Domain Intelligence
Last Updated:

Va.gov

Safe to Send

Va.gov is operated by Department of Veterans Affairs. The domain runs 1 mail exchange and SMTP is responsive, with 2 of 3 authentication standards in place.

Safe to Send
Disposable
No
Persistent addresses, not throwaway
SMTP Live
Yes
Mail server responds to SMTP handshake
MX Records
1
Mail exchangers

Mail Exchange (MX) Records for va.gov Mail Exchange records. They tell other mail servers which hosts are responsible for receiving email at this domain, in priority order. Lower priority numbers are tried first.

1 RECORD
#10
mx20.va.gov 152.130.26.44
Reachable
SMTP Handshake Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. We open a live SMTP connection to the primary MX and read the greeting banner. A response confirms the mail server is alive and accepting connections. Responsive
BANNER220 gwema17-mta.va.gov ESMTP
Primary mail server accepted SMTP connection and returned a banner during the live audit.

va.gov Email Authentication SPF · DKIM · DMARC

2/3 PASS
SPF Sender Policy Framework. A DNS record listing which servers are allowed to send mail for this domain. Receivers reject or flag mail from unauthorized servers. Pass
TXTv=spf1 mx ip4:152.130.26.32/27 ip4:152.131.26.32/27 ip4:152.132.26.32/27 ip4:152.133.26.32/27 ip4:152.129.0.0/16 ip6:2600:8000:0:10::0/112 ip6:2600:8010:0:10::0/112 ip6:2600:8020:0:10::0/112 ip6:2600:8030:0:10::0/112 -all
Authorized senders are defined and pass SPF policy.
DKIM DomainKeys Identified Mail. The sending server cryptographically signs outbound mail with a private key, and receivers verify the signature using a public key in DNS. Missing
No DKIM signature detected on common selectors for va.gov.
No DKIM signature was detected. Receivers cannot verify the integrity of outbound mail.
DMARC Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance. Tells receivers what to do when SPF or DKIM checks fail: none, quarantine, or reject. Reject
TXTv=DMARC1; p=reject; fo=1; ri=3600; rua=mailto:reports@dmarc.cyber.dhs.gov
Strict policy. Receivers are instructed to reject any mail that fails SPF or DKIM. The strongest available setting.

va.gov Domain Registration WHOIS · Nameservers · Registrar

28 YEARS OLD
Registrarget.gov
IANA ID93
RegisteredOctober 1, 1997
Last UpdatedJanuary 12, 2026
ExpiresAugust 4, 2026
Age28 years
TLD.gov
Authoritative Nameservers (4)
  • ns1x.va.gov
  • ns2x.va.gov
  • ns3x.va.gov
  • ns4x.va.gov
Registrant
Hidden by registrar privacy service
Technical Contact
Hidden by registrar privacy service
About this Domain

About va.gov

The Department of Veterans Affairs (va.gov) is a U.S. federal department responsible for providing healthcare, benefits, and memorial services to military veterans and their families. The VA operates the nation's largest integrated healthcare system with over 1,200 facilities.

The VA implements mandatory DMARC enforcement per CISA BOD 18-01 with strict SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. The VA is heavily targeted by phishing campaigns exploiting veterans seeking healthcare and benefits. Email security is critical for protecting veteran data.

The va.gov mail servers do not operate as catch-all. Recipients are validated and invalid addresses rejected. The VA applies strict security filtering given its handling of sensitive veteran health records.

Reliable delivery to va.gov requires full authentication compliance. The VA applies rigorous filtering to protect sensitive healthcare and benefits communications.

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Common Questions About va.gov

Is va.gov a disposable or temporary email provider?
No. va.gov is not a disposable email provider. It is classified as Government Email operated by Department of Veterans Affairs and addresses on va.gov are persistent rather than throwaway. Mail sent to a valid va.gov mailbox reaches a real recipient.
How do I verify if a va.gov email address is valid?
The fastest way to verify a va.gov email address is to use our free email checker. Enter any @va.gov mailbox at the top of this page and our system performs a real-time SMTP handshake against va.gov's mail servers, confirming whether the mailbox exists, is reachable, and is safe to send to. No email is ever delivered during the check.
Can I check if a va.gov email exists without sending a message?
Yes. Our real-time email verification API connects directly to va.gov's mail server, opens an SMTP session, and queries the mailbox using the RCPT TO command without ever transmitting an actual email. The server's response confirms whether the va.gov mailbox is valid, full, or non-existent. The recipient never receives anything and never sees the check.
What are the MX records for va.gov?
va.gov currently publishes 1 mail exchange (MX) record. The primary MX is mx20.va.gov, which is the first server contacted when other mail systems try to deliver email to a va.gov address. The full list with priorities and IP addresses is in the MX Records panel above. MX records tell sending servers where to route email for va.gov.
Does va.gov use SPF, DKIM, and DMARC email authentication?
va.gov has 2 of the 3 standard email authentication records in place: SPF, and DMARC (policy: reject). Adding the missing layer(s) would tighten anti-spoofing protection and improve deliverability for legitimate va.gov mail.
Why do emails to va.gov bounce or get blocked?
Bounces from va.gov usually fall into three buckets: the mailbox doesn't exist (5xx user unknown), the inbox is full, or your sending domain isn't authenticated to va.gov's satisfaction. The fastest fix is to run each address through a free email verifier before you send, and to make sure your own SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are configured correctly so va.gov's receivers trust you.
How can I verify a large list of va.gov email addresses?
Our bulk email verifier accepts CSV or TXT uploads with thousands or millions of va.gov addresses (or any mix of domains). Every address goes through 30+ checks including SMTP existence, va.gov catch-all detection, role-account detection, and disposable-domain matching. Results typically come back within minutes and previously-failed addresses on your blacklist are reprocessed for free. For continuous high-volume needs, see our unlimited email verification API.
Is it safe to accept signups from va.gov email addresses?
Yes, with normal hygiene. va.gov is a legitimate email service and signups from @va.gov behave like any other real user. Pipe each address through a real-time email verifier API at the moment of signup to catch typos and dead mailboxes, but there is no need to block va.gov by default.
What email format does va.gov use for usernames?
Most va.gov mailboxes follow common patterns like first.last@va.gov, firstinitiallast@va.gov, or first@va.gov, but the actual local-part rules depend on Department of Veterans Affairs. The only reliable way to confirm whether a specific @va.gov address exists is to run it through a free email verification tool. Guessing patterns will produce a high bounce rate and damage your sender reputation.
How is the va.gov risk score calculated?
The 0-to-100 risk score for va.gov combines disposable-domain classification, mail-server reachability, MX record presence and depth, SPF / DKIM / DMARC enforcement, DMARC policy strength, SMTP banner response, and domain age. Lower scores mean safer to send to. Disposable domains are pinned at the high end of the scale. The va.gov score is recomputed on every audit so it always reflects the live state of the domain.
Is va.gov a valid email domain?
Yes, va.gov is an official government email domain used by Department of Veterans Affairs. Government domains are verified and regulated, making them highly trustworthy.
Is va.gov a disposable or temporary email provider?
No, va.gov is an official government domain used by Department of Veterans Affairs for official government communications.
What mail server does va.gov use?
va.gov uses government-managed mail infrastructure with strict security measures and email authentication.
Can I send marketing emails to va.gov addresses?
Sending unsolicited marketing emails to government addresses at va.gov is generally not recommended. Only send with explicit opt-in consent.
How do I verify an email address at va.gov?
Government domains like va.gov often have strict mail server configurations. Use BulkEmailChecker for reliable verification results.