RFC 4952 · INFORMATIONAL · 2007

Overview and Framework for Internationalized Email

Overview

RFC 4952, “Overview and Framework for Internationalized Email”, is an Informational document published in July 2007 by J. Klensin, Y. Ko. It has since been updated by RFC 5336. It has been obsoleted by RFC 6530 — refer to the newer document for the authoritative version. The canonical text is published by the RFC Editor.

Abstract

Full use of electronic mail throughout the world requires that people be able to use their own names, written correctly in their own languages and scripts, as mailbox names in email addresses. This document introduces a series of specifications that define mechanisms and protocol extensions needed to fully support internationalized email addresses. These changes include an SMTP extension and extension of email header syntax to accommodate UTF-8 data. The document set also includes discussion of key assumptions and issues in deploying fully internationalized email. This memo provides information for the Internet community.

Abstract as published in the RFC, via rfc-editor.org.

What “Informational” means

Published for the general information of the community. It does not define an IETF standard and carries no standards-track status.

Read this RFC

The canonical text of RFC 4952 is hosted at rfc-editor.org. Available in TXT,HTML.

Relationships to other RFCs
Obsoleted by
RFC 6530
Updated by
RFC 5336
Other RFCs from 2007

Who Is Online

In total there are 66 users online: 0 registered, 58 guests and 8 bots.

Most users ever online was 5,555 on 17 Jul 2026, 3:23 am.

Bots: AhrefsBot Applebot Baiduspider Bingbot Other Bot Other Spider PetalBot SemrushBot

Users active in the past 15 minutes. Total registered members: 372