SpamAssassin rule
MISSING_DATE
No Date header
+1.396 points
Combination of other tests (meta rule)
What MISSING_DATE means
The message has no Date header, which every email must have.
The rule's description in SpamAssassin: “Missing Date: header”
How to fix it
Let your email library or server add the Date header; check custom code that builds raw MIME messages.
Does your email trigger MISSING_DATE?
Send it to a free test address: we run SpamAssassin, check SPF, DKIM and DMARC and show every rule with a fix.
Open the email spam checkerRelated rules
FROM_EXCESS_BASE64From header needlessly encoded
INVALID_DATEInvalid Date header
MAILING_LIST_MULTILooks like mailing-list software
MISSING_FROMNo From header
MISSING_HEADERSNo To header
MISSING_MIDNo Message-ID header
MISSING_SUBJECTNo subject
MSGID_FROM_MTA_HEADERMessage-ID added by a relay
REPLYTO_WITHOUT_TO_CCReply-To but no To or Cc
Frequently asked questions
What does MISSING_DATE mean?
The message has no Date header, which every email must have.
How do I fix MISSING_DATE?
Let your email library or server add the Date header; check custom code that builds raw MIME messages.
How many points does MISSING_DATE add?
1.396 points in the default SpamAssassin ruleset (network tests on, Bayes off). A message is treated as spam from 5.0 points. Mail servers can change scores locally.