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Frequently asked questions

  • 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  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date.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.

More frequently asked questions

Business community positive about focus on open internet standards

Internet.nl test results are an eye-opener for SIDN Panel members

Man sitting behind a desk looks at a laptop screen.
  • Thursday 22 June 2023

Is the business community aware of open standards for securing e-mail and websites? And willing to get to grips with them? A firm "Yes" was the answer we got from the SIDN Panel when we asked about the importance of websites and e-mail to their organisations, and about their knowledge of the standards. The Internet.nl test utility was well received and got respondents' interest. The consensus was that more attention should be given to the use of secure, modern internet standards.

The survey

Last week, we asked 81 business members of the SIDN Panel to test their organisations' websites and e-mail systems on Internet.nl. For many, the exercise was a real eye-opener, with a third saying that the results came as an unpleasant surprise.

Websites and e-mail indispensable for businesses

Of the entrepreneurs on our panel, 60 per cent described websites and e-mail as indispensable for their businesses. Almost all of them do backups, use spam filters and keep their software updated. One in 10 even uses an external vulnerability detection service. Nevertheless, 25 per cent had experienced security incidents in the last 3 years that had affected their business mail of websites. Of those incidents, 55 per cent involved phishing with fake e-mail addresses, while 40 per cent involved DDoS attacks.

Internet.nl

Along with various public and private-sector partners, we've been supporting the Internet.nl test platform for some years. The platform lets registrants check whether their mail systems and websites meet modern criteria, including support for open standards such as DNSSEC, IPv6 and HTTPS. Internet.nl is an initiative by the Platform for Internet Standards. Its ultimate aim is to help make the internet more accessible, secure and reliable for everyone. It only takes a minute to test a domain, so we asked SIDN Panel members to try their websites and mail set-ups, and then answer a few questions.

Business panel members get good website scores

Panel members' domains came out of the test quite well. Half the websites got close to a perfect score, with just 5 per cent rated as 'inadequate' (a score of <50 per cent). That isn't entirely surprising, given that most panel members have an above-average interest in domain names, the DNS and the internet. What is notable, however, is that, even amongst such a 'savvy' group, one in three found that their domains got lower scores than they were expecting. Although 80 per cent of participants said that they were familiar with the open standards we focused on, nearly all those whose domains underperformed their expectations said that they wanted to learn more about the standards. Apparently, familiarity of the standards doesn't necessarily translate into a good understanding of how they work.

What score did your e-mail website

Mail is a challenge

Although the mail scores were generally good, they were lower than the website scores. In the e-mail address test, 40 per cent got scores in the 90 to 100 per cent range, while 10 per cent got scores lower than 50 per cent. Our business panellists said that they found it difficult to secure their mail systems effectively. Respondents who expressed dissatisfaction with their e-security were mainly concerned about their mail:

“I feel our mail could be more secure, but it's hard to achieve that without sacrificing convenience. We have to strike a balance between security and accessibility.” SIDN Panel respondent

Respondents positive; want service providers to make changes

Nearly all respondents were positive about the test, even if their domains hadn't scored as well as expected. Eighty per cent said that open standards warranted greater attention, and that they would take the standards into account if developing a new site. According to 90 per cent of respondents, ICT vendors should support the standards by default. And 92 per cent said that they'd be taking action in light of the test results. Their plans ranged from doing more research and discussing policy internally, to approaching mail or website service providers about making changes. Service providers are seen as the organisations with direct responsibility:

“I'd like to see hosting firms and mail service providers living up to their responsibilities. It's up to them to implement internet standards. But, unfortunately, a lot of them don't seem to see much urgency. They're okay with things as they are, which worries me.” SIDN Panel respondent

SIDN and registrars support open standards

In partnership with the .nl registrars, we continue to invest in promoting open standards. Next month, we're launching a free toolkit, with written material and visuals, which registrars and other domain name retailers can use to inform their customers about open internet standards. We're also developing a range of e-learning modules for our registrars. Want to know the status of your website and mail system? Do the test on https://internet.nl.