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The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date.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.
Plenty of suitable domain names are still available for Dutch businesses and start-ups. That's the central conclusion of a (Dutch) study by SIDN (the Foundation for Internet Domain Registration in the Netherlands). More than 80 per cent of Dutch entrepreneurs said that they had no trouble registering their first-choice domain names. Only 9 per cent had encountered domain name hijacking, where someone who has no legitimate interest in a domain name registers it simply to sell it on at a very high price.
SIDN commissioned market research agency Motivaction to undertake a survey in connection with the Day of the Domain Name. Motivaction gathered data about domain name use from 1,398 respondents, including 419 entrepreneurs and 979 would-be entrepreneurs. Of the entrepreneurs, 49 per cent said that a substantial part (7 per cent or more) of their income was linked to their websites. Indeed, 15 per cent of them reported that more than half of their earnings were domain name-related, and 7 per cent that all their income came through their websites. Domain names generated earnings by, for example, enabling the sale of products and services or the recruitment of new customers. Amongst established entrepreneurs, 69 per cent had registered a .nl domain name, while 59 per cent of would-be entrepreneurs said that .nl was their preferred extension.
Willing to pay
Although fewer than one in ten entrepreneurs had ever encountered domain name hijacking, 68 per cent said that they would be willing to pay to get hold of the domain name they wanted if someone else had already registered it. The average price entrepreneurs were prepared to consider was 139 euros. Would-be entrepreneurs were ready to part with a significantly higher sum, the average being 227 euros. And more of them (80 per cent) were willing to trade if their preferred domain name was already taken.SIDN's research also found that the average entrepreneur has two domain names and devotes nearly ten hours a month to website maintenance. More than 80 per cent of would-be entrepreneurs said that they planned to register a domain name as soon as they started their businesses. In fact, 7 per cent had done so already."Nowadays, the internet is the place to do business. A website is therefore a must for a business or a self-employed professional. A good domain name makes a big difference. It boosts recognition and promotes consumer confidence in your business or webshop," said SIDN's CEO Roelof Meijer. "A good majority of Dutch entrepreneurs - 59 per cent - do some or all of their business on line. And that percentage looks sure to rise, since 82 per cent of people with business plans intend to operate via the web. So in the future registering a suitable domain name is going to be even more important."
Day of the Domain Name
Today is the third Day of the Domain Name: an event organised by the Registrars' Association (RA) to highlight the importance of domain names for businesses. It is being supported by SIDN and a whole host of .nl registrars. Although there are now more than 5.7 million registered .nl domain names, there's still plenty of scope for entrepreneurs to secure a suitable one for themselves. When choosing a domain name, it's important to go for something that's easy to spell and easy for search engines to find.At the RA's Day of the Domain Name, an impressive list of speakers will be talking about various aspects of the domain name. There'll be a presentation about the current status of the domain name industry, and Niels Oude Luttikhuis (founder and CEO of ikwilvanmijnautoaf.nl) will be talking about the value a domain name. SIDN will also be presenting the results of the Motivaction survey. Another highlight will be the RegiStar Awards ceremony, when the best .nl registrar, .nl reseller and .nl supporter of the year will be announced. The Day of the Domain Name takes place today in Het Oude Magazijn, Amersfoort, the Netherlands, starting at 2pm local time. For details, including the full programme, visit www.dagvandedomeinnaam.nl.
