--- title: "My Domain Is on the SURBL Blacklist: Is That a Problem?" description: "Google and Microsoft 365 don't use SURBL, so a listing doesn't affect your inbox placement. What SURBL is, why many domains were listed in 2026, and what to do if you email enterprise companies." url: https://help.salesforge.ai/en/articles/10333633-my-domain-is-on-the-surbl-blacklist-is-that-a-problem collection: "Deliverability & Compliance" updated: 2026-10-26 language: en --- # My Domain Is on the SURBL Blacklist: Is That a Problem? Google and Microsoft 365 don't use SURBL, so a listing doesn't affect your inbox placement. What SURBL is, why many domains were listed in 2026, and what to do if you email enterprise companies. If you've checked a domain against SURBL and found it listed, you're not alone. Since mid-2026 a large wave of domains has been added to the **SURBL Multi** list across the whole cold email industry, including correctly set up domains with little or no sending history. This article explains what that means for your deliverability. ## The short answer - **Google (Gmail and Google Workspace) does not use SURBL.** Google publicly confirmed it stopped using SURBL data in Gmail's filtering. - **Microsoft 365 does not use SURBL.** It relies on its own filtering systems. - So for the large majority of B2B recipients, a SURBL listing has no effect on whether your email lands in the inbox, and you can keep sending and warming up as normal. - A small number of recipients that run additional security filtering may behave differently. This is covered in section 3, along with what to do. ## 1\. What SURBL is SURBL (Spam URI Realtime Blocklists) is a domain-based blocklist, not an IP blocklist. It lists domains found in unwanted email, so a listing says nothing about the mailbox, server or IP your email is sent from. - **It doesn't distinguish cold outreach from spam.** A domain can be added because it appears in unsolicited email, whether or not the outreach itself is legal or well targeted. - **It has a well-known false-positive problem.** Many legitimate senders end up listed without sending anything abusive. - **It is run by a third party.** Mailbox providers decide for themselves whether to use its data. SURBL Multi combines several lists. **ABUSE** is the one most cold email domains in the 2026 wave were added to. The others cover phishing (PH), malware (MW), compromised sites (CR), click-tracker domains (CT) and disposable email domains (DM). A listing under PH, MW or CR points to a security problem on the domain's website and should be investigated. ## 2\. Why so many domains are listed This is an industry-wide event, not a sign of a problem with your account, your setup or the provider you bought your domain from. Cold email teams everywhere reported the same pattern in the same weeks, including on domains that were only a few days old. SURBL doesn't publish exact criteria, so it isn't possible to say what triggered an individual listing. Many listings clear over time. ## 3\. Who uses SURBL ### Google In September 2025, Google confirmed it stopped using SURBL data in Gmail's filtering. A Google spokesperson said: "After a review found that our own advanced protections are the most effective way to protect users, we stopped incorporating SURBL as a signal." This was [reported by Yahoo News](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/google-scraps-gmail-blacklist-labeled-100000569.html). ![News report: Google stopped using SURBL data in Gmail filtering, with a Google spokesperson quote](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/p677a7ec3b682e732d0e54ed0/dd9hHUC9T9uopXCkXABh8fJ9KbWmaFCfzOchtJeGb7V12FkVlGimg0RaJpiWAOE7B8TPesUe9ko.png) ### Microsoft 365 Microsoft 365 doesn't use SURBL either. Between them, Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 host the overwhelming majority of B2B mailboxes, which is why placement tests on listed domains keep coming back healthy. ### Some enterprise security filters Some larger companies add their own email security layer in front of their mailboxes, such as Proofpoint, Mimecast, Barracuda or Cisco (often called a Secure Email Gateway, or SEG), and a few self-hosted spam filters are set up with SURBL. These are configured by each company, and some may use SURBL among many other signals. When one of them does, your email can bounce, and the bounce message will mention SURBL. This only affects those specific recipients. Cold emails to these protected companies are more likely to be filtered or bounce for many reasons, not only SURBL. Our article on [bounces when sending to certain recipients](https://help.salesforge.ai/en/articles/10175550-bounces-when-sending-to-certain-recipients.md) explains why. ## 4\. What to do - **Keep sending and warming up as normal.** There is no need to pause or replace a domain because of a SURBL listing. - **Judge by results.** If your replies and placement tests look healthy, the listing isn't affecting you. - **Check your bounces if you email larger companies.** If a few bounces mention SURBL, they come from recipients with an enterprise security filter. You don't need to do anything about the rest of your sending. ### If you email enterprise companies If a meaningful part of your list is enterprise companies and you see SURBL bounces from them, these options help: - **Find the protected contacts.** On the validation screen in Salesforge, every contact shows the email provider it uses, such as Google or Microsoft 365. Contacts behind a security service, for example Proofpoint or Anti Spam Software, are listed under the **Unsafe** tab, and you can filter and exclude them before adding contacts to a sequence. - **Send those leads from a separate domain.** Use a domain that isn't on SURBL for enterprise leads, and keep your other domains for Google and Microsoft 365 leads. Alternatively, leave the protected contacts out of campaigns that run on listed domains. - **Keep emails simple.** Plain text, few links and no unnecessary tracking give enterprise filters less to react to. ![Salesforge validation screen showing the ESP column and the Proofpoint and Anti Spam Software filters under the Unsafe tab](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/p677a7ec3b682e732d0e54ed0/othfJPghgpBSsd3zSa0rlAIYe9GxpXaDQaZJvl5440aSJhP6IVbtKnqTfXBtDBNaCqA0cYf89GD.png) If you need help setting this up, contact support. ### Requesting delisting Delisting is optional. If you want to request it, SURBL handles it through [its lookup page](https://www.surbl.org/surbl-analysis), and it has to be submitted by the domain owner, since the form asks for details about your organization and your sending. SURBL decides the outcome and timing. ## 5\. This is specific to SURBL This doesn't mean blocklists never matter. A listing on **Spamhaus** or another widely used blocklist is a genuine problem and should be treated seriously. If you're not sure which list you're dealing with, contact our support team and we'll help you check. ## 6\. What decides inbox placement If your emails are landing in spam, the cause is almost always one of three things: - **Sender reputation:** built through proper warm-up and genuine engagement over time. - **Authentication:** correct SPF, DKIM and DMARC setup. - **Content:** spam-trigger wording, broken or suspicious links, heavy HTML and a missing unsubscribe option. Run a placement test to see where you actually land, and warm up against the same mix of Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 inboxes you're sending to. ## 7\. How to check your status - **SURBL's lookup tool:** free on SURBL's website. Enter a domain to see whether it's listed and on which list. - **Multi-blocklist checkers:** check a domain against many blocklists at once. - **A placement test:** shows where your email actually lands. ## FAQ **Does a SURBL listing affect Gmail or Microsoft 365?** No. Google confirmed it stopped using SURBL in 2025, and Microsoft 365 doesn't use it. **Should I replace a domain that's on SURBL?** No. A SURBL listing alone is not a reason to replace a domain. Check your replies and placement first. **Why did a few of my emails bounce with a SURBL message?** The recipient's company runs its own security filter, which may check SURBL. This only affects those recipients, see section 3. **Is the listing a problem with how my domain was set up?** No. It is part of an industry-wide event that affected domains from all providers, including well-warmed ones. **Can you delist my domain for me?** No. SURBL's removal form asks for details only the domain owner can provide, so you submit it yourself if you want to. It is optional. **Does it affect my mailboxes or sending IPs?** No. SURBL lists domains, not mailboxes or IPs, so it doesn't change warm-up or IP reputation. **Can I ignore all blocklists?** No. This is specific to SURBL. Spamhaus and other major blocklists should be taken seriously. ## Conclusion A SURBL listing is part of a known industry-wide event, not a reflection of your account or your sending practices. Google and Microsoft 365 don't use SURBL, so keep sending and warming up as normal. If you email larger companies and see a few SURBL bounces, use the ESP filters on Salesforge's validation screen to find the protected contacts and send to them from a separate domain.