552 5.2.2 Mailbox full (permanent)
Meaning
The recipient's mailbox is full and the receiving server has determined this is a permanent failure (e.g., the account is inactive).
Common causes
- The recipient has exceeded their storage quota and the account is marked inactive.
- The receiving server policy treats over-quota mailboxes as permanent failures immediately.
How to fix
- Remove the email address from your mailing list.
- Do not continue to send to this address, as it is likely abandoned.
Provider notes
Gmail. Returns 'The recipient's inbox is out of storage space and inactive.'
Example bounce
552 5.2.2 The recipient's inbox is out of storage space and inactive.
FAQ
- Why is this a 5xx error instead of 4xx?
- Some providers return a 5xx error immediately if the mailbox has been full for a very long time, indicating the user has abandoned the account.