What is Spamhaus?
Spamhaus is an international non-profit organization that operates some of the most widely used anti-spam blocklists in the world. These lists help email providers such as Gmail, Outlook/Hotmail, Yahoo, and many corporate mail servers identify domains and IP addresses that may be connected with spam, phishing, or malware.
If your domain or sending IP appears on a Spamhaus list, it can directly affect your email deliverability. This means that campaigns, automations, and important store messages may not reach your customers properly.
What happens when a domain or IP is listed?
If your store domain or sending IP address is listed by Spamhaus, your emails may be:
rejected before delivery;
automatically moved to the spam folder;
completely blocked by the recipient's mail server.
For an eCommerce business, this may affect promotional campaigns, abandoned cart flows, post-purchase messages, and any other communication that depends on email.
Main Spamhaus lists
List | Applies to | What it means |
DBL — Domain Block List | Domains | The domain has been identified as a possible source of spam, phishing, or malware. |
SBL — Spamhaus Block List | IP addresses | The sending server has been reported for sending spam. |
CSS — Composite Snowshoe | IP addresses | A distributed sending pattern from multiple IPs has been detected. |
XBL | IP addresses | Infected devices, botnets, or malware have been detected. |
PBL | IP addresses | The IP address should not be sending email directly. |
How to check if your domain is listed
Go to https://check.spamhaus.org/.
Enter your store domain, for example yourstore.com, or the IP address used for email sending.
Click Lookup.
If you see a red warning with a list name, such as DBL, SBL, or CSS, it means that your domain or IP is listed. The result page will also show the reason for the listing and the next steps.
Before requesting delisting, fix the root cause
Spamhaus may reject your request if the real issue has not been resolved. Before submitting a delisting request, review the most common causes below.
1. Compromised account or leaked credentials
If someone gained unauthorized access to an admin or email account, change all passwords immediately.
We also recommend that you:
enable two-factor authentication;
review sending logs;
check whether any unauthorized messages were sent.
2. Sending to an old, purchased, or non-consented database
Outdated or purchased contact lists often generate many errors, complaints, and reputation issues.
In this case:
remove addresses that generated hard bounces;
stop sending to contacts who did not actively opt in;
consider using double opt-in for new sign-ups.
3. Missing or incorrect email authentication
Check whether SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured in your domain's DNS.
You can use tools such as:
These settings help email providers confirm that messages really come from your store domain.
4. High complaint rate
If many recipients mark your emails as spam, your domain reputation may decrease.
To prevent this:
keep a visible unsubscribe link;
avoid misleading subject lines;
reduce sending frequency if needed;
send relevant messages to the right audience.
5. Website or domain flagged as phishing or malware
If your store website is compromised or contains suspicious redirects, the domain may also be affected.
Scan your website using a tool such as:
Then remove suspicious pages, forms, scripts, or redirects.
How to request delisting from Spamhaus
Step 1: Prepare an email address from the same domain
The request should be submitted using an email address associated with the affected domain.
Spamhaus usually accepts addresses such as:
the address listed in the domain's WHOIS record
Do not use Gmail, Outlook, or an email address from another domain. Your request may be rejected.
Also make sure this inbox works, because Spamhaus will send a confirmation email to it.
Step 2: Open the removal form
For a domain listed in DBL:
Go to https://check.spamhaus.org/.
Enter your domain.
Click Lookup.
On the result page, click Request removal.
You can also go directly to: https://www.spamhaus.org/dbl/removal/.
For an IP address listed in SBL or CSS:
Go to https://check.spamhaus.org/.
Enter the IP address.
Click Lookup.
Click the listing that appears.
Choose Request removal.
Step 3: Fill in the form
In the form, provide:
the affected domain or IP address;
an administrative email address from the same domain;
a short explanation in English.
The explanation should include:
what caused the issue;
what corrective actions were taken;
why the issue should not happen again.
Example explanation:
Our domain was listed due to a compromised email account that was used to send unauthorized messages. We have changed all administrative passwords, enabled 2FA on all accounts, reviewed and cleaned our mailing list by removing bounced addresses, and properly configured SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records. We confirm the issue has been resolved and will not recur.
Avoid generic messages such as "we fixed the problem". Spamhaus needs to understand exactly what was fixed.
Step 4: Confirm your request
Spamhaus will send a confirmation email to the address you provided.
Click the verification link. Without this confirmation, the request will not be reviewed.
Step 5: Wait for the response
The usual response time may vary from a few hours to 24–48 business hours.
Spamhaus may send additional questions. Reply clearly and directly.
If the request is approved, the domain or IP will be removed from the list within a few hours.
What to do after delisting
After delisting, do not immediately return to high-volume sending.
We recommend that you:
increase your sending volume gradually;
monitor your domain reputation;
keep your contact list clean;
remove inactive contacts;
continue using SPF, DKIM, and DMARC correctly.
You can monitor reputation using services such as:
Need help?
If you have any questions, contact your edrone account manager or the edrone support team. We can help you understand the reason for the listing and prepare the message for Spamhaus.