BIMI Record
Checker

What is BIMI and Why It Matters

BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is an email specification that enables organizations to display their brand logos next to authenticated messages in supporting email clients. BIMI builds on top of DMARC authentication, requiring a strong DMARC policy to ensure only legitimate senders can display the brand logo. This visual indicator helps recipients quickly identify authentic emails from trusted brands, improving engagement and reducing phishing success rates.

Verified Mark Certificate (VMC)

While BIMI can work with just a logo URL, major email providers like Gmail require a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) for logo display. A VMC is a digital certificate that legally verifies your right to use the trademarked logo. VMCs are issued by Certificate Authorities after verifying trademark ownership. The certificate costs typically range from $1,000 to $1,500 per year and requires a registered trademark in supported jurisdictions.

BIMI Support Across Email Clients

• Gmail: Requires VMC, displays in web and mobile (90%+ coverage)
• Yahoo Mail: No VMC required, wide support since 2020
• Apple Mail: Supports BIMI in iOS 16+ and macOS Ventura+
• Fastmail: Full BIMI support without VMC requirement
• Outlook: Currently in pilot phase, limited availability

Common BIMI Implementation Issues

The most common BIMI failures stem from incorrect SVG formatting. Logos must use SVG Tiny Portable/Secure profile, which has strict limitations on features. Complex logos may need simplification. DMARC policy issues are another common blocker - BIMI requires at least a quarantine policy with good alignment rates. DNS propagation can take 48-72 hours, and email providers may cache BIMI lookups for up to a week.