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  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date.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

New gTLD application window put back to 2023

DNS abuse is the obstacle to progress

Number 2023 with red pushpin
  • Wednesday 10 November 2021

At the end of October, ICANN held its 72nd meeting, with the new gTLD application window naturally figuring on the agenda. However, the meeting didn't yield good news on that front: it seems that there's definitely not going to be a new application window in 2022. The main stumbling blocks are preparations during the Operational Design Phase (ODP) and the government representatives' insistence that more must be done to prevent DNS abuse. So, what exactly are the difficulties?

Operational Design Phase

In September, ICANN's preparations for the new application window entered the Operational Design Phase (ODP), which involves deciding how the application process will actually work. The aim is to have an operational design – including recommendations on the duration of the window, the order for considering applications and the interval between the window being announced and actually opening – ready no later than summer 2022. However, ICANN has never tackled the process this way before, so a lot of uncertainty remains about the tangible products of this phase.

DNS abuse

Within ICANN, interested governments are represented by the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC). The GAC is unwilling to agree to a new gTLD application window without a commitment to doing more to tackle DNS abuse. However, the internet industry is reluctant to cooperate, pointing to the absence of any shared understanding of what constitutes DNS abuse (a loose term that generally covers phishing, pharming, botnets, malware and spam). It seems that a lot of water needs to flow under the bridge before the two sides reach agreement. For more information on this topic, see the CENTR website.

Data accuracy

Another, closely associated issue is data accuracy: the reliability of a domain name's registration details. Although the EU is currently considering legislating on the matter, the bloc's proposals were not on the agenda at ICANN 72. Nevertheless, data accuracy was a recurring theme throughout the meeting. The more accurate registration data is, the more effectively abuse can be controlled. Abuse is also easier to tackle if one has access to a lot of data. However, access has to be limited in order to comply with the GDPR, which protects registrants' privacy. Hopes of a solution to that conundrum, and many other issues, rest on RDAP, the successor to the WHOIS. The gTLDs operated by SIDN have supported RDAP for two years.

Watch ICANN 72

You can watch the presentations and sessions at ICANN 72.