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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  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date.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 publishes annual report 2013

  • Monday 13 October 2014

In the fields of privacy, governance and cybersecurity, the events of 2013 are likely to prove a turning point for the internet. The first of many new gTLDs came on line, for example, and the NSA affair focused attention on internet privacy and the role that the US plays in internet governance. Meanwhile, various large-scale hacks and DDoS attacks led to initiatives designed to make the internet more secure. All those topics and more are covered in SIDN’s annual report for 2013, which was published today at

Internet security

“In 2013 we witnessed numerous incidents that emphasised the importance of people being able to use the internet securely and to have confidence in its availability. Over the last year, therefore, SIDN has continued to invest in the security and availability of the .nl domain,” said Roelof Meijer, SIDN’s CEO. “We became the first registry in the world to introduce a local anycast service, helping to make .nl more secure against DDoS attacks. In collaboration with our partners in the Abuse Information Exchange, we also set up the AbuseHub: a system that enables information about botnet infections to be shared quickly. SIDN has additionally taken on responsibility for administration of the system.”

.nl domain leads the way on DNSSEC

In 2013, the number of .nl domain names secured with DNSSEC rose from 1.3 million to almost 1.7 million – far more than in any other top-level domain in the world. DNSSEC is an extension to the DNS, which ensures that an internet user can't be redirected to a fake or malicious website despite entering the correct address of the site they want to visit. For internet users to benefit from the added security offered by DNSSEC, signed domain names also have to be validated by internet service providers. Validation services have yet to really take off, however. In the years ahead, SIDN will therefore continue to invest in the acceptance, use and further development of DNSSEC.

Development of the .nl domain

The .nl domain grew from 5,115,652 domain names at the end 2012 to 5,338,364 by the close of 2013. Net growth in the Dutch domain was therefore 272,712 names – 13 per cent down on growth in 2012. The reduced net growth was the product of almost a million new domain name registrations, combined with an increasing number of cancellations. The .nl domain was not alone in experiencing slower growth in 2013: almost all country-code domains in the world showed a similar pattern. A flatter growth curve was particularly evident in West European countries, where national domains are well established.

Economy influences growth of .nl

Roelof Meijer: “The declining growth of the major West European country-code domains was due primarily to the poor economic conditions. There is a strong link between levels of trade and demand for domain names. Outside Western Europe, and particularly in the emerging economies, domain name growth remained higher. The national domains of the so-called BRICS countries expanded by more than 25 per cent in 2013, for example. Furthermore, there is simply less scope for growth in Western Europe, because the number of registered domain names per head of the population is much higher than elsewhere.”

Forecast for 2014

“Numerous new gTLDs will come on line in 2014. The arrival of the new gTLDs may be expected to permanently change the domain name landscape. SIDN regards the introduction of the new domains as an opportunity. We will be acting as registry service provider for .amsterdam, for example. At the same time, we expect growth in the .nl domain to slow further in 2014,” commented Roelof Meijer. “SIDN therefore wants to work with the Registrars’ Association to promote the use of domain names, with a view to reducing the number of cancellations. We will also be continuing to invest in the security of the .nl domain. In addition, SIDN will be focusing on a number of new activities in 2014, including a role in so-called trust frameworks for digital identities. Trust frameworks help to make use of the internet more secure and more privacy-friendly. We believe that there are opportunities for us to perform a supervisory role within such a framework. Finally, the SIDN Fund will come into being in 2014. The SIDN Fund will contribute to and help to fund initiatives that increase the social and economic value of the internet.

Read our annual report 2013