I am looking for a domain name registrant. Where can I look it up?
The Whois is an easy-to-use tool for checking the availability of a .nl domain name. If the domain name is already taken, you can see who has registered it.
On the page looking up a domain name you will find more information about what a domain name is, how the Whois works and how the privacy of personal data is protected. Alternatively, you can go straight to look for a domain name via the Whois.
I would like to transfer my domain name to another registrar. What is the procedure?
To get your domain name transferred, you need the token (unique ID number) for your domain name. Your existing registrar has the token and is obliged to give it to you within five days, if you ask for it. The procedure for changing your registrar is described on the page transferring your domain name.
The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date. How can I get them updated?
To update the contact details associated with your domain name, you need to contact your registrar. Read more about updating contact details.
Why is my domain name in quarantine?
When a domain name is cancelled, we aren't told the reason, so we can't tell you. You'll need to ask your registrar. The advantage of quarantine is that, if a name's cancelled by mistake, you can always get it back.
One common reason is that the contract between you and your registrar says you've got to renew the registration every year. If you haven't set up automatic renewal and you don't renew manually, the registration will expire.
Ik heb een klacht over mijn provider/registrar. Kan ik daarvoor bij SIDN terecht?
Wanneer je een klacht hebt over of een geschil met je registrar dan zijn er verschillende mogelijkheden om tot een oplossing te komen. Hierover lees je meer op pagina klacht over registrar. SIDN heeft geen formele klachtenprocedure voor het behandelen van een klacht over jouw registrar.
What conditions do I have to meet as a registrar?
Would you like to be able to register domain names for customers or for your own organisation by dealing directly with SIDN? If so, you can become a .nl registrar. Read more about the conditions and how to apply for registrar status on the page becoming a registrar.
The last calendar year proved to be a good one for the .nl domain. In each of the previous five years, the domain's growth had been less than the year before. By contrast, growth picked up slightly in 2016. Strong expansion of the internet economy was reflected in greater demand for websites and domain names. A total of 830,000 names were registered, while 770,000 were cancelled (of which 20,000 were reinstated from quarantine). That boosted the net number at the close of the year by 80,529. We ended 2016 with a grand total of 5.68 million active .nl domain names.
The continued growth of .nl says much about the strength of the Dutch market. The overall number of domain names held by Dutch registrants is now estimated to be nine million. That's the third highest total in Europe – quite extraordinary for a country with a population of just seventeen million. The high level of domain name ownership reflects the strength of the internet economy in the Netherlands. It is with good reason that our digital infrastructure is now known as the country's third main port, alongside Rotterdam seaport and Schiphol airport.
Growth in e-commerce set to continue
Demand for domain names is being driven mainly by the growth of e-commerce. Since 2014, various organisations, including Thuiswinkel.org, have been reporting eye-catching growth figures for webshops. Another influential factor has been the rise of self-employment and entrepreneurship. For independent professionals and start-ups, a website is a must. In the same period, the business community has become significantly more positive about the prospects for e-commerce. Businesses now anticipate increased investment in internet-based activities over the next three years.
Generation gap
However, the demand for domain names is more broadly based. In recent years, older people have been catching up in terms of internet use. And not only traditional computer-based internet use. By last summer, 55 per cent of over-65s had smartphones. People in that age-group were also registering domain names, but mainly with a view to having more personal e-mail addresses. That's now unusual amongst young people, who have largely given up e-mail for Whatsapp.
In short, 2016 was a good year and the prospects for 2017 look at least as rosy.
