SMTP error 250
Requested action completed.
Updated Jul 1, 2026
SMTP 250 is not an error — it is the standard success reply, "Requested mail action okay, completed." The server returns it after accepting a command like HELO, MAIL FROM, RCPT TO, or DATA. One thing to know: a 250 after DATA means the message was queued, not that it reached the inbox.
On the final step this means the message was accepted for delivery — the opposite of an error.
What it means
250 is the most common reply in a healthy SMTP conversation — a Positive Completion reply meaning the command was received, understood, and accepted. Any source that describes 250 as an authentication or TLS failure is simply wrong; those conditions produce 4xx/5xx codes (535 for bad auth, 530 when auth is required), never 250.
Common causes
"250-mail.example.com" plus capability lines: the session opened and the server advertised what it supports.
"250 2.1.0 Sender OK": the envelope sender was accepted.
"250 2.1.5 Recipient OK": the recipient address was accepted.
"250 2.0.0 OK: queued as <id>": the body was accepted and queued — this is acceptance, not inbox delivery.
How to fix it
- Check delivery events, not the SMTP code
A 250 means the server took the message. For the final outcome, look at your provider's bounce/event logs.
- Check spam and asynchronous bounces
After acceptance, mail can still be spam-filtered, silently dropped, or bounced later as a DSN to the sender.
- Confirm authentication aligns
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC failures cause silent spam-foldering even after a 250. Verify all three pass for your sending domain.
- Verify your sending domain in your ESP
A configured-but-unverified domain is a common reason a 250-accepted message never lands.
Common questions
Is 250 an error?
No — it is the standard success reply meaning the command was accepted.
I got a 250 but the email never arrived — why?
A 250 after DATA only means the server queued the message. It can still be spam-filtered, dropped, or bounced afterward. Check event logs, the spam folder, and SPF/DKIM/DMARC.
What do 2.0.0, 2.1.0, and 2.1.5 mean?
Enhanced status codes: 2.0.0 generic success, 2.1.0 a generic address-status "OK" many servers reuse for a clean sender, 2.1.5 a valid recipient.