What are the requirements for using a word mark with BIMI?
Updated on 28 Jul 2026: We updated this guide for RFC 9989 and the current Mark Certificate Requirements, including VMC and CMC paths.
A word mark can be used with BIMI, but it is not a shortcut around trademark or email authentication requirements. For the VMC route, the word mark must be registered and in good standing, and the applicant must own it or hold a valid license. The Mark Verifying Authority also verifies the organization and domain before comparing the submitted SVG with the registered mark.
The practical answer is simple: the word mark can be the registered name itself, such as the plain company or product name, without an icon or other design element. The rest of BIMI still has to be correct: DMARC at enforcement, SPF or DKIM passing with the authenticated domain matching the visible From domain, an SVG Tiny PS file, a published BIMI TXT record, and a certificate path accepted by the mailbox provider.
The source of confusion is usually the difference between a plain word mark and a stylized logo. A word mark consists of words, letters, numbers or standard typographic characters. If the mark has a heart over an i, an icon, a custom illustration or a design shape, treat it as a design or combined mark unless the certificate issuer confirms another permitted path.
The short answer
The requirements are the same core BIMI requirements, plus proof that the word mark is eligible for the certificate route you plan to use. The word mark changes the brand evidence, not the email authentication threshold.
Word marks are allowed, but they still need evidence
For a VMC-backed BIMI implementation, the Mark Verifying Authority checks the registered mark, organization identity, domain control and SVG mark representation. The Mark Certificate Requirements require registered marks to be in good standing and verified through the relevant trademark office database or the WIPO Global Brand Database.
Treat a BIMI word mark project as two parallel workstreams. One proves the brand right through the registered word mark, ownership or license, and certificate request. The other proves that the sending domain is ready through DMARC enforcement, reliable authentication and a complete sender inventory. Suped, our DMARC reporting and email authentication platform, supports that second workstream because its DMARC monitoring turns aggregate reports into source-level fixes before a mailbox provider evaluates the brand mark.
- A VMC word mark needs a live trademark registration, not only common business use.
- The protected mark consists of the typed word or words rather than a decorated logo.
- The applicant must own the mark or have documented permission from its owner.
- The visible From domain must pass DMARC under an enforcement policy.
- Mailbox providers decide whether to display BIMI even when every record is valid.
What counts as a word mark
A word mark is a trademark for words or characters without a claim to a specific logo drawing. The terminology changes by country, but the BIMI certificate requirements map common trademark-office labels into combined marks, design marks and word marks. In the United States, the rough match is a standard character mark. In the European Union, it is a word mark made of typographic characters that can be typed.
Word mark
- The mark contains only words, letters, numbers or standard symbols.
- The registration does not depend on a specific logo drawing.
- An existing company-name registration can provide the evidence for a VMC.
Not a word mark
- An icon, seal, badge, mascot or drawing changes the mark type.
- A heart over a letter or a similar embellishment is not plain text.
- Words combined with graphic elements need design or combined-mark handling.
The distinction matters because the Mark Verifying Authority compares the SVG with the trademark record. The current requirements allow words to be separated, combined or stacked in defined cases. Adding a badge, motif or unrelated drawing can move the request outside the registered-mark VMC path.
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
Word | Words or characters | Text can be split or stacked |
Design | Graphic element | SVG must match the permitted representation |
Combined | Words plus a design | Both elements are reviewed |
How trademark types map to BIMI certificate review.
The certificate requirement
For the VMC route, registration with a trademark office is required. The registration can cover the word mark itself. It does not need to cover a separate logo design when the requested mark representation stays within the permitted treatment of the registered word mark. This route is useful when an organization has registered its name but not the exact logo used in marketing.
The BIMI Group overview explains the broader BIMI flow: the receiver authenticates the message, looks up the BIMI DNS record, then decides whether to use the brand mark. A certificate is part of that receiver-side trust decision when the provider requires one.
DMARC policy readiness for BIMI
The visible From domain and its organizational domain, when different, need full enforcement coverage.
Monitoring only
p=none
A monitoring policy does not meet the BIMI enforcement threshold.
Test mode
t=y
RFC 9989 test mode asks receivers not to apply the stated enforcement policy.
Eligible policy
p=quarantine or p=reject; t omitted or t=n
Quarantine or reject must apply to the relevant From domain without a weaker subdomain policy.
A word mark does not remove mailbox discretion
BIMI is permissioned at display time. Passing DMARC, publishing a valid BIMI record and holding an accepted certificate give the receiver the required inputs. They do not force every inbox to show the mark.
Choose the certificate path
A registered word mark normally fits the registered-mark VMC path. The current Mark Certificate Requirements also define CMC paths for a mark with verified prior use, an accepted modification of a registered trademark, or a qualifying provisional mark. These CMC paths do not turn an unregistered word mark into a VMC.
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
Registered-mark VMC | Registered mark in good standing plus ownership or license | SVG is checked against the registered mark |
Prior-use CMC | Matching mark on a controlled website now and at least 12 months earlier | Mailbox-provider acceptance varies |
Modified or provisional CMC | Registered mark plus the separate rules for the requested representation | Issuer review is required before SVG work |
Self-asserted BIMI | No Mark Certificate | Provider support is limited |
Certificate routes for a BIMI word mark or related mark representation.
Certificate support changes the inbox result
Gmail accepts either a VMC or CMC for BIMI logo display, but its verified checkmark is limited to VMC-backed senders. Other mailbox providers apply their own certificate and reputation rules, so confirm support for the intended audience before purchasing a certificate.
The BIMI and DNS requirements
The word mark question sits on top of the normal BIMI setup. Do not start certificate paperwork until the sending domain has stable authentication. Confirm that every legitimate sender is authorized, DKIM signing is consistent, SPF stays within the lookup limit, and DMARC reports show actual pass rates.
Before changing policy, use a DMARC checker to catch syntax mistakes, missing reporting addresses or a policy that is still too weak for BIMI.
Minimum DMARC enforcement examplesDNS
_dmarc.example.com. 3600 IN TXT "v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:dmarc@example.com" _dmarc.example.com. 3600 IN TXT "v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=mailto:dmarc@example.com"
RFC 9989 removed the pct tag
New DMARC records should omit pct. RFC 9989 replaces the old pct=0 testing signal with t=y, while t=n or an omitted t tag means normal policy application. BIMI still needs full enforcement, so do not use t=y on the relevant From domain. Some BIMI documentation still says pct=100 to describe full coverage, but pct is now an ignored legacy tag.
The BIMI record points to the SVG and, when used, the Mark Certificate. The SVG needs the SVG Tiny PS profile, a square viewBox, no scripts, no external references and no embedded raster images. Host it over HTTPS, return a successful response with the image/svg+xml content type, and test the word mark at 20 to 24 pixels under circular and rounded-square crops. Gmail requires absolute pixel dimensions of at least 96 by 96 and recommends a file size of 32 KB or less. Validate the file against the BIMI SVG rules before publication.
Example BIMI recordDNS
default._bimi.example.com. 3600 IN TXT "v=BIMI1; l=https://example.com/bimi.svg; a=https://example.com/vmc.pem;"
DMARC checker
Look up a domain's DMARC record and catch policy issues.
?/7tests passed
After the TXT records are live, re-check DNS through normal production resolvers and send real mail through the main sending paths. A correct DNS record does not make the domain BIMI-ready when campaign traffic fails DMARC because a sender was missed.
How to prepare a word mark
The cleanest process is to prove the brand first, then prove the email domain. Running both tasks without clear ownership wastes time because a certificate issuer cannot fix SPF, DKIM or DMARC data, and a DMARC platform cannot make an ineligible mark qualify for a VMC.
Flowchart showing the BIMI word mark process: check mark, confirm owner, fix DMARC, create SVG, publish DNS, monitor mail.
- Find the trademark record and confirm that it is active, registered and not only pending.
- Make sure the legal entity requesting the certificate owns the mark or holds a license.
- Choose a VMC for the registered word mark path, or confirm separate CMC eligibility with the issuer.
- Prepare an SVG that stays readable at inbox size and matches the selected certificate path.
- Set DMARC enforcement first, then publish the BIMI TXT record with the asset locations.
- Send production-like messages and inspect authentication results across normal senders.
If the intended receiver is Gmail, review its certificate requirements before choosing between a VMC and CMC.
Where Suped fits
Suped is our DMARC reporting and email authentication platform. For a BIMI project, it helps verify the part that precedes certificate and display decisions: legitimate sending sources, domain matching, DMARC pass rates and enforcement coverage.
The Suped dashboard can inventory legitimate sources, isolate unverified traffic and show which sending changes are needed before policy enforcement. It does not validate trademark rights or issue a Mark Certificate, so legal evidence and certificate review remain separate tasks.
Issue steps to fix dialog showing the issue overview, tailored fix steps, and verification action
For word mark BIMI, the useful Suped workflow is issue detection with steps to fix. Instead of reading raw XML reports and manually sorting senders, teams can see which sources pass, which fail, and what DNS or sending change is needed before the BIMI record goes live.
Suped's domain health check gives a quick snapshot, while ongoing DMARC reporting helps keep BIMI eligible after launch. New sending sources and rushed DNS changes can otherwise create authentication failures that are easy to miss.
Common mistakes
Most word mark BIMI problems fall into repeatable categories. They are easier to prevent when legal evidence and SVG preparation are handled separately from DNS and authentication readiness.
- A pending trademark application is not a registered mark in good standing for the VMC path.
- Adding graphics to a plain word mark can require a different certificate path.
- DMARC in monitoring mode does not meet the BIMI enforcement threshold.
- The BIMI lookup follows the visible From domain, which must pass DMARC through a matching authenticated domain.
- One important sending stream that fails DMARC can undermine the launch.
- A valid setup gives receivers evidence, not a guarantee that every user sees the mark.
The word mark path is useful, not automatic
If the company name is already registered as a word mark, it can provide the legal evidence for a VMC without requiring a separate registration for an unused logo design. The issuer still has to approve the submitted mark representation.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Confirm the word mark registration before design work starts, so SVG review stays focused.
Keep BIMI word mark artwork plain enough that it still reads as the registered name.
Resolve DMARC sender failures before certificate review, not during the launch window.
Common pitfalls
Teams assume a pending trademark works for VMC, then lose weeks waiting on registration.
Design teams add small decorations to text, creating a mark mismatch during validation.
A BIMI DNS record gets published before all real mail streams pass DMARC enforcement.
Expert tips
Use the registered company name when the logo mark has not been separately registered.
Treat mailbox display as the final step after authentication, DNS, SVG, and certificate checks.
Document ownership and license rights early, especially for parent and subsidiary domains.
Marketer from Email Geeks says word marks have always been usable for BIMI when the mark has no extra design element.
2023-05-30 - Email Geeks
Marketer from Email Geeks says many companies already have their names trademarked, while fewer have the full logo design registered.
2023-05-30 - Email Geeks
