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Quick answer
To get the blue verified checkmark in Gmail, your domain needs BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification): a logo registered as a trademark, a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) from an approved Certificate Authority, SPF and DKIM in place, DMARC set to quarantine or reject, and a BIMI DNS record pointing to your logo and certificate.
What is the blue verified checkmark?
Since May 2023 Gmail shows a blue checkmark next to senders that use BIMI with a Verified Mark Certificate. Hovering over it tells the reader that the sender has proved it owns the domain and the logo. Google also accepts a Common Mark Certificate (CMC): it shows your logo, but without the checkmark.
Step 1: Register your logo as a trademark
- Step 1
Search first
Check that nobody has registered the same logo.
Screenshot to come · Step 1: Search first - Step 2
File in each country you need
In the GCC, start with the UAE Ministry of Economy, Oman's Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, or the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property (SAIP). WIPO's Madrid System covers several countries in one application.
Screenshot to come · Step 2: File in each country you need - Step 3
Wait for the registration certificate
Google's guidance says registration can take 6 to 12 months, so start this first.
Screenshot to come · Step 3: Wait for the registration certificate
Step 2: Get a Verified Mark Certificate
- Step 1
Enforce DMARC first
Your DMARC policy must be quarantine or reject; p=none is not enough.
Screenshot to come · Step 1: Enforce DMARC first - Step 2
Apply to an approved Certificate Authority
The CA checks your domain's email setup and your trademark.
Screenshot to come · Step 2: Apply to an approved Certificate Authority - Step 3
Receive and host the certificate
Put the .pem file on your website over HTTPS.
Screenshot to come · Step 3: Receive and host the certificate
Step 3: Publish the four DNS records
Replace the example values with your own. The logo must be an SVG in the SVG Tiny PS format.
| Record | DNS host | Example value |
|---|---|---|
| SPF | `yourdomain.com` | `v=spf1 include:_spf.google.com ~all` |
| DKIM | `google._domainkey.yourdomain.com` | `v=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=PUBLIC_KEY` |
| DMARC | `_dmarc.yourdomain.com` | `v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@yourdomain.com` |
| BIMI | `default._bimi.yourdomain.com` | `v=BIMI1; l=https://yourdomain.com/logo.svg; a=https://yourdomain.com/vmc.pem` |
What should you watch out for?
Warning
P=none shows nothing
With DMARC at p=none, Gmail shows neither logo nor checkmark.
Good to know
The logo must match the trademark
A redrawn or recoloured version can fail validation.
Tip
Check with a BIMI tool
A BIMI inspector confirms your records are found and read correctly before you wait for Gmail.
Good to know
DMARC first, carefully
Read your DMARC reports before enforcing, so genuine mail from your CRM or billing system is not blocked. See DMARC, SPF and DKIM setup.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need a registered trademark to get the blue checkmark?
Yes. The checkmark needs a Verified Mark Certificate, and a VMC is only issued for a logo that is a registered trademark. Without one you can use a Common Mark Certificate, which shows your logo in Gmail but not the checkmark. Trademark registration can take 6 to 12 months, so start it before the technical work.
How long does the whole process take?
The trademark is usually the slow part. If your logo is already registered, the rest is the certificate application, the four DNS records and time for them to propagate. Moving DMARC to enforcement safely can also take a few weeks of monitoring.