one

v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com include:sendgrid.net include:spf.protection.outlook.com ~all

Take all the include:, ip4:, and ip6: mechanisms from both records and combine them into a single record. Keep only one ~all or -all at the end. Delete the second record entirely after saving the merged one.

How to fix it

Cloudflare

  1. Go to Cloudflare DNS > Records and find all TXT records at your root (@).
  2. Identify which ones start with v=spf1.
  3. Copy all the include/ip4/ip6 mechanisms from both records.
  4. Edit the first SPF record and combine everything into one value.
  5. Delete the second SPF record.
  6. Save.

Namecheap

  1. Go to Advanced DNS and look for multiple TXT records at host @.
  2. Identify which start with v=spf1.
  3. Combine all mechanisms into one record value.
  4. Edit the first record with the merged value.
  5. Delete the second SPF record.
  6. Save changes.

GoDaddy

  1. Go to DNS > Manage Zones > your domain.
  2. Look for TXT records with name @ that start with v=spf1.
  3. Combine all includes into one record.
  4. Edit the first and save.
  5. Delete the duplicate.

How to verify the fix

  1. Run your domain through the InboxGreen free checker.
  2. SPF should now show PASS or WARN instead of a PermError.
  3. Confirm there is only one TXT record starting with v=spf1 at your domain root.

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Run your domain through InboxGreen's free checker to confirm the issue is resolved.

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Common mistakes

  • Deleting the wrong record. Delete the duplicate and keep the one with all includes merged.
  • Forgetting to include all mechanisms from the deleted record in the surviving one.
  • Adding a third-party setup guide's SPF record without first checking for an existing one.
  • Not verifying after the change. Always re-run a check to confirm the PermError is gone.

Frequently asked questions

How many SPF records can I have? +

Exactly one. The SPF specification (RFC 7208, section 3.2) states that a domain must not have more than one record that can be retrieved. Having two results in a PermError.

Does order matter when merging SPF includes? +

No. The order of include mechanisms in an SPF record does not affect the result. SPF evaluates all mechanisms regardless of order.

Will merging SPF records affect my email delivery? +

No, as long as you include all the same mechanisms in the merged record, nothing changes for legitimate senders. The merge just removes the PermError that was causing SPF to fail completely.

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