BIMI CHECKLIST, OCTOBER 2026
From Sendability Insights W40, by Sendability (sendability.com), part of Data Innovation.
Free to use, copy and share.

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1. DMARC AT ENFORCEMENT, ON EVERY SENDING DOMAIN
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No provider shows a logo without it.
  Check:  nslookup -type=TXT _dmarc.yourdomain.com
  Needed: p=quarantine or p=reject. Zoho also requires pct=100.
[ ] Root domain        [ ] Every sending subdomain

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2. THE LOGO FILE
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SVG Tiny PS, square.
Red Sift's BIMI Maker checks and generates the file for free, with no
signup: https://redsift.com/tools/bimi-maker
[ ] SVG Tiny PS file ready   [ ] Hosted over HTTPS

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3. THE CERTIFICATE
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VMC (Verified Mark Certificate): needs a registered trademark.
     Gmail shows the logo with a blue checkmark. Apple Mail accepts it.
CMC (Common Mark Certificate): needs the logo in public use for about
     12 months. Gmail shows the logo without the checkmark. Apple's
     documentation does not name it.
List prices on the authorities' own pages, September 2026:
     Sectigo    VMC from $1,350 a year   CMC from $990
     GlobalSign VMC $1,450               CMC $1,035
Entrust's certificate business, VMCs included, moved to Sectigo in 2025.
[ ] VMC   [ ] CMC   Authority: ______________

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4. THE DNS RECORD
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  default._bimi.yourdomain.com  TXT
  "v=BIMI1; l=https://yourdomain.com/bimi/logo.svg; a=https://yourdomain.com/bimi/certificate.pem"
l= points to the logo. a= points to the certificate. Gmail shows
nothing for a record that has l= but no a=.
[ ] Record published   [ ] a= points to the current certificate

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5. WHAT EACH INBOX SHOWS
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  Gmail           VMC or CMC required
  Apple Mail      VMC
  Yahoo and AOL   no certificate needed, for bulk senders with reputation
  Outlook         does not display BIMI
[ ] Seen in Gmail   [ ] Seen in Apple Mail   [ ] Seen in Yahoo

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6. RENEWAL
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A certificate lasts at most 398 days. When it lapses, the logo stops
appearing and nothing warns you.
  Expiry date: ______________   Reminder set for: ______________
  Set it early: the certificate has to be revalidated and reissued
  every year (Sectigo).

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7. MEASURE IT HONESTLY
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Compare Gmail against Yahoo, where the logo does not depend on the
certificate, before and after. Month against month mixes the logo with
everything else that changed.
  Gmail opens / Yahoo opens, before: ______   after: ______
  Gmail clicks / Yahoo clicks, before: ______   after: ______

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