Valid, invalid, risky, unknown: what to do next
Read verification results as evidence about an address, with the reason and check date attached.
The label is a shortcut. Keep the reason and the date of the check with it.
| Result | What it tells you | Next step |
|---|---|---|
valid | The check found evidence that the address can receive mail. | Use it only where you already have a reason to contact the recipient. |
invalid | The check found a problem that makes the address unusable. | Review the reason; correct a confirmed typo or suppress the address. |
risky | A condition needs further judgement. | Read the flag and compare it with what you know about the contact. |
unknown | The check couldn't reach a conclusion. | Keep it unresolved; consider a later check or confirmation. |
A valid result doesn't establish who owns the address, whether they read it, or whether they subscribed. It doesn't guarantee delivery of your particular message, either.
For risky results, the detail matters. A catch-all domain leaves the individual mailbox uncertain. A role address, such as accounts@, tells you something about its likely purpose. A disposable flag raises a question about continued access. Those are different reasons to review an address, not interchangeable reasons to delete it. Tools may expose them as separate flags or incorporate them into the overall status.
Unknown means the result is unresolved. Don't quietly convert it to valid to keep a workflow moving, or to invalid because your database expects a yes or no.
Whatever the label says, existing unsubscribe and suppression records still apply. A successful check must never put someone back on a mailing list they left.
Check a list before your next campaign
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Keep a contact ID in your verification file
A simple export makes it easier to return each result to the right contact without exposing your whole CRM.
Before you connect an email verification API
Plan for unresolved checks, failed requests and changing addresses before putting verification into production.