---
name: "cyrus-deliver"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "cyrus-common"
version: "3.10.2-1+deb13u2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/cyrus-deliver"
---

# cyrus-deliver(8)

Cyrus IMAP documentation intro

## NAME

deliver - Cyrus IMAP documentation

intro

## SYNOPSIS

```
deliver [ -C config-file ] [ -d ] [ -r address ]
       [ -f address ] [ -m mailbox ] [ -a auth-id ]
       [ -q ] [ userid ]...
deliver [ -C config-file ] -l
```

## DESCRIPTION

**deliver reads a message from the standard input and delivers it to** **one or more IMAP mailboxes.**

**deliver reads its configuration options out of the** *[imapd.conf(5)](/imapd.conf/5.md)* **file unless specified otherwise by -C.**

## OPTIONS

- **-C config-file**

  **Use the specified configuration file** *config-file* **rather than the default** *[imapd.conf(5)](/imapd.conf/5.md)***.**

- **-d**

  **Ignored for compatibility with /bin/mail.**

- **-r address, --return-path=address**

  **Insert a Return-Path: header containing** *address***.**

- **-f address**

  **Insert a Return-Path: header containing** *address***.**

- **-m mailbox, --mailbox=mailbox**

  **Deliver to mailbox.  If any** *userid***s are specified, attempts** **to deliver to user.***userid***.mailbox for each** *userid***.** **If the ACL on any such mailbox does not grant the sender the "p"** **right or if -m is not specified, then delivers to the INBOX for** **the** *userid***, regardless of the ACL on the INBOX.**

  **If no** *userid***s are specified, attempts to deliver to** *mailbox***. If the ACL on** *mailbox* **does not grant the sender the "p" right,** **the delivery fails.**

- **-a auth-id, --auth-id=auth-id**

  **Specify the authorization id of the sender.  Defaults to "anonymous".**

- **-q, --ignore-quota**

  **Deliver message even when receiving mailbox is over quota.**

- **-l, --lmtp**

  **Accept messages using the LMTP protocol.**

## NOTES

**Depending on the setting of reject8bit in** *[imapd.conf(5)](/imapd.conf/5.md)***, deliver** **either rejects/accepts messages with 8-bit-set characters in the headers.** **If we accept messages with 8-bit-set characters in the headers, then depending** **on the setting of munge8bit, these characters are either left un-touched** **or changed to "X".**

**This is because such characters can't be interpreted since the** **character set is not known, although some communities not well-served by** **US-ASCII assume that those characters can be used to represent characters not** **present in US-ASCII.**

**A method for encoding 8-bit-set characters is provided by** *RFC 2047***.**

## EXAMPLES

**\[NB: Examples needed\]**

## FILES

**/etc/imapd.conf**

## SEE ALSO

*[lmtpd(8)](/lmtpd/8.md)*

## AUTHOR

**The Cyrus Team, Nic Bernstein (Onlight)**

## COPYRIGHT

**1993–2025, The Cyrus Team**