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FAQ:
The module provides false positives:
The function of this module, and specifically of the SMTP check, relies on the assumption that the mail server declared responsible for an email domain will immediately reject any nonexistent address.
Some SMTP servers (Yahoo's servers for example) are only rejecting
nonexistent emails after the end of DATA command has been provided in
the conversation with the server. This module only goes until the
RCPT TO and says it's valid if it doesn't get rejected there, since
the DATA part of the email is the email body itself.
Other SMTP servers accept emails even for nonexistent recipient addresses and forward them to a different server which will create a bounce message in a second step. This is the case for many email domains hosted at Microsoft.
In both cases, there's nothing we can do about it, as the mail server we talk to seemingly accepts the email address.
Everything gets rejected:
Check if you have port 25 access from your IP to the accepting server's IP. Even if you do, the server might use RBL's (spamhaus.org lists, for example), and your IP might get rejected because of being listed in one of the used lists by the email server. Your best bet is to use this module on another server that delivers emails, thus eliminating the chance of being blacklisted.
I can't check thousands of emails!
This module is a tool; every tool can become a weapon if not used properly. In my case, I use this module to check email address validity at registration time, so not thousands at once. Doing so might make you (your IP) end up in one of the aforementioned blocklists, as providers will detect you as a possible spammer. In short, I would advise against your use case.
My email doesn't check out!
Run this code with the module installed (use your parameters within), and see the output:
python -c 'import logging, sys; logging.basicConfig(stream=sys.stderr, level=logging.DEBUG); from validate_email import validate_email; print(validate_email(\'your.email@address.com\', smtp_debug=True))'
If you still don't understand why your code doesn't work as expected by looking at the the logs, then (and only then) add an issue explaining your problem with a REPRODUCIBLE example, and the output of your test run.
How can I pass my email account's credentials? How can I use port 465 or 587 when my provider blocks port 25?
The credentials you got from your email provider, as well as the instruction to use port 465 or 587, refer to your provider's server for outgoing emails.
This module, however, directly talks to the recipient's server for incoming emails, so neither your credentials nor the switch to port 465 or 587 is of any use here.
If your internet connection is within an IP pool (often the case for private use) or it doesn't have a proper reverse DNS entry, the servers for many email domains (depending on their configuration) will reject connections from you. This can not be solved by using your provider's mail server. Instead, you have to use the library on a machine with an internet connection with static IP address and a proper reverse DNS entry.