552 5.2.2: mailbox full (over quota)
The recipient's mailbox is over its storage limit and cannot take new messages.
Temporary failure (soft bounce)
What 552 5.2.2 means
The mailbox exists but is full. Servers differ: some return a temporary 452 4.2.2 and retry for a few days, others a permanent 552. A mailbox that stays full for weeks is usually abandoned.
Common causes
- An inbox that nobody empties
- A free account that has hit its storage cap
- An abandoned address
How to fix it
- Retry later if the error is temporary
- Ask the recipient to free up space
- If it keeps failing, treat the address as inactive
What to do with the address
Retry once or twice. If it is still full after a few sends, remove it as inactive.
Check an address now with the free email checker, or look at a domain's mail setup with the email domain checker, MX lookup and SPF checker.
Related error codes
Frequently asked questions
- What does 552 5.2.2 mean?
- The recipient's mailbox is over its storage limit and cannot take new messages. The mailbox exists but is full. Servers differ: some return a temporary 452 4.2.2 and retry for a few days, others a permanent 552. A mailbox that stays full for weeks is usually abandoned.
- Is 552 5.2.2 a hard bounce or a soft bounce?
- Temporary failure (soft bounce). It may succeed on a later attempt.
- What should I do with the address after 552 5.2.2?
- Retry once or twice. If it is still full after a few sends, remove it as inactive.