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  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date.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

.nl in the spotlight: dewrapgarage.nl and bootopknappen.nl

"Your website is like your business's calling card."

Employee applies a wrap film to a car
  • Wednesday 2 November 2022

Registering a domain name is usually the first thing that people do when setting up a new business. It's also the first thing established firms do when developing a new activity. Having a website whose address ends with .nl means that Dutch internet users are likely to trust your site ahead of one with another extension. And more trust means more sales. So it's no surprise that .nl is the best choice for people in the Netherlands who do business online. And, behind every business registration, there's a unique and fascinating story. Like the one featured here: the story of Eric Stevense and Ahmed Wandi, creators of the websites dewrapgarage.nl and bootopknappen.nl.

What led you to set up dewrapgarage.nl?

Eric Stevense and Ahmed Wandi from De Wrap Garage
Eric Stevense and Ahmed Wandi registered dewrapgarage.nl and bootopknappen.nl.

Eric: "I always wanted to start my own business, even back when I was a secondary school geography teacher. I've always been into doing up cars as well. That led to me trying my hand at wrapping cars and taking a course on how to do it. After a lot of practice, I got good enough at wrapping that I decided to realise my dream of going into business for myself. I found myself a garage where I could set up all my wrapping gear, and I registered my own .nl domain name. A professional website is a must in business nowadays. When people want a particular service, they look on the internet, and your website is the first point of contact. So your website is like your business's calling card."

How did the two of you come to be partners?

Ahmed: "Before I got to know Eric, I had my own garage. So I had some experience of wrapping cars and tinting windows. I had trained as a car mechanic as well. We first met when Eric approached me about doing a job for one of his customers. The customer wanted his windows tinted, and Eric asked for my help. After that, other people started asking him about tinting. So we decided to team up. De Wrap Garage became a registered partnership, with us as co-owners."

What's the appeal of this kind of work?

Eric: "Nearly every car on the road in the Netherlands is black, white or grey. We want to make cars more colourful and eye-catching. Like a bright orange hatchback or a delivery van in a striking colour combination. By wrapping a vehicle, you can make it a unique reflection of the person or company that owns it."

Why did you set up your second website, bootopknappen.nl?

"Through De Wrap Garage, more and more people started asking us about doing up boats," says Eric. "So we decided to profile the boat work as a specialism in its own right, using a dedicated .nl website. The new site, bootopknappen.nl, meaning 'do up (your) boat', is aimed specifically at boat owners. The website has a chic look and feel, and is aimed at a relatively prosperous clientele. People who do up boats are usually a bit older than the typical Wrap Garage customer. Another difference is that boat owners find us mainly via Google, and don't make much use of platforms such as Instagram, which are popular with De Wrap Garage's customer base." (meanwhile, this site is no longer available)

Did you develop the websites yourselves?

Eric: "Neither Ahmed nor I had any experience of designing and building websites.

But we were able to develop sites for bootopknappen.nl and dewrapgarage.nl using the Wix platform. With a Wix template, we found it pretty straightforward to create a professional-looking website. I picked up a few pointers by watching some YouTube videos about website development as well."

Why did you go for .nl domain names?

"Here in the Netherlands, internet users tend to focus on .nl websites. To me, .nl feels trustworthy and like the domain for the Netherlands. If you want to do business here in the Netherlands, a .nl domain name puts you on the firmest footing. It didn't take us long to come up with bootopknappen.nl and dewrapgarage.nl. Fortunately, they were still available, so we went for them," Eric sums up.

Do you have any advice for other entrepreneurs going online?

"Make sure your business is very visible. In the real world, but especially online," says Eric. "It's easy to find us using Google, or on social media platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook. Another thing I think is important is that you stick to what you know. Focus on your specialisms. If you deliver high-quality services, people will come back to you, and will recommend you to their friends."

Want to read more business stories?

Take a look at other entrepreneurs and startups and their .nl.