Discontinuing the SPF Record (Type 99)
Simone Carletti
on
The DNSimple team has been working non-stop to bring significant improvements to our underlying DNS architecture. We've been focused on cleaning up legacy behaviors as part of our ongoing infrastructure evolution. In 2024, we deprecated alternate TXT records for ALIAS records. Now, we're announcing a change that will impact SPF records in DNSimple.
We are discontinuing support for the dedicated SPF record type (RR type 99) and transitioning to SPF records defined exclusively as TXT records, following the recommendations established in RFC 7208.
A brief history of SPF records
The Sender Policy Framework (SPF) record was originally defined in RFC 4408, published in April 2006. This specification introduced two ways to publish SPF records:
- A dedicated SPF resource record type (RR type 99)
- TXT records as a fallback mechanism
The original design intended for both methods to coexist, giving DNS administrators flexibility in how they published their SPF policies. However, the dedicated SPF record type never gained widespread adoption across the DNS ecosystem. DNS software vendors and administrators largely ignored the SPF RR type and continued using TXT records exclusively.
Recognizing this reality, RFC 7208 was published in April 2014, updating the SPF specification. This newer standard formally deprecated the dedicated SPF record type and specified that SPF policies should only be published as TXT records. RFC 7208 effectively obsoleted the SPF RR type by mandating that SPF policies must be published as TXT records, acknowledging what had already become the de facto industry standard.
DNSimple's SPF implementation
DNSimple has supported SPF records since our early days in 2010. Our original implementation was based on RFC 4408, which predates the April 2014 updates that deprecated the dedicated SPF record type. We've maintained this support for over a decade to ensure compatibility with existing configurations.
Currently, when you create an SPF record in DNSimple, our system automatically creates an equivalent TXT record with the same name, content, and TTL. This approach has allowed us to provide both record types while ensuring maximum compatibility across different DNS resolvers and email systems. However, this automatic mirroring behavior has proven problematic for infrastructure provisioning and automation tools like Terraform, DNSControl, and Chef. It breaks the predictability of automated plans and creates unnecessary complexity and overhead.
Why we're making this change
After carefully reviewing the evolution of SPF standards and current industry practices, we've decided to discontinue support for the dedicated SPF record type (RR type 99). We're making this change to align with RFC 7208 recommendations and to simplify our DNS management system.
Here's what's changing:
- We will no longer support the creation or modification of SPF records using the dedicated SPF record type.
- All existing SPF records will be automatically migrated to equivalent TXT records.
- SPF policies will continue to function exactly as they do today, but will be managed exclusively through TXT records.
This change brings DNSimple in line with modern SPF standards and eliminates any potential confusion between the two record types. Your email authentication will continue to work seamlessly throughout this transition.
Timeline
We'll implement these changes in two phases:
Phase 1 (August 11, 2025): We will disable support for SPF records in our system. As of this date, you won't be able to add new SPF records or modify existing ones using the dedicated SPF record type.
Phase 2 (September 8, 2025): We will automatically convert all existing SPF records to TXT records. You don't need to do anything — we'll handle the transition for you. Your zones will continue to resolve in exactly the same way.
Important note: Templates and One-click Services will also be affected by this change. If you're using these features, please ensure you review them for any SPF records that may need attention.
How am I impacted?
Most of our customers likely won't notice any difference in how their SPF records function. Your email authentication policies will continue to work exactly as they do today. However, if you're managing DNS records programmatically through our API or using infrastructure automation tools, you may need to update your code to work with TXT records instead of SPF records.
What steps do I have to take?
We recommend taking the time to audit any custom code or automation scripts that create, update, or delete SPF records to ensure they're prepared for this transition.
Conclusion
We want to thank all our customers for their patience as we continue to evolve our platform to meet modern DNS standards. By deprecating the SPF record type in favor of TXT records, we're ensuring that DNSimple remains aligned with current best practices and RFC recommendations.
This change represents our commitment to providing you with a DNS management experience that's both standards-compliant and future-proof. Your SPF records will continue to protect your email authentication without interruption.
If you have questions about this change or need assistance with your SPF records, just contact our support team. We're here to help make this transition as smooth as possible.
You can also read more about SPF records in our support documentation and learn about TXT records in our TXT record guide.
Simone Carletti
Italian software developer, a PADI scuba instructor and a former professional sommelier. I make awesome code and troll Anthony for fun and profit.
We think domain management should be easy.
That's why we continue building DNSimple.
