SignumeBIMI Requirements Checklist: Everything You Need to Qualify
A complete step-by-step checklist to prepare your domain for BIMI, VMC verification, and displaying your logo with the blue checkmark in email clients.
Qualifying for BIMI requires meeting strict security, legal, and technical standards before your logo ever appears in an inbox.
Skipping even one requirement causes silent failure where inboxes ignore your BIMI DNS record. Use this practical checklist to ensure your brand is fully prepared.
Phase 1: Email Authentication & DMARC Enforcement
BIMI is designed as a reward for securing your domain. Mailbox providers will not fetch your logo if your domain is not fully secured.
- SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Configured and aligned for all sending IPs and third-party services.
- DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): 2048-bit DKIM keys configured and passing for all outbound streams.
- DMARC Policy at Enforcement: Your DMARC record must be published at
p=quarantineorp=reject.- Critical check: Ensure
pct=100(100% enforcement). - Critical check: Check subdomains! A parent policy with
sp=noneinvalidates subdomains.
- Critical check: Ensure
Phase 2: Trademark & Logo Formatting
Your logo must meet both legal ownership and precise vector graphic constraints.
- Active Registered Trademark: Registered with a recognized IP office (USPTO, BOIP, EUIPO, UKIPO, etc.).
- Exact Visual Match: The logo mark submitted must match your registered trademark file identically.
- SVG Tiny PS Format:
- Formatted as
SVG Tiny Portable/Secure. - Square 1:1 aspect ratio with centered logo artwork.
- Solid background color (transparent backgrounds can render poorly in dark mode).
- Cleaned file: No external links, text tags, bitmap images, or scripts embedded.
- Formatted as
Phase 3: Certificate Procurement (VMC or CMC)
- Select Certificate Type: Choose a VMC for the Gmail blue checkmark, or a CMC if operating without a registered mark.
- Identity Verification: Complete the CA's identity validation process (involving organizational verification and notary/video identity check).
- Host Certificate File: Obtain the
.pemcertificate chain file from the CA and host it on an HTTPS-accessible web server.
Phase 4: DNS Records & Final Inspection
- Publish BIMI TXT Record: Publish your record at
default._bimi.yourdomain.com.- Example syntax:
v=BIMI1; l=https://yourdomain.com/logo.svg; a=https://yourdomain.com/certificate.pem
- Example syntax:
- Verify Header Types: Ensure your web server serves the SVG file with
Content-Type: image/svg+xml. - Run BIMI Validation: Test your setup using an inspector tool to verify that all certificate chains, DMARC policies, and vector files resolve correctly.
How Signume helps
We audit your domain infrastructure against this checklist prior to application, fixing DMARC gaps and reformatting your SVG logo to ensure zero delays during CA validation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common reason BIMI setup fails?
Having a DMARC policy stuck at p=none or using a subdomain with sp=none inherited from the parent domain.
Why does my SVG file fail validation even though it opens in Chrome? Standard web SVGs contain tags, fonts, or inline styling that are prohibited under the strict SVG Tiny PS specification required for BIMI security.
How long does it take to complete all requirements on this checklist? If you already hold a trademark and have DMARC at enforcement, issuance takes 1–2 weeks. If you need to build DMARC enforcement or register a trademark, timeline scales accordingly.
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BIMI vs VMC: What Is the Difference?
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