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  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date.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

Less info about private registrants visible in Whois

  • Tuesday 14 November 2017

From Tuesday 1 March 2016, the names of private registrants won't be shown in the Whois. If you are a business registrant, you will have the option of making more info about your organisation visible.

Distinction between business and private registrants

From 1 March, how much information we give about a registrant in the Whois will depend on whether the registrant is a business or a private individual. We define a 'private registrant' as a natural person not acting in a professional or commercial capacity. A 'business registrant' is the registrant of a domain name registered for a business or an organisation.The changes are summarised in the following table.

Private

Business

Present situation

New situation

Present situation

New situation

Name registrant

Mandatory

Not shown

Mandatory

Mandatory

Registrant's postal address

Not shown

Not shown

Not shown

Optional, default = not shown

Administrative contact e-mail

Mandatory

Mandatory

Mandatory

Mandatory

Property in Domain Registration System

From 1 March, the Whois will show a limited set of details about any domain name whose registrant is recorded as being a person. If the property Natural person is assigned to the registrant in our Domain Registration System, the registrant's name will automatically be withheld from view.

Wherever another property is assigned to the registrant, the registration is treated as a business registration. With business registrations, the name of the registrant is visible in the Whois. By default, a business registrant's postal address is not available from the Whois. However, if you are a business registrant, you have the option of making your addresses visible. To get your address made visible, please contact your registrar.

Your registrar can also help if for any reason the wrong property has been assigned, meaning that more information about you is available from the Whois than there should be.

What if you need to know more about a registrant?

Sometimes, you may really need more information about a private registrant. From 1 March, additional information will be available on request to anyone with a demonstrable legitimate interest. You have a legitimate interest if any of the following applies:

  • You need more information to resolve a technical problem relating to the working of the internet.

  • You need more information to protect intellectual property rights.

  • You need more information to prevent or deal with illegal or damaging internet content.

A reasoned request for additional information can be made using the 'request for contact details', which can be downloaded from our website.

Changes to General Terms and Conditions

We have updated our General Terms and Conditions for .nl Registrants, our Data Protection Policy and the associated Guide, so that they reflect the new situation with the Whois. You can download new versions of the documents at the bottom of this page.