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  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date.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

Management of government domain names and websites could be better

"Neglected websites whose ownership is unclear are a growing problem."

Hand drawing geometric shapes with a piece of chalk. On the left the figures are mixed up and on the right they are arranged.
  • Thursday 11 April 2024

Dutch government organisations, including municipalities, provinces and universities, together operate tens of thousands of websites. Not long ago, the national government indicated that better oversight was required. The situation was also highlighted by a piece on the Arjen Lubach satirical evening show. The register of national government websites now lists 1,792 official sites. However, many unlisted sites have sprung up as well. Simon Besters and Bas van den Nieuwenhuijzen from the Digital Insights Platform (DIP) work mainly to help local governments get to grips with their portfolios. How do they see this issue?

Why is it a problem that there are so many government websites?

Government resolves to improve domain name management Making government domain names recognisable is a big job

Bas: "If a government body doesn't have a proper overview of all its websites, there's a danger that some aren't maintained properly. So then you have lots of government websites that require attention – neglected sites for events, projects and partnerships, for example. In many cases, digital access isn't good and they don't comply with the GDPR."

Why do government organisations find website management challenging?

Bas: "Neglected websites whose ownership is unclear are a growing problem. Nowadays it's very easy to register a domain name and build a website. So the team behind a new project will decide to create a special project website, with its own domain name, for example. But when the project ends, the website often gets forgotten about, and after a while no one knows who was originally in charge of it."

And why do forgotten websites pose a risk?

Simon: "What we often see is that a government organisation's main website is well managed. Digital access is good, and it's all up to date. But, if the organisation has lots of other sites that it's not actively managing, many of them may well not meet modern accessibility requirements, or the information on them may be outdated or incorrect. That makes an unprofessional impression and is confusing for visitors. Maybe they can't find the information they need, or they're left with unanswered questions. So they'll be inclined to call the relevant department, increasing the workload on the staff there."

Bas: Another problem is that government websites are constantly being targeted by hackers. If one of these peripheral sites gets hacked, it can be hard to find out who's responsible for the site and who needs to be told that there's been a security breach. A lot of private sector organisations face similar challenges, because a big company will often have hundreds of domain names and websites, and not all companies have a good overview."

What role do domain names play in all of this?

Simon: "If a domain name has been actively used in communications, an organisation can't simply cancel the registration and forget about the name. Suppose that the domain name has been used for sending e-mail. There's then a risk that hackers or crooks will pick up the discarded domain name and use it for a scam where they pretend to be from the government organisation. So it's best not to simply get rid of an unwanted website and allow its domain name to be released for reregistration. It may be better to retain the domain name, even once the website has been taken down."

How can a government body regain an overview of its domain names?

Bas: "In our view, the first thing you should do is make a thorough inventory of your digital assets. Many organisations don't have a proper inventory, or they rely on an Excel spreadsheet or the domain registers. Responsibility is often spread across multiple communication departments. A tighter system for managing domain names and websites can save you a lot of grief. We also advise government organisations to periodically check all their websites for things such as compliance with privacy and accessibility requirements."

Simon: "Once order has been restored to an organisation's digital landscape, the number of new websites being created is likely to decline, because there's more awareness within departments about what content is suitable for which channel. That results in less unnecessary duplication and better risk management."