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  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date.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

Our terms and conditions are changing

New T&Cs effective from 1 May 2019

Man looking through a magnifying glass terms and conditions
  • Tuesday 26 March 2019

Our general terms and conditions (T&Cs) will soon be changing. The changes affect both the T&Cs for registrants and the T&Cs for .nl registrars. They come into force on 1 May 2019. Full details and download links are given below.

The main changes

As well as changing some of the 'rules' contained in the T&Cs, we're changing the style they're written in. These are the main changes we're making:

General Terms and Conditions for .nl Registrants

  • Many registrars sell domain names through 'resellers'. However, our T&Cs haven't previously included anything about resellers. That's changing: the introductory part of the new T&Cs clearly describes the roles and responsibilities of the various people and organisations involved.

  • In Article 3(1), we've also made it clearer that a registrant is liable for the actions of their chosen registrar and bears the associated risk.

  • We've added to Article 21, so that we've got more power to intervene when a domain name is used in a criminal or unlawful way.

  • Article 23 now clearly states the legitimate basis we have for processing personal data. It also names certification authorities (SSL certificate issuers) as one of the types of organisation we're allowed to share registration data with.

  • Article 25 has been revised, as our maximum liability is now higher.

Read the updated T&Cs

General Terms and Conditions for Registrars

  • Many registrars sell domain names through 'resellers'. However, our T&Cs haven't previously included anything about resellers. That's changing: the introductory part of the new T&Cs clearly describes the roles and responsibilities of the various people and organisations involved.

  • Article 5 now reflects current payment practices better. We've also added to it, so that if a registrar makes a claim against SIDN, they can't offset the amount in question against what they owe us.

  • Article 5a has become Article 16, and we've added to it by stating that we're allowed to share registrars' contact details with the Registrars' Association.

  • Article 10 has been revised so that our maximum liability is now higher.

Read the updated T&Cs

Consultation with the RA's Legal Committee

The changes to both sets of T&Cs have been made in consultation with the Legal Committee of the Registrars' Association. Whenever we change our T&Cs, we give thirty days' notice before the changes take effect.

Feel free to get in touch if you've got a question

You can reach us on working days between 8am and 6pm (Dutch time) by calling +31 26 352 5555 or mailing support@sidn.nl.