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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  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date.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 is the domain for the Dutch business community

Study by GfK compares .nl's market position with that of other extensions

Woman views a research report on a laptop

In recent years, e-commerce has become increasingly important to an ever-wider sweep of the business community -- with domain names playing a vital role. How does a .nl domain name influence findability? And how do Dutch enterprises benefit from having .nl internet addresses? In collaboration with GfK, we've compared .nl's market position with that of other extensions. The survey results make valuable reading for new and experienced businesspeople. The survey findings and the enterprise benefits of choosing .nl are summarised below.

More click with .nl

In the Netherlands, .nl is the most popular domain name extension. Amongst internet users thinking of registering domain names for themselves, 89 per cent would consider .nl, and 75 per cent say .nl is their preferred extension (SIDN/GfK, 2022). There are now more than 6.2 million registered .nl domain names, and about 750,000 new names are added every year. Because .nl is the extension for the Netherlands, domain names ending with .nl tend to appear higher in Dutch search results than other domain names. The benefit of being amongst the top results is amplified by the fact that Dutch people are more likely to follow links to .nl sites. So a .nl domain name makes a business more visible to the Dutch public and draws more traffic. As a result, .nl is very popular with anyone looking to do business in the Netherlands.

Secure and trustworthy

Many Dutch internet users prefer .nl, because they see it as a trustworthy extension. Words that people associate with .nl include 'safe', 'findable' and 'nearby' (SIDN/GfK, 2022). And with good reason: .nl is one of the most secure domains in the world. We work continuously with registrars, internet access providers and others here in the Netherlands to make the internet secure and to promote safe and convenient digital living. For example, we and our partners run a scheme called Abuse204.nl, which makes .nl domain names as unattractive as possible to cybercriminals. We also provide the SIDN BrandGuard service to help brand owners protect themselves against reputational damage and phishing. We actively tackle fake webshops and malware as well. As a result, the abuse risk associated with .nl domains is lower than that linked to other domains.

Bar chart showing the results of the survey question 'Which domain name extension(s) do you think fit the following characteristics?' shows.

74 per cent of shoppers prefer .nl sites

Dutch consumers prefer to do their internet shopping on .nl websites. When looking to make a major purchase such as a €450 winter coat, for example, 74 per cent prefer a .nl webshop. For making online payments, the preference is even higher: 76 per cent would opt for .nl ahead of any other extension (SIDN/GfK, 2022). Using a .nl domain name for a webshop is therefore a big plus for any retailer aiming at the Dutch market. Dutch people planning major investments, such as buying a house, overwhelmingly put their trust in .nl. No fewer than 86 per cent said that they would choose a notary with a .nl website (SIDN/GfK, 2022).

Bar chart showing the results of the survey question 'Which site do you prefer to order this purchase through?' shows.

Online business

For business users, the value of a .nl domain name depends on your target audience. If you run a business with an international focus, it can be helpful to have a .com as well as a .nl. But if you're focused on the Dutch market, a .nl domain name is what you want. People in the Netherlands strongly associate .nl with doing business: 79 per cent think the domain goes with the word 'serious' and 74 per cent with 'professional' (SIDN/GfK, 2022). Behind those associations is the recognition that nearly all Dutch news sites, webshops and business websites have addresses ending with .nl.

Read more about the .nl domain or register your own perfect .nl domain name now at.

*A thousand respondents took part in the survey.

Contact person:

Michiel Henneke

Michiel Henneke

Marketing Manager