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Glossary

pct tag (legacy)

A legacy DMARC sampling tag removed by RFC 9989; current rollouts use t=y test mode instead.

The pct tag was defined by the previous DMARC specification to sample application of a requested policy. RFC 9989 removed it, so it should not be used for a new rollout.

Use t=y instead. Test mode lowers the effective policy by one level: p=quarantine; t=y is effectively none, and p=reject; t=y is effectively quarantine. Analysis tools may still recognise pct in older records, but generators should not emit or recommend it.

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Written and reviewed by the DMARC Engine team · Last reviewed June 2026

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