Chose your color

Frequently visited

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  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date.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

Logo detection added to SIDN BrandGuard

New functionality gives subscribers up-to-date overview of third-party use of their logos

Collection of images of popular logos

SIDN has added logo detection capability to its domain name monitoring tool. The new feature gives SIDN BrandGuard subscribers information about the use and/or abuse of their logos on .nl websites. If logo abuse is detected, the BrandGuard service also offers the option of triggering immediate follow-up, such as legal proceedings.

Preventing and fighting brand abuse

Once a logo has been registered with the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property, the logo's owner has a sound legal basis for taking action against anyone who uses the logo without permission. But how do you actually get to know that someone on the internet is abusing your logo? Arjan Middelkoop, SIDN's Commercial Director explains: "Logos give a website a familiar feel, promote trust and contribute to the image that's projected of the people behind the site. Scammers take advantage of that by using the logos of well-known brands and organisations on malicious websites. An unsuspecting internet user then gets the impression that they're looking at a legitimate website or webshop, when they're actually on a phishing or disinformation site, or browsing a webshop that sells fake goods or that takes people's money but never sends what they've paid for. Practices like that undermine people's trust in the legitimate brands whose logos are abused, in the brand owners, and even in the .nl domain. SIDN BrandGuard helps prevent such problems by monitoring domain name registrations. The addition of logo detection to the BrandGuard service represents a big step forward in the fight against cybercrime. It opens up new avenues for tackling brand abuse, even for organisations that didn't previously see SIDN BrandGuard as an attractive option."

Successful pilots

Earlier this year, SIDN's R&D team, SIDN Labs, ran two successful pilots in collaboration with the Dutch government and the webshop trustmark organisation Thuiswinkel.org. In the pilots, logo detection was used to identify more than two hundred sites using a government or Thuiswinkel logo without permission.

Clear picture of online logo use by legitimate users

SIDN BrandGuard doesn't just detect abuses. It also gives subscribers a clear picture of online logo use by legitimate users. So you can keep track of how partners, customers, suppliers, franchise holders and internal departments are using your logo, or where your products and services are being offered online. More about logo detection

If a third party uses a logo on their website without permission, the obvious response for the brand owner is to start civil legal proceedings. To make that easier, SIDN BrandGuard offers legal assistance from specialist law firm ICTRecht as an add-on.

Available to all users

Logo detection is a standard feature of SIDN BrandGuard. However, it has to be enabled for the individual subscriber by SIDN before logo monitoring can begin. Any subscriber that wants it enabled can contact their account manager.

Contact person:

Marnie van Duijnhoven, communication manager and spokesman

Marnie van Duijnhoven

Communication Manager / Spokesman