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  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date.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

SIDN is now SIDN BV

A new company, but the same people, the same goals and nearly the same name

Colored felt-tip pens on a sheet of paper on which an organizational structure has been sketched
  • Tuesday 10 January 2023

With effect from 1 January 2023, our organisation has a new legal structure. We've changed our structure in order to safeguard the continuity of the .nl domain more effectively by spreading our business risks more widely. Full details are given below.

What's changed?

In short, we've created a legal separation between the delegation of the .nl domain (i.e. the right to run the domain), and the domain's operation and other related activities. The delegation remains with the original foundation, SIDN, while the operation has been transferred to a new private limited company called SIDN BV. The original foundation is the sole (indirect) shareholder in the new company. Most of the capital, certainly including the contingency buffer, remains in the hands of the foundation. The contingency buffer is the money set aside to enable us to cope with unforeseen setbacks.

Why have we made the change?

We want to spread the business risks that our operations involve more widely. We see that as the best way to safeguard the continuity of the .nl domain. With the new structure, if SIDN BV were ever sued in connection with its operation of the .nl domain, the contingency buffer and the .nl domain delegation would remain safely in the hands of SIDN.

What the change means for you

All activities connected with the .nl domain have been transferred to the new limited company. In law, the transfer is part of a process of separation by means of 'universal succession', where all current contracts are 'inherited' by the new legal entity and remain effective. Therefore, if you're a .nl registrant or registrar, or if you use any of our other services, there's no need for a new contract between us. SIDN BV does have a new Trade Register number and VAT identification number, namely 88772896 and NL864773201B01. In connection with the change, we've published a new version of our General Terms and Conditions. The new version simply incorporates the name change; the provisions themselves have not changed. Similar changes have been made to our constitution as well.

We're still SIDN!

Don't worry: SIDN is still SIDN. A 'BV' at the end of our name hasn't changed us. We haven't suddenly become a commercial entity. And we remain committed to the same mission and vision. Our role is still working with you on one of the biggest and strongest internet domains in the world, and pursuing the same goals as before. And we're still a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to delivering problem-free, opportunity-rich digital living for all. Just as we always have been and always will be.

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

You can reach us on working days between 8:30am and 5pm (Dutch time) by calling +31 26 352 5555 or mailing support@sidn.nl.

Why has SIDN changed its legal structure?

We've changed our legal structure in order to safeguard the continuity of the .nl domain even more effectively. The aim is to make sure that the domain always works and stays Dutch, as agreed in our covenant with the government. The new legal structure will achieve that by spreading the risks more widely. The contingency buffer and the .nl domain delegation remain in the hands of the foundation, SIDN, while all operational activities have been transferred to SIDN BV.

What are the practical implications of the change?

In short, we've created a legal separation between the delegation of the .nl domain, and the domain's operation and other related activities. The delegation remains with the original foundation, SIDN, while the operation has been transferred to a new private limited company. The foundation is the sole (indirect) shareholder in the new company. Most of the capital, certainly including the contingency buffer, remains in the hands of the foundation.

What's the contingency buffer?

The contingency buffer is the money set aside to enable us to cope with unforeseen setbacks.

How is the SIDN organisation now legally structured?

We've made the change in order to safeguard the continuity of the .nl domain even more effectively. With the old structure, if we had ever failed to fulfil an obligation, a claim for damages could have been made against SIDN (the foundation), potentially threatening the contingency buffer and the .nl delegation. With the new arrangement, SIDN BV has full responsibility for operation of the .nl domain. Therefore, if anything goes wrong, only SIDN BV can be held liable. So, by making the change, we've ensured that claims can't impact the organisation in a way that puts its continuity, and therefore the continuity of .nl, at risk.

How is the organisation now structured?

The organisation has been legally separated into 2 distinct entities: SIDN (the foundation) and SIDN BV. Following the separation, SIDN (the foundation) set up a company called SIDN Groep B.V. All the shares in SIDN BV and in the limited companies created previously (SIDN Business BV and SIDN Deelnemingen BV) were then transferred to SIDN Groep BV in fulfilment of the foundation's obligation to fully pay up the shares in the latter company. SIDN Groep BV is therefore the sole shareholder in the other 3 limited companies, while SIDN (the foundation) is the sole shareholder in SIDN Groep BV.

SIDN bedrijfsstructuur jan. 2023

Will SIDN BV sell domain names?

No, definitely not.

Is SIDN now a commercial enterprise?

No, the objectives that we set ourselves are not changing. We will not be seeking to maximise income from operation of the .nl domain. The income from operation of the domain will still be used for realisation of our mission: problem-free, opportunity-rich digital living for all. In support of that mission, we work on services and solutions that make digital living easier and safer. That involves providing high-quality services for innovative, secure .nl domains, and solutions in the field of cybersecurity and digital identities. Our research team SIDN Labs supports those activities by devising new technologies and systems that increase the stability and security of .nl, the DNS and the internet infrastructure. We are also directly or indirectly (through SIDN Fund) closely involved in numerous social initiatives designed to promote use of the internet or address its unwanted side-effects.

What's been done with SIDN's equity capital?

Most of the equity capital of SIDN (the foundation) remains in the foundation's hands. However, we do of course need to provide the new limited company with sufficient capital to undertake its activities.

What's the name of the new limited company?

In our communications, we'll continue to use the name 'SIDN' as far as possible.

What does the new legal structure mean for me as a .nl registrant?

In practical terms, nothing has changed for registrants. The contract that you agreed with SIDN (the foundation) when you registered your .nl domain name through your registrar has been transferred to SIDN BV and remains effective. In connection with the change, we've published a new version of our General Terms and Conditions. The new version simply incorporates the name change; the provisions themselves have not changed.