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Domain Security5 min
How to Check If Your Domain Is Blacklisted
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NameSilo Staff9/23/2026
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To check if your domain is blacklisted, run it through Spamhaus's Domain Block List (DBL) lookup or a multi-list tool like MXToolbox. A domain blacklist means your brand name itself has been flagged for spam, malicious links, or abusive content, separate from any hosting server issue, so the fix lives entirely with your domain, not your host.
What Is a Domain Blacklist?
Spamhaus's DBL (Domain Block List) and similar lists like SURBL are queried by mail servers, not web browsers, to check domains associated with spam campaigns, phishing, or malware. Receiving mail systems check your domain at up to three points: the reverse DNS of the connecting server, the HELO string and sending domain during the SMTP transaction, and finally the actual links and addresses found inside the message body and headers.
This is different from an IP blacklist, which flags a specific sending IP address rather than a domain name. A domain blacklist follows your brand name specifically, wherever it's hosted, whoever sends its mail, and it operates entirely within email delivery, not general web browsing.
Why It Matters: Domain Reputation Can Affect Delivery
A domain-level listing can affect whether receiving mail systems trust messages associated with your domain. Filters may inspect the sending domain, the domains used in message links, and other reputation signals when deciding whether to accept, reject, or quarantine a message.
That means a domain reputation problem can follow you even when the sending server itself is healthy.
The important part is to identify why the domain was listed before trying to remove it. A compromised website, phishing page, malicious redirect, spam campaign, or other abusive use may continue damaging the domain until the underlying issue is fixed.
You may not control every reputation system or every signal it uses, but you can control many of the things associated with your domain, including the security of your website, your email practices, and how quickly abuse is investigated.
How to Check Your Domain
- Visit Spamhaus's Blocklist Removal Center (their IP and Domain Reputation Checker) and enter your domain
- Cross-check with a multi-list tool like MXToolbox, which scans your domain against roughly 80-100 lists at once, including SURBL and other domain-specific blocklists
- Note the exact listing reason shown; DBL listings usually specify whether the trigger was spam content, phishing, or malware association
What Can Damage a Domain's Reputation?
Domain reputation can deteriorate when a domain becomes associated with abusive or malicious activity. The exact criteria used by individual blocklists are not always public, but several situations are worth investigating if your domain has been listed.
Compromised websites: A hacked WordPress or CMS installation can host phishing pages, inject malicious redirects, distribute malware, or create spam pages without the site owner realising it.
Phishing or malicious content: Domains used in credential-stealing pages, malware campaigns, deceptive redirects, or other abusive activity can quickly develop a poor reputation.
Spam campaigns: If your domain is being used in unsolicited email or repeatedly appears in messages reported as spam, that activity can contribute to reputation problems.
Abusive links: Reputation systems may also evaluate domains that appear inside suspicious email messages, redirects, or other malicious content, even when the domain is not the sending mail server.
Email authentication such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is still important because it makes domain impersonation more difficult and helps receiving systems verify legitimate mail. However, missing authentication records should not be treated as proof of why a domain was added to a particular blocklist.
Mitigation and Delisting
Before requesting removal, investigate why the domain may have developed a poor reputation. Delisting a domain without fixing the underlying issue can result in the same problem returning.
Start by checking the systems connected to the domain:
- Scan the website and hosting account for malware, injected code, suspicious redirects, and unknown files.
- Review recently created pages, links, subdomains, and redirects for anything you did not intentionally publish.
- Check whether email accounts or forms have been compromised or used to send unsolicited messages.
- Verify SPF, DKIM, and DMARC so legitimate email from your domain can be properly authenticated.
- Check the blocklist's own lookup result for any information it provides about the listing.
Once the source of the problem has been identified and corrected, follow the removal or review process provided by the blocklist itself. Spamhaus, SURBL, and other reputation services have their own procedures, so use the instructions attached to the specific listing rather than assuming one delisting process applies everywhere.
Common Mistakes
Assuming a hosting change automatically clears the listing: A domain-level reputation problem does not disappear simply because you move the website to another server. If the old hosting environment was compromised, cleaning or replacing it may be part of the solution, but the domain's reputation still needs to be addressed separately.
Requesting removal before investigating the cause: A delisting request should come after you have checked the website, email systems, redirects, and other services connected to the domain. Otherwise, the activity that caused the problem may continue after the listing is removed.
Checking only IP blacklists: A clean sending IP does not necessarily mean the domain itself has a clean reputation. Domain and IP reputation are separate signals, so check both when troubleshooting delivery problems.
What This Means for You
You cannot control every reputation system, but you can control many of the signals associated with your domain.
Keep your website and CMS software secure, investigate unexpected redirects or newly created pages, and configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for legitimate email services. If you suspect a compromise, review your hosting account before requesting removal from a blocklist.
NameSilo Email supports domain-based email through services such as Titan and Google Workspace, while NameSilo Hosting provides cPanel access for reviewing website files and investigating suspicious activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if my domain is blacklisted?
Use Spamhaus's DBL lookup tool or a multi-list checker like MXToolbox.
What is the Spamhaus DBL?
Domain Block List: a registry of domains flagged for spam, phishing, or malware.
Does changing hosts fix a blacklisted domain?
No. The reputation follows the domain name itself, not the server.
What causes a domain to get blacklisted?
Spam content, malicious links, compromised sites, or poor email authentication.
How do I get my domain removed from Spamhaus DBL?
Fix the root cause first, then submit Spamhaus's self-service delisting form.
Can a compromised WordPress site get my domain blacklisted?
Yes. Injected malware or spam scripts are a common cause of domain listings.
Is a domain blacklist the same as an IP blacklist?
No. A domain blacklist follows your brand name; an IP blacklist follows a sending IP address.
How does NameSilo help protect domain reputation?
Accurate WHOIS management and proper email authentication through Titan Mail or Google Workspace.
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NameSilo StaffThe NameSilo staff of writers worked together on this post. It was a combination of efforts from our passionate writers that produce content to educate and provide insights for all our readers.
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