Bounce Codes
450 4.2.0 Temporary Failure

Mailbox temporarily unavailable

The mailbox exists but can't accept mail right now — commonly a full inbox or a brief server-side issue specific to that mailbox.

Common causes

  • Recipient's mailbox has exceeded its storage quota.
  • Recipient's mail server is undergoing brief maintenance.

What to do

Retry later. If this persists across multiple attempts over days, treat similarly to a soft-bounce pattern and consider the address likely abandoned.

FAQ

Should a verification tool mark this address as invalid?

No — this is a temporary condition, not a confirmation the mailbox doesn't exist. A well-built verifier retries before reporting a final verdict rather than treating a single 450 as permanent.

Catch These Before You Send

100 free credits — work email application after signup, no card required.

Sign up