Domain "example.com" has exceeded the max defers and failures per hour Print

Error: "Domain has exceeded the maximum number of deferrals and failures per hour"

If you receive a bounce message like:

"Domain example.com has exceeded the maximum number of deferrals and failures per hour (5/5 (100%)) allowed"

it means that outgoing emails from your domain triggered a rule that blocks further delivery. This usually happens when your domain sends too many failed or deferred emails in a short period of time.

Why it happens

This restriction is part of a server-level hourly monitoring system. It is activated when:

• Your domain sends emails that bounce or fail
• The number of failures exceeds the configured threshold (e.g., 5/5 failures)

Blocked domains will automatically regain sending access at the top of the next hour.

Example: If the error occurred at 17:30, sending will be re-enabled at 18:00.

Solution without root access

You just need to wait for the next hour. However, if the issue is caused by email flooding or repeated errors, the block will reoccur.

Solution with root access

If you manage your own server and have root access via WHM or SSH, you can manually remove the block:

1. Access the terminal via WHM or SSH
2. Navigate to the hourly notify directory:

cd /var/cpanel/email_send_limits/hourly_notify

1. Each file in this directory represents a blocked domain
2. Delete the file corresponding to your domain:

rm -f domain-name.tld

This will immediately restore SMTP sending capability for the domain.

Tip

Check your email delivery logs to find out what caused the errors—invalid addresses, blacklists, or compromised scripts could be responsible.