How long does it take to recover email deliverability after IP blacklisting or poor domain reputation?
Michael Ko
Co-founder & CEO, Suped
Published 17 May 2025
Updated 19 Aug 2025
7 min read
Getting your IP address or domain blacklisted (or blocklisted) can feel like a deliverability death sentence. One day your emails are landing in inboxes, the next they are disappearing into the spam folder, or worse, not being delivered at all. The immediate question is often, "How long until I can send emails reliably again?"
Unfortunately, there is no single answer to how long it takes to recover email deliverability after such an event. The recovery timeline can vary significantly, ranging from a few days to several months, depending on various factors. It is a nuanced process that requires a strategic approach and consistent effort.
In this guide, I will break down the key elements that influence recovery time, what steps you need to take, and what you can expect throughout the process. It is certainly a long road back for some, but not an impossible one.
When your email deliverability suffers, it is usually because your sender reputation has taken a hit. This reputation is essentially a trust score assigned by mailbox providers, like Gmail or Outlook, based on your sending behavior. There are two primary components to this: IP reputation and domain reputation.
An IP address blacklisting is often a quicker fix because you can switch to new IP addresses (though this comes with its own warming challenges). However, a poor domain reputation is much harder to recover from because it's tied to your brand identity. Mailbox providers, including Google, are increasingly prioritizing domain reputation over IP reputation, as it is a more stable indicator of sender legitimacy. They examine various signals to determine your domain's trustworthiness, which can be tracked using tools like Google Postmaster Tools.
This means that even if you move to a new IP, your domain's past sending behavior can still haunt you. If you are experiencing issues with emails going to spam, it is likely tied to your domain reputation. Understanding this distinction is crucial for effective recovery.
IP reputation
Definition: Score associated with the numerical IP address from which your emails are sent.
Recovery time: Generally quicker, from a few days to a few weeks, especially if you move to new, warmed-up IPs.
Factors: Volume of mail, spam complaints, bounce rates, and whether the IP is listed on public blocklists like DNSBLs.
Domain reputation
Definition: Score associated with your sending domain (e.g., yourcompany.com).
Recovery time: Can take weeks or even months to rebuild, as it's a long-term trust metric.
Factors: Email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), spam complaint rates, bounce rates, engagement (opens, clicks), user marks as not spam, and volume consistency. A poor domain reputation is difficult to shake.
Factors influencing recovery time
Several critical factors determine how quickly you can recover your email deliverability and sender reputation. Understanding these will help set realistic expectations and guide your recovery efforts.
The severity and cause of the blacklisting are paramount. A temporary listing on a less influential blocklist (like a regional one) might be resolved in days if you request delisting and address the root cause. However, being added to a major global blacklist (such as Spamhaus) due to consistent spamming, a high complaint rate, or hitting a spam trap, will take much longer. In such cases, the blocklist might automatically remove you after a certain period of good behavior, but even then, mailbox providers will retain a memory of your past actions.
The consistency and quality of your sending practices post-incident are also critical. If you were blacklisted for poor list hygiene or sending unsolicited emails, merely getting off the blacklist without changing your practices will lead to immediate re-listing and further damage. Mailbox providers monitor your behavior continuously. A sudden spike in volume or a continued high complaint rate will hinder recovery and potentially prolong the time it takes to see email deliverability improvements. It truly is a case of rebuilding trust from the ground up.
The specific mailbox provider also plays a role. Each provider has its own algorithms and policies. Gmail, for example, is known for being particularly strict and slow to forgive, especially with domain reputation. Even if an IP blacklisting (or blocklisting) is removed, you might still face challenges with specific providers if your domain reputation remains poor. The absence of active engagement signals (opens, clicks) from your recipients can lead to persistent spam folder placement.
Immediate actions after blacklisting
Stop sending: Halt all email sending immediately to prevent further damage and allow systems to reset.
Identify the cause: Pinpoint what led to the blacklisting, whether it's high bounces, spam complaints, or sending to unengaged lists.
Review authentication: Ensure your SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured and aligned.
Strategies for recovery
Once you have identified the issues, it is time to implement a comprehensive recovery strategy. This is not a one-time fix but an ongoing commitment to good sending practices.
First, focus on list cleaning and segmentation. Remove inactive, unengaged, or bounced email addresses. High bounce rates and spam complaints are major red flags. Focus your initial sending only on your most engaged subscribers to rebuild trust. Gradually increase your sending volume to these engaged segments over time.
Second, ensure your email authentication is flawless. This includes SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance). Proper authentication signals to mailbox providers that your emails are legitimate and not spoofed, which is a fundamental step in regaining trust. You can find out more about these protocols and their importance in this simple guide.
Third, if you moved to a new IP, you need to implement a careful IP warming strategy. Start with small volumes to highly engaged recipients and gradually increase your sending volume over several weeks. This helps build a positive reputation for your new IP address. Without proper warming, even a clean IP can quickly get flagged.
Fourth, monitor your reputation continuously. Use tools like Google Postmaster Tools to track your domain and IP reputation, spam rates, and delivery errors. For a broader view, services like Sender Score provide insight into your IP's standing. Regular monitoring allows you to identify new issues quickly and respond proactively.
Finally, be patient. Recovering from a blacklisting or poor domain reputation is a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time for mailbox providers to recognize and trust your improved sending behavior. Depending on the depth of the issue, this could mean several weeks or even months of consistent, high-quality sending before you see significant improvements in your inbox placement rates.
Action
Typical impact on IP reputation (weeks)
Typical impact on domain reputation (months)
Key considerations
Immediate delisting (minor blocklist)
Days to 1 week
1-2 weeks
Requires proactive delisting request and immediate issue resolution.
Automated removal (major blocklist)
2-4 weeks
1-3 months
Relies on sustained good sending behavior to trigger automatic removal.
Recovery from poor domain reputation
N/A (already moved IP)
3-6 months or more
Requires continuous engagement, authentication, and compliance. Very slow.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Actively monitor your domain and IP reputation using tools like Google Postmaster. This will give you insights into how mailbox providers view your sending practices.
Prioritize sending to your most engaged subscribers first after an incident. This helps rebuild positive reputation signals.
Ensure all email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) records are correctly set up and aligned. This is crucial for proving your legitimacy.
Common pitfalls
Assuming that just moving to a new IP address will instantly solve all deliverability issues without addressing underlying problems.
Failing to understand that domain reputation often carries more weight than IP reputation, especially with major mailbox providers like Gmail.
Continuing to send emails to unengaged or unopted-in lists, leading to ongoing spam complaints and poor engagement signals.
Expert tips
If your domain has been blacklisted due to severe issues, consider if fundamental changes to your email program's practices are necessary.
Even if content is considered 'legal' or 'public task', if recipients don't want or expect it, it will likely be marked as spam.
For severe cases, reaching out directly to confirm an old user or problematic sending source is no longer active can sometimes help speed up recovery.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says Gmail prioritizes domain reputation over IP reputation, so focusing on active opt-ins can quickly improve deliverability.
2019-10-10 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says the impact of previous blocks should fade over time if sending practices improve. If the same practices continue, the same issues will reoccur.
2019-10-10 - Email Geeks
Rebuilding trust and reputation
Recovering email deliverability after IP blacklisting or a decline in domain reputation is a process that demands patience, diligence, and a commitment to best practices. While IP blacklisting can sometimes be resolved relatively quickly, rebuilding a damaged domain reputation typically takes much longer, often spanning several months.
The key is to proactively address the root causes, meticulously clean your lists, ensure robust email authentication, warm up new IPs correctly, and continuously monitor your sender metrics. By consistently demonstrating good sending behavior, you can gradually rebuild trust with mailbox providers and restore your email deliverability.
Spamhaus
0Spam
Cisco
NoSolicitado
URIBL
abuse.ro
ALPHANET
Anonmails
Ascams
BLOCKEDSERVERS
Calivent Networks
EFnet
JustSpam
Kempt.net
NordSpam
RV-SOFT Technology
Scientific Spam
Spamikaze
SpamRATS
SPFBL
Suomispam
System 5 Hosting
Team Cymru
Validity
www.blocklist.de Fail2Ban-Reporting Service
ZapBL
2stepback.dk
Fayntic Services
ORB UK
technoirc.org
TechTheft
Gmail or 
Outlook, based on your sending behavior. There are two primary components to this: IP reputation and domain reputation.
Google, are increasingly prioritizing domain reputation over IP reputation, as it is a more stable indicator of sender legitimacy. They examine various signals to determine your domain's trustworthiness, which can be tracked using tools like Google Postmaster Tools.
Spamhaus) due to consistent spamming, a high complaint rate, or hitting a spam trap, will take much longer. In such cases, the blocklist might automatically remove you after a certain period of good behavior, but even then, mailbox providers will retain a memory of your past actions.
