Different TLDs are often separate from each other in certain ways, such as the case of Name Servers.  The Name Server NS1.EXAMPLE.COM can be used with all .COM domains, however in order to use it on a .ORG domain, the .COM Name Server must first be added to the .ORG TLD by your Domain Provider if it has not been done before.

When you use an alphanumeric address such as WWW.EXAMPLE.COM, your computer needs to understand what numerical IP addresses it needs to contact, and this is accomplished through DNS servers. The answer is delivered back to the requesting computer via the DNS listed for the domain name.

All domains have at least two DNS servers as seen through WHOIS lookups such as NS1.EXAMPLE.COM and NS2.EXAMPLE.COM, and your request for anything related to the domain name gets sent to one of these servers.  In response, the DNS server sends back the IP address that you should contact.  This works for the Web Site, Mail Servers, and anything else based on the domain name.

Brief list of issues affecting domain name transfers

1. Domain is 60 days or older: Domains must have existed for 60 days or longer.  New domain registrations cannot be transferred until this time has passed.
2. Domain Unlocked: The domain name must not have a Lock on it.  You must contact the current domain name registration company for the domain name to have locks removed.
3. Domain Authorization Code: For most types of domains, you require a specific Authorization Code for the domain name to authorize the transfer.  The current domain name registration company can provide this to you, however it may also be obtained within their web-based interfaces online.  If this domain is with Tucows, you can learn how to obtain the Authorization Code through this page.
4. Valid Administrative Contact: For most types of domains, you must have a valid and functional Administrative Contact email address to receive the transfer confirmation notification emails.  It’s a good idea to turn off your anti-SPAM email filters while the domain transfers in order to receive these emails.  If this email address is invalid and no longer works, you will need to update it through your current domain name registration company.  If the domain name is with Tucows, the update can be accomplished through this page.

This list applies to .COM, .NET, and .ORG domain names but also apply to many other types of domain names.   Specific issues for other types of domain names are contained within the Transfer of Domain Registrations section of this website.

Please note that it takes some time for a domain name to transfer.  This is outlined further in the article titled How can I speed up my domain name transfer?

Please see this page to perform a WHOIS Lookup of a domain name.

A Registrant is the person or company who purchases a domain name.  For example, Jessica Smith (Registrant) registers the name EXAMPLE.COM through an Domain Provider

The Tucows Compliance department’s mandate is to ensure that Tucows and its Provider network, remain compliant with the ICANN accreditation agreement.  Compliance will assist Registrants with non-technical matters.

It is also possible that your domain name has expired and was not renewed in time.  Domains need to be renewed every year in order to remain active.  Please contact the company you last used for registration of your domain name.  If the domain is listed as being with Tucows/OpenSRS then you need to contact your domain Provider to have the domain renewed.  We also have a section on Renewal and Expiration of domain names on this website which may be helpful.

In some cases the “losing Registrar” (the Registrar the domain is transferring-away from)  will send an email to the Administrative Contact for the domain name allowing them to approve the transfer-away.  Once the confirmation with the “losing Registrar” is approved, the domain name will have officially transferred to the new “gaining Registrar” who started the transfer.

Due to delays involved in processing completed domain name transfers, the final approval may not be recognized by the “gaining Registrar” until 24 hours have passed.

Enter the domain name in the form below to perform a WHOIS Lookup on it:

WhoIs Lookup

PLEASE NOTE: Some types of domains (TLDs) will not show all information (or will not show any information at all) from WHOIS utilities used outside the the Registry’s website for that type of domain name.

If you think you’re not being shown all information available, or no information comes through at all, please see the WHOIS section of this website and see if there’s an alternative WHOIS lookup  for the type of domain you need information about.

The WHOIS section of this website will also contain information that explains certain things you need to know about some types of domain names, as well as what some Status codes mean.

If your domain is currently registered with Tucows through one of our Domain Providers, your transfer Authorization Code can be found in the Domain Extras section of the Domain Management Interface.

Additionally, your Domain Provider can email the transfer Authorization Code (as well as the domain’s username and password) to the Administrative Contact email address on file.  You can see the current Administrative Contact email address for the domain by performing a WHOIS lookup.

You must reply to the email you received from NeuStar, giving a written response describing how you qualify under one or some of the Nexus categories.

• Category 1 – You are a US citizen or permanent resident
• Category 2 – You are a US business or organization
• Category 3 – You are a “foreign entity organization that has a bona fide presence in the United States of America or any of its possessions or territories.”

If you do not respond to the email or are unable to explain or demonstrate that you meet any of the Nexus Requirements, you will risk loosing the domain name in question.

You will be given 30 days to demonstrate to the Registry Operator that you do comply with the Nexus.  If you do not demonstrate compliance within this timeframe the Registry Operator will delete the domain from the registry database.  You will not receive a refund for the registration fee.   Once your registration of the domain has been deleted, someone else may register the domain name for their use.

If your registration is deleted because you failed to demonstrate that you meet the US Nexus Requirements, there will be no refund of registration fees made to Registrants or Registrars.

Each week Neustar will select a random sample of registrations.  You may receive a maximum of one Nexus Confirmation email per domain registration in the .US TLD.   However, not all Registrants will receive a Nexus confirmation email.   NeuStar will only perform spot-checks so it is possible that you may not receive a Nexus Confirmation email.

Prospective Registrants must indicate their use of the domain by selecting one of the following categories: Note: By agreeing to the policies of the registry, Registrants agree to having one of the requirements below.  Nothing further is required from the provider to prove the Registrant has a legitimate registration.

Nexus Category 1
A natural person (i) who is a United States citizen, (ii) a permanent resident of the United States of America or any of its possessions or territories, or (iii) whose primary place of domicile is in the United States of America or any of its possessions.

Nexus Category 2
An United States entity or organization that is (i) incorporated within one of the fifty (50) U.S. states, the District of Columbia, or any of the United States possessions or territories or organized, or otherwise constituted under the laws of a state of the United States of America, the District of Columbia or any of its possessions or (including a federal, state, or local government of the United States, or a political subdivision thereof, and unincorporated organizations based in the United States).

Nexus Category 3
An entity or organization (including a federal, state, or local government of the United States, or a political subdivision thereof) that has a bona fide presence in the United States of America or any of its possessions or territories.

• If foreign entity, Applicant must state country of citizenship.
• Check from category list, basis for compliance with Nexus requirement – regularly sells goods in the United States; regularly provides services in the United States; regularly engages in business activities, trade or other business (commercial or non-commercial including not-for-profit) relations in the United States;
• Maintains an office or other property within the United States.

The Registry Operator conducts weekly random checks for US nexus requirements.   They select a small sample (approximately 0.5% of new registrations) and send the selected Registrants a Nexus confirmation email.

Each selected Registrant will have 30 days to respond to the Registry Operator.   If the Registrant fails to respond, the Registry Operator will attempt a second contact with the Registrant.   If there is no response to the second contact, the Registry Operator will delete the domain name.   The Registry Operator is not refunding registration fees for deleted names.

Prospective Registrants in the usTLD must fall in one of three U.S. Nexus categories and must certify that they have a “bona fide presence in the United States.”

Categories:

1. You are a US citizen or permanent resident
2. You are a US business or organization.
3. You are a “foreign entity organization that has a bona fide presence in the United States of America or any of its possessions or territories.”

More information about transfers and changes in ownership for .UK domains is available directly from Nominet.

When the tag change is completed, please contact your Domain Provider to complete the transfer process.

If you do not currently have a Domain Provider in mind, please see this page to find one.

More information about transfers and changes in ownership for .UK domains is available directly from Nominet.

Tucows is a wholesale domain name Registrar, we do not provide support or service to individual domain owners.  All support and service for your domain name registration must be done through a Domain Provider.

Domain Providers are responsible for supporting their own customers.   Please contact them directly and they will add your .UK domain to their account.  If the Provider has any questions, they can contact Tucows directly.

If you are not sure who your Domain Provider is there are a few ways to find them.

If your Provider has any questions about the procedure they may contact Tucows directly for assistance.

.CO.UK is used for commercial enterprises, and .ORG.UK is used for non-commercial organizations

The .TV Registry is open to all individuals including small businesses and large corporations.

Please note that the email forwarding option is only available if you ordered the service at the time you registered your domain name.

Since the Registry has reserved all second-level names, .NAME registrations are made at the third level, for example FIRSTNAME.LASTNAME.NAME.   Registrations are restricted to individuals.

There are no restrictions on who may register .INFO names. .INFO was created for general use around the world.

Please note that the .DE registry (DENIC) requires that the Registrar you are transferring your domain to must receive, via fax, a written authorization of the transfer request from the domain’s Registrant (Administrative Contact).  This authorization must be kept on record should the Registry request it in the case of a dispute.

This mean you will need to supply your Domain Provider with the faxed request prior to the transfer being initiated.

Unlike .COM, .NET and .ORG, which have a sixty (60) day post registration transfer hold restriction, transfers in and out are not restricted to any type of hold period.   This means that a transfer can essentially be performed at any time after a domain is registered.

DENIC also imposes a non-refundable transfer fee on each transfer request, regardless of whether the transfer was successful or not.

Please note that the .DE Registry (DENIC) requires that the Registrar you are transferring your domain to must receive, via fax, a written authorization of the transfer request from the domain’s Registrant (Administrative Contact).   This authorization must be kept on record should the Registry request it in the case of a dispute.

This mean you will need to supply the Domain Provider with the faxed request prior to the transfer being initiated.

Unlike .COM, .NET and .ORG, which have a sixty (60) day post registration transfer hold restriction, transfers in and out are not restricted to any type of hold period.   This means that a transfer can essentially be performed at any time after a domain is registered.

DENIC also imposes a non-refundable transfer fee on each transfer request, regardless of whether the transfer was successful or not.

The .DE Registry requires this to be corrected within 30 days or they cancel the registration with no refund given.

If the Name Servers are correct you will need to contact your Domain Provider and have them create a Zone file for your domain name on the name servers listed.

Once they have confirmed this has been done you will need to log into a Domain Management Interface registry re-validate the domain.   This is located under the option “Domain Extras”.

Otherwise you will need to change the name servers via the “Manage Name Servers” section of a Domain Management Interface.

Local Presence required

The Registrant or the person named as the Administrative Contact person for a .DE domain must reside in Germany.  The Registry will validate this requirement at the time off registration application and if not fulfilled, the registration will fail.

Active Name Servers Required

The two required name servers that are authoritative for the domain name must be active at the time of registration and on different subnets.  If this is not the case, the order will complete, however there will be a 30-day window in which you must update your name servers.   If this is not done, the registry will delete the domain name, and refunds will not be given.  The Name Servers associated with the domain name at the time of the order cannot be changed during the 30-day window.

PLEASE NOTE: If a name is submitted without two authoritative, active Name Servers, an automated email will be sent by the Tucows system to the Registrant informing them of the need for authoritative, active Name Servers, the timeline to fulfill this requirement and how to inform the system that the Name Servers are now active.

As well, the Name Servers associated with .DE domains must reside on different subnets to avoid a single point of failure.   The Registry Operator makes this determination by reviewing the IP addresses of the Name Servers.   If the address differs in one of the first three octets, then the Name Servers are deemed to be on different subnets.

This Registry has only minimal rules concerning local presence and Name Servers.  The Registrant OR the Administrative Contact must reside in Germany and the two name servers associated with the registration must be authoritative, active and on different subnets to avoid a single point of failure.

New .CN domains that are registered through Tucows (via NeuLevel) are added to a separate WHOIS database at CNNIC, however that database has not been made public yet.

No domains registered via NeuLevel for any Registrars are available via whois.cnnic.net.cn as of yet.

To view .CN domains that are registered through Tucows, please use our WHOIS server

The .CN domain is open to all international businesses and organizations on a first come, first-served basis.

Both second level and third level domains are available, you can chose from:

• .CN
• .COM.CN
• .NET.CN
• .ORG.CN

Since there are no restrictions on Registrants, anyone can register a domain name with a .CC.

You can view these requirements in this PDF document, and for additional information and examples, please see this document. (both require the Adobe Acrobat Reader)

Their authoritative WHOIS is: http://whois.cira.ca/

The policies and administration of the dot-ca domain name will be set by CIRA and governed by Canadian law.

To register a dot-ca domain name, an applicant must satisfy the Canadian Presence Requirements (CPR) for Registrants.

The .BIZ domain is restricted to bona fide business or commercial use, defined as one of the following:

• To exchange goods, services, or property of any kind;
• In the ordinary course of trade or business; or
• To facilitate (i) the exchange of goods, services, information, or property of any kind; or, (ii) the ordinary course of trade or business

If there is only 1 nameserver listed the Registry will place the domain into an inactive state and it will not resolve/function.   For any other DNS issues please contact your hosting provider directly.

Some types of domains do allow you to have placeholder information of another company as the domain owner.   Speak to your Provider about “WHOIS Privacy” and if this service is available for your domain.

We are not the legal owners of the domain, we are just the wholesale Registrar that the domain was purchased through using one of our Providers. The domain is not hosted on our network, nor do we provide bandwidth, web hosting, or email services for this domain. We cannot just delete domains that have objectionable words in them.

If you wish to have the site shut down, you can try contacting their Internet Service Provider (ISP) directly, or the company the Internet Service Provider gets their own Internet connection from (often called their ‘upstream provider’).   You can look up the IP address that the SPAM was sent from using http://www.arin.net/ WHOIS to find who the IP Netblock (the batch of IP addresses assigned to a company) belongs to.  The site’s ISP may have rules governing the use of their service.

You can also try contacting the domain owners listed as the Registrant of the domain name, or the Administrative Contact for the domain name.   Their full contact information is available by performing a WHOIS lookup using our WHOIS lookup utility

The Tucows Compliance department’s mandate is to ensure that Tucows and its Provider network, remain compliant with the ICANN accreditation agreement.  Compliance will assist Registrants with non-technical matters.

Please see the question: What if I’m not listed as the Owner of my domain?

Expired domains are held at Tucows for a Grace Period defined by the Registry.

Partial list of Grace Periods:

• .COM, .NET, .ORG, .INFO, .BIZ, .US, .NAME, .TV and .CC – 40 days
• .CA – 30 days
• .UK domains resolve for 30 days past their expiration date after which they no longer reside with Tucows.  Your Domain Provider can recover the domain for an additional 60 days by placing a transfer request for the domain.
• .CN and .DE – have no Grace Period; they are deleted the day after their expiration date

During the Grace Period, all services (such as the website and email) cease working until the name is renewed (if and when this happens).  As well, name server/DNS changes are not possible.  When the domain expires the DNS is temporarily changed, and a web page explaining the need for renewal may be shown.  When the domain is renewed, the DNS will be changed back to the previous DNS entries.

At the end of the Grace Period one of three things may happen:

• The domain is marked for deletion, and with most types of domain names this will place the domain name enters a “Redemption Period” (also called “Pending Delete Restorable”), which is an additional period of time provided to recover the domain name.  The cost to recover the domain will be more than the cost of a renewal, and recovery is only available to the former domain owner.  The precise time when the domain is finally deleted depends on the Registry, but many domains are deleted 30-35 days after entering the Redemption Period.
• A third party  expresses interest in the expired domain name via an online auctioning system, and when the Grace Period ends, the domain is sold to the highest bidder.  Domains that are auctioned off cannot be renewed or “redeemed”.
• Tucows acquires the domain name for its private domain portfolio, and upon the Grace Period ending, the domain is not deleted.  Should the former domain name owner inquire about obtaining the domain name via their Domain Provider, the domain can be returned to them in a process similar to “redeeming” a domain.  Additional recovery and administrative fees may apply.

For information on renewing or redeeming your domain name please contact your Domain Provider directly.

You will need to contact your Domain Provider to renew your domain name.

Depending on where you perform the WHOIS lookup, the output may show the expiry date as being next year. This is a temporary year given by the Registry in order to allow the domain name to still remain registered to you even though the domain has expired.

If the domain is not renewed within 40 days of the expiry date the Registry will revoke the “extra year” and the domain name will be deleted from our system.

Additionally, your email address may use strong SPAM filtering as well. Some SPAM filters will incorrectly identify renewal reminders as SPAM and delete them, or route them out of sight.   Disable all SPAM filters on the system during the period you expect renewal reminders.

Some Domain Providers will allow your domain to “auto-renew”. This means when the domain comes up for renewal, you do not have to go through the renewal procedure manually.   If you consider your domain important property (for instance if it is critical to your business), it would be a very good idea to have the domain set to auto renew.  You should contact your Domain Provider to discuss this possibility. If you don’t know who your Domain Provider is please see this page to find out who your Provider is.

In all cases, the best way to remember when a domain is up for renewal is to schedule it in your date book or calendar.   You can then be assured that even if the automated systems fail, you will remember when to renew and who to renew with.

All renewals of domains registered with Tucows are done via Providers. Providers are responsible for supporting single domain holders.  If you have any questions regarding your domain’s renewal status or a billing related matter, it is vital that you contact your Provider.   Tucows does not have any access to Providers’ billing records and therefore cannot assist in matters related to your domain’s renewal status, nor can we assist with billing/invoicing.

If you don’t know who your Domain Provider is, please see this page.

There are many organizations who solicit registrants for renewal services but who currently have no authority to renew the domain name.

It is possible to transfer the domain to them, at which point they would have the authority to renew the domain.

There are two possible scenarios:

1. Renewing with your current Domain Provider
This is generally the fastest and easiest method of renewing a domain name, since this is the company that’s currently responsible for supporting your domain registration.   You can keep track of the renewal using our WHOIS lookup to see the current expiration date. If it has not been applied, speak with them about the delay in processing your renewal.  If you don’t know who your Domain Provider is, please see this page

2. Renewing with another Registrar (or a non-Domain Provider) by transferring your domain name to them.
If you are renewing your domain name with another Registrar, they will not have the authority to renew the domain name until you first complete a “Registration Transfer” to the new Registrar.   Once the Registration Transfer is completed, they will be responsible for the domain and will be able to renew it.  There are several steps that must be taken before they are able to renew it.

To ensure that the transfer will be successful:

1. All locks must be removed from the domain
2. The domain just have a valid Administrative Contact address.  You may need to resubmit your transfer request with the new Registrar if the address is updated after the transfer is started.
3. For most types of domains, you will need the Authorization Code (also called Auth Code or EPP Key) for the domain in order to authorize the transfer.

If your domain has been in expiry for so long that it’s at risk of being deleted from our system (40 days after the expiration date), you can transfer to another Domain Provider in generally under an hour.

The transfer must be submitted with the new Domain Provider (usually on their website), and can only be authorized by the Administrative Contact for the domain.   If the Administrative Contact is not currently valid you can update it.

Some Domain Providers will allow your domain to “auto-renew”.   This means that when the domain comes up for renewal, you do not have to go through the renewal procedure manually.   If domain is critical to your business, it is a very good idea to have the domain set to renew automatically each year.  You should contact your Domain Provider to discuss this option.

You can also renew a domain already with Tucows/OpenSRS by making a transfer to another Domain Provider.  This should only be used if you’re unable to contact your current Domain Provider, possess the Authorization Code for the domain name, as well as have the domain name unlocked.

Most types of domain names are renewed when you transfer the domain name from another Registrar.  Ask your Domain Provider if the domain will be renewed when you transfer the domain to them.  In some situations you may need to make a separate renewal with the new Domain Provider.

If you have a .UK domain name, please contact the person or company who instructed you to change your IPS tag to TUCOWS-CA.   They can renew the domain name by placing a “transfer request” for your domain.

Tucows is a wholesale Registrar and does not deal with individual domains.   We direct all questions to the gaining Provider you are using.   The losing Provider is not involved in this process.  It is not necessary to contact them unless the domain is locked.

To find your current Provider or Registrar, perform a WHOIS lookup on your domain name.

If your domain is with a Domain Provider and the Provider has enabled the Provider WHOIS Information you will see something similar to the following:

Registration Service Provider:
Example Provider, help@example.com
This company may be contacted for domain login/passwords,
DNS/Nameserver changes, and general domain support questions.

If the Provider WHOIS Information is not available, you can log in to the Domain Management Interface and click on the Provider Contact link.

If you don’t know who your Domain Provider is you can also use this this page.

The following requirements must be met before you can transfer your domain name:

1. Since transfer confirmation is done via email, the Admin Contact email address listed on your domain name must be valid.  If you are unsure of what you have listed please perform a WHOIS lookup to see what it currently is.   If the address is invalid and you have your login information, you can update it through a Domain Management Interface.   If you do not have the login information you can fax us an update for the Administrative Contact.
2. Your domain name must be at least 60 days old.   This is a Registry-imposed requirement that affects all Registrars.
3. If your domain name is expired, it must be within the Tucows grace period after expiry.   Generally this is often 40 days past the expiration date.
4. There must be no locks or holds on your domain name.   If you need to have your domain name unlocked you must either contact your Domain Provider directly, and in some cases you can remove it yourself from the Domain Management Interface under Domain Extras.
5. For most types of domains, you will require the transfer Authorization Code for your domain.

You can, however, transfer an expired domain that is currently with Tucows.  There are two types of transfers you can perform:

1) Transfer to another Domain Provider
You can transfer your domain to another Domain Provider, which can generally be accomplished in under 30 minutes.   Even if their website states that expired domains cannot be transferred, they will be able to transfer your domain because they are within the same Registrar system (Tucows/OpenSRS) as your old Provider.

2) Transfer to another Registrar
You can transfer your domain to another Registrar, but you will need to get your domain Provider to unlock your domain.  Sometimes this can be done by the domain owner from a Domain Management Interface in the Domain Extras section.  The current lock status can be seen from a WHOIS lookup and is usually shown as “clientTransferProhibited”.   Note that Registrar transfers take generally 1-7 days to complete.

To ensure the transfer will succeed you must first submit the transfer request with the Gaining Registrar. Emails will be sent to the Admin contact asking for their approval.  You can verify the address using a WHOIS lookup

The Administrative Contact email address is used to confirm the transfer. If it needs to be updated, you may need to resubmit the transfer request with the Gaining Registrar.  Clarify this issue with the Gaining Registrar first.

You must also have the Authorization Code information (also called an Auth Code or EPP key) for the domain name.

There must be no locks or holds on your domain name. If you need to have your domain name unlocked you must either contact your Domain Provider directly, and in some cases you can remove it yourself from a Domain Management Interface under Domain Extras.

1. Since transfer confirmation is done via email, the Administrative Contact email address listed on your domain name must be valid.  If you are unsure, you can perform a WHOIS lookup.   If the address is invalid and you have your login information, you can update it through the Domain Management Interface.   If you do not have the login information, you can update your Administrative Contact by fax.
2. Your domain name must be at least 60 days old.   This is a Registry-imposed requirement that affects all Registrars.
3. If your domain name is expired, it must be within the Tucows grace period.
4. There must be no locks or holds on your domain name.   If you need to have your domain name unlocked or to have an expired-hold removed, contact your current Domain Provider.
5. You must have the Authorization Code (also called an Auth Code or EPP Key) for most types of domain names.

Partial list of transfer limitations for specific types of domains (TLDs)

• .CN – You cannot transfer domains 15 days before their expiration date

NOTE: All types of domain names may not be listed here.  Some types of domains (the TLD) may have some special requirements not on this page.   Refer to Domain Specific Information for more information.

1. Since transfer confirmation is done via email, the Administrative Contact email address listed on your domain name must be valid.  If you are unsure, please perform a WHOIS lookup on your domain name.  If the address is invalid, contact your current Registrar to have it updated or use their online domain management interfaces to do so.
2. For most types of domains, the domain name must be at least 60 days old.  This is a Registry-imposed requirement that affects all Registrars.
3. If your domain name is expired, it must be within the domain’s grace period.
4. There must be no locks or holds on your domain name.  If you need to have your domain name unlocked or to have an expired-hold removed, contact your current Domain Provider.
5. You must have the Authorization Code (Auth Code or EPP Key) for most types of domain names.

NOTE: Some types of domain (the TLD) may have specific requirements not mentioned in this section. Refer to Specific Domain Info for more information.

Transfer limitations for specific types of domains (TLDs)

• .CN – You cannot transfer domains 15 days before their expiration date

NOTE: All types of domain names may not be listed here. Please see its area in Specific Domain Info to double check.

As well, do not enter WWW. as part of the domain name when attempting to log in.

Name Server section of the Domain Management Interface

Removing existing name servers:

1. Log into a Domain Management Interface
2. Click on the Name Server link at the top of the page. This will bring you to the Edit name server screen
3. Click on the remove box beside the name server entries.
4. Click on Save Configuration

Your old name server entries will be deleted. NOTE: With no name servers attached to your domain, nobody will be able to find your domain on the internet.   If it is important for your domain to stay available, you must add new name server to your domain as soon as possible!  For many types of domains you are required to have at least two name servers.  Having only one (or none) may generate errors in the interface. Edit the existing name servers used for the domain:

1. Log into a Domain Management Interface
2. Click on the Name Servers link
3. Edit the server hostnames in the boxes provides. NOTE: Do not add the IP addresses.   Please use only the server names! Our system will determine the IP automatically.
4. Click Save Configuration (or cancel changes if you’ve made a mistake)

You should see “Name Servers for xxxxxx updated successfully” in red near the top of the screen if you were successful.11

This is what you are seeing when you perform a WHOIS lookup at a central Registry (such as Internic for .COM/.NET domains) on your expired domain name.

Please note this DISCLAIMER presented in the Internic WHOIS:

NOTICE: The expiration date displayed in this record is the date the Registrar sponsorship of the domain name registration in the registry is currently set to expire.   This date does not necessarily reflect the expiration date of the domain name Registrant Agreement with the sponsoring Registrar.  Users may consult the sponsoring Registrar’s WHOIS database to view the Registrar’s reported date of expiration for this registration.

A REGISTRAR-HOLD or “CLIENT HOLD” is normally applied to your domain name when it expires.

The main difference between the two is that REGISTRAR-HOLD or “CLIENT HOLD” will prevent the domain name from working.

To enable or disable locking please contact your Domain Provider directly.

When registering or transferring domains, instead of typing all the same information repeatedly, your Provider can use the profile of an existing Tucows-registered domain as template for the new registration.  The domain information (Administrative Contact, Billing Contact, Technical Contact, and name servers) for the two domains will be exactly the same.

Domains that are created or transferred using the same profile information can be managed together in the Domain Management Interface.  This is where the domain, username and password combination are entered to gain secure access to a Domain Management Interface.  Here the end-user can change contact info for all domains in the same profile.  They can also easily switch between different domains using Manage Another Domain link.

It is important to remember that anyone with the profile login information can change all info for all domains in the profile, including ownership.  Guard this information carefully!

1. Log into the Domain Management Interface
2. Click on the Manage Name Servers section
3. Click on the link at the bottom of the page that says If you want to create or modify a name server which is based on {your domain} click here
4. Change the old host name to the new one
5. Click Save Configuration

This change will be automatically applied to all domains using this name server.

Note that this will only rename name servers within the same Registry.   This means that if you rename a .COM nameserver, it will only update COM/NET domains as they are run by the same Registry (operated by Verisign).  Renaming a .COM/.NET name server will not update .ORG domains! (.ORG Registry is operated by the Public Interest Registry)

Ensure the Administrative Contact email address is kept up to date.  This is the only way to recover a lost login/password.

To change the Organization Name for .CA domains:

.CA domains have a separate process involved to change the Organization Name.  Please see this page for specific information.

To change ownership of .CO.UK or .ORG.UK domains:

.UK domains have a separate process involved to change ownership.  Please see this page for specific information.

If all you need to do is change DNS on your domain so that you are hosting with a different company, look into at changing your DNS/name server.

Only the domain owner can create a nameserver host record. This can be done via the Domain Management Interface.

Nameserver IP addresses are not required by most Registries and are not displayed by our system. This does not affect the operation of the nameserver.

BEFORE YOU PROCEED PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:

This option is usually only done by Internet Service Providers, Web Hosting companies or experienced system administrators on behalf of domain owners. Please ensure that the server hostnames you are creating are running DNS/BIND software in order for the name servers to work properly.

IF YOU ARE NOT CERTAIN OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING PLEASE PROCEED WITH CAUTION, AS YOU MAY CAUSE YOUR DOMAIN TO STOP FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE IT CAN TAKE UP TO 48 HOURS FOR THE CORRECTION TO PROPAGATE ACROSS THE INTERNET!

To begin managing name servers which are based on your domain name:

1. Log into a Domain Management Interface
2. Choose Name Servers from the options at the top of the page.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the page where it says If you want to create of modify a name server based on domain name, click here.
4. Click there
5. You will see a set of boxes, one of which will accept data.   The second box will not be editable, and will display your domain name.  Choose a nameserver prefix and type it into the box.   PLEASE NOTE: DO NOT USE WWW or MAIL AS A NAME SERVER PREFIX! NS1 or DNS1 would be a good idea. The full contents of these boxes (eg. DNS1.EXAMPLE.COM) will be the name of the new name server. In the IP box, you will need to type in the IP address of your domain’s name server.
6. Click on the Create Nameserver option

You should see a note that says Name server DNS1.EXAMPLE.COM is registered.   This means the registry knows of the existence of your name server.   It will take 24 – 48 hours before your nameserver info propagates to the rest of the world.

A handy tool to help with debugging of domain/DNS issues is http://www.dnsreport.com .   If it says your domain is not listed in the root servers, wait 24 hours to allow time for the root servers to refresh.

1. Log into a Domain Management Interface
2. Click on the Manage Profile link
3. Click on the Change Ownership of Domain (don’t worry, you won’t be changing actual ownership)
4. Enter in a new username & password that will be used to access the domain
5. Click on Change Owner

The domain will now be separated out of the profile, and you can use the new login & password you entered to access the domain.

To create a Sub User:

1. Click on  Manage Profile
2. Click on Create/Manage a Sub-User
3. Select a username, password and choose what areas that this sub-user will be allowed to edit

Sub-users are never allowed access to the “Manage Profile” section.

There can only be a single sub-user per domain and a sub-user can only manage the domain it was created for, not the profile it is in (if it is part of a larger group profile of your domains).

Keep one of your domains in mind as the target domain.   The instructions below will group other domains together with the target domain into one “grouped profile” of domains.

1. Log into the Domain Management Interface
2. Click on the Manage Profile link
3. Click on the Change Ownership of Domain (do not worry, you won’t be changing actual ownership)
4. Enter in username and password of the target domain you want to add this domain to
5. Enter the target domain name into Previously Registered Domain
6. Put a checkmark on Move To Existing Profile
7. Click on Change Owner

You will now see near the top of the screen that you are managing two domain names. If the target domain was already part of a grouped domain profile, you will see all the domains that were in the profile originally, plus the new one you just added.

Danger! Danger! Danger!

Just a few words about the security of grouped domain profile.

All domains in the profile will now have the same username & password.  If anyone gains access to the username/password, they will have access to all domains in the profile and have the ability to change ownership of the domain names.  Guard these access credentials carefully!

To change the contact information:

Log into a Domain Management Interface and click on the Organization link and update the information.

You’ll also probably want to change the username/password to something different using the following method:

1. Log into a Domain Management Interface
2. Click on the Manage Profile link
3. Click on Change Ownership of Domain
4. Enter in a new username and password that will be used to access the domain
5. Click on Change Owner

If you have a grouped domain profile with multiple domains all grouped together, it is important to remember that anyone with the login information can change all the contacts/ownership information for all the domains in that profile. Ensure you move the domain out of the group profile first before giving the username/password to someone else.

In some cases the information in this system is not updated right away in “real time”.  For example, if a domain name has transferred ownership, it’s possible this fact wouldn’t be visible in WHOIS for 15 minutes.

The Tucows WHOIS information has an update delay of around 15 minutes.  In general, if you need to be certain that your domain name information is correct we recommend you use the Tucows WHOIS 15 minutes after you make a change.

People register domain names in order to stake a claim to a particular name — whether for business or personal reasons.

Some domain types have the option to use a WHOIS Privacy feature.  Please speak to your Provider about this and if it is possible for your domain.

Tucows does not have the contact information associated with this domain since it was deleted.  However, you can see its current status by using a Registry-level WHOIS. (For .COM/.NET domains use http://www.crsnic.net , for .ORG domains use http://www.pir.org, for .INFO domains use http://www.afilias.info/whois_search/)

Before the domain expires, attempts are made to email the various contact email addresses on the domain name.  For this reason, it’s important to keep the contact information up to date.  Having valid contact information on the domain was also highlighted in the agreements made when the domain was first registered.  Important information is sent to these contacts, and having an invalid email address or aggressive SPAM filters may prevent delivery of these messages.

The Registry-imposed REDEMPTION PERIOD/PENDING DELETE RESTORABLE state usually lasts for 30 days, and during this period it is still possible to recover a domain in this state.  The domain can only be redeemed by the original owner of the domain as listed on the WHOIS prior to the deletion.

Do not contact the Domain Provider or Tucows if you are not the original listed owner of the domain.

If you are not the original listed owner of the domain, speak with your favourite Registration company to find out when a REDEMPTION PERIOD/PENDING DELETE RESTORABLE domain will be available for registration.

Redeeming a domain is more time consuming and complicated than if the domain was renewed  during the first 40 days of expiration. The original Domain Provider facilitates its recovery, and so you should contact them to begin this process.

If you are unable to contact your Domain Provider please contact our Compliance Department and they will determine if your Provider is still in business, and will help you remedy the situation.

Note: At the end of the grace period, some domain names may be sold in an auction system before they enter the redemption period.  If the domain name is sold at auction, it will not be available for re-registration.

If you have exhausted all attempts to contact your current Domain Provider regarding the renewal or the user name/password of your domain name, you can transfer your domain to a new Domain Provider.

After this transfer is done  the new Domain Provider can handle the administration of your domain name.

You will need to confirm this transfer by acting on instructions contained in an email sent to the Administrative Contact email address on the domain name.

Make sure the Administrative Contact email address is correct before you submit your transfer request.  See this page for information on how to update this address.   For many types of domain names you will also need the domain name’s Authorization Code (sometimes called an “EPP Key”) to approve the transfer.

Once the transfer is completed, your domain name will be renewed for an additional one year period.  Your new Domain Provider will send you a new user name and password for your domain name.

If your domain is locked and you must unlock it before you can to transfer the domain to a new Domain Provider,  contact the Tucows/OpenSRS Compliance Department for assistance.  You can also ask for your domain name Authorization Code.  It will only be sent to the Administrative Contact email address, so make sure it is up to date.

For security reasons, Tucows will never send the domain login information to anyone.  Only the Domain Provider that handled the registration and payment for your domain can email the username/password to the Administrative Contact or Owner Contact email address.

If the Administrative Contact email address is no longer valid, you will need this address updated in order to have the domain’s username/password sent to you.

Domain Providers are responsible for providing technical support to their customers for the domains they sell.  You can use this page to look up your Domain Provider.

The Administrative Contact email address is the most powerful email address on a domain name;  it’s important to keep this up to date at all times. The Administrative Contact email can be updated through the Domain Management  Interface.

If the Administrative Contact email address is no longer valid, you should contact your Domain Provider to see if they have an alternative recovery method to recover your username and password.

The Tucows Compliance department’s mandate is to ensure that Tucows and its Provider network, remain compliant with the ICANN accreditation agreement.  Compliance will assist Registrants with non-technical matters.

Please contact your Domain Provider before contacting us regarding your domain name.

Alternative Login Screen

You will need to login to this second website in order to make changes to your domain.

Additionally, please note many of the instructions contained in this help system will not work within this new website, however the new website will contain its own help system to assist you once you are able to login to it.  Usually these are listed as “Help” and “FAQ” in the menu.

If you recall what the website looked like where you purchased your domain (or last managed it) this is likely the very same website.  This website is managed by your Domain Provider and they can be contacted for support through pages within this new website.

If you don’t recall your username and password for this new website, there is a link to have this information emailed to you.  This link is often labeled “Forgot your password or account information?”

You need your username and password to log in to the Domain Management Interface.  If you do not have the username and password for your domain name, you can obtain this information from the Provider you use.

IMPORTANT: When I attempt to log in to the Domain Management Interface, why am I redirected to another website?

The password is case-sensitive.  If you are get an authentication error, copy and paste the password directly from the email sent by your Domain Provider.  As well, do not include “WWW.” as part of the domain name when attempting to log in.

If your Domain Provider does not have their own Domain Management Interface, you can use the generic Domain Management Interface located here.

The Domain Management Interface looks similar to this:

Domain Management Interface

You can click the  Manage Your Domain link located at the top to return to this screen.  Below the Manage Your Domain link, you will see the domain name, when it expires, and whether a change is in progress.

If you have more than one domain in this profile, you will see a link called: Manage Another Domain.  Click on the Manage Another Domain link to list the other domains that have been grouped together in a profile.

You will be able to update the following:

Manage Profile
This is a section allows you to change Domain login and password information, create sub users, and group multiple domains into different profiles.

Organization Contact
This is information about the company or entity that owns the domain name you are managing.  You can change company information here.  This field is shown at the top of WHOIS lookups and is also called the Registrant field.

NOTE: Nominet, the registry for *.UK domain names, does not allow Registrants to modify the Organization name in this section.  Accordingly, this section does not appear for *.UK names.  To modify the Organization name for your .UK domain please refer to your Nominet Registration Certificate.

Admin Contact
This is the only person allowed to make changes to the domain.  Ensure this email address is always kept up-to-date.

Billing Contact
This is the contact responsible for billing issues with regard to this domain’s registration.  All renewal information will be sent to this address.  The Billing Contact is not shown in the WHOIS database.

Technical Contact
This is the person who is usually responsible for Web hosting, mail, and other DNS issues.  However, unless they are granted access by the Administrative Contact, they have no authority to make any changes.  Sometimes this is your Provider’s contact information.

Manage Name Servers
This is where you modify the name server (DNS) information as well as create name server hosts based on the domain.

Domain Extras
This is the are that contains additional settings that is unique to your domain name type, for example, the domain Authorization Code (sometimes called an “EPP Key”), the forwarding email address for .NAME domains, and Nexus data for .US domains.

Provider Contact
This is information about the Domain Provider that is responsible for the domain name registration, and that is tasked with providing you technical and customer support for your domain name registration.

Domain Locking
This is the section which allows the domain to be ‘locked’ to prevent transfers and Name Server (also called DNS) changes.  By locking the domain, transfers will automatically be rejected, and name servers (DNS) cannot be modified.  If you are unable to change the Lock setting, contact your Domain Provider to have it changed.

Find Your Domain Provider

Contact your Domain Provider for issues regarding your domain name such as obtaining a username and password for making DNS changes, renewing your domain and obtaining its Authorization Code.

If you can not contact your Domain Provider, please see this page.

To change your Name Servers, log into your Domain Management Interface, and click the Name Servers link.  You will see a screen similar to this:

Name Server section of the Domain Management Interface

Enter the nameservers for the domain name into the Nameserver entry boxes.

Note: You only have to add the host name of the Name Server. (ie: NS1.EXAMPLE.COM)  The IP address of the server is handled automatically.

After the changes are made, click Save Configuration.  Please note this action does not delete the name server itself — it only removes it from being used by this domain name.

To remove a nameserver, you simply erase it from the entry box.

This procedure assumes that the name servers you specify are registered, valid Internet name servers.   Some Registries (such as .ORG) maintain their own databases of registered, valid name servers, rather following the Registry of .COM/.NET nameservers database.  If you are receive a message about being unable to verify existence of name server, this is probably because the name server is not in that Registry’s database.  Contact your Domain Provider to have those name servers added to the Registry’s database.

The name servers’ IP addresses will only be displayed when you use a name server based on the same TLD.   For example, the IP address will show up when you use a .ORG name server (ex: NS1.EXAMPLE.ORG) on a .ORG domain (ex: EXAMPLE.ORG).  If the numerical IP address is not displayed on this page, please note that it has no effect on the domain name.

Related entry: Why am I receiving this error: “unable to verify existence of name server”?

1. Registry Policy. You acknowledge and understand that by accepting the terms and conditions of this agreement you shall be bound by Registry policies and any pertinent rules or policies that exist now or in the future and which are posted on the Registry websites referenced below.
   

   ac	http://www.nic.ac/terms.html
   aero	http://www.nic.aero/registration/policies/
   com.af	http://www.nic.af/domainpolicy.htm
   net.af	http://www.nic.af/domainpolicy.htm
   org.af	http://www.nic.af/domainpolicy.htm
   ag	http://www.nic.ag/rules.htm
   com.ai	http://whois.ai/faq.html
   net.ai	http://whois.ai/faq.html
   off.ai	http://whois.ai/faq.html
   org.ai	http://whois.ai/faq.html
   org.ai	http://whois.ai/faq.html
   am	http://www.dot.am/policy.html
   at	http://www.nic.at/en/service/legal_information/terms_conditions/
   au	http://www.auda.org.au/policy/current-policies/
   be	http://www.dns.be/en/home.php?n=43.001
   com.br	http://registro.br/dominio
   bz	https://www.belizenic.bz/index.php/home/regguidelines
   ca	http://www.cira.ca/legal/policies/all-policies/
   cc	http://verisigninc.com/en_US/company-information/government-relations/tv-cc-domain-name-registration-policies/index.xhtml
   cd	http://www.nic.cd/company_info/CD/termandcondition.jsp
   ch	https://www.nic.ch/reg/cm/wcm-page/index.html?id=b0f5e320-af37-11de-ad7f-b9cfa6b6b3c3&lid=en
   co.cm	http://www.netcom.cm/files/Netcom_Registration_Agreement.pdf
   com.cm	http://www.netcom.cm/files/Netcom_Registration_Agreement.pdf
   cn	http://www.cnnic.cn/html/Dir/2005/03/24/2861.htm
   cx	http://www.nic.cx/
   de	http://www.denic.de/en/domains/general-information/terms-and-conditions.html
   dj	http://www.dj/eterms.htm
   dk	https://www.dk-hostmaster.dk/fileadmin/filer/pdf/generelle_vilkaar/Generelle_vilkaar_vers._05-ENG.pdf https://www.dk-hostmaster.dk/fileadmin/filer/pdf/DIFO/rules_complaint_board.pdf https://www.dk-hostmaster.dk/lovstof-regler/persondatapolitik/politik-om-personlige-oplysninger/
   net.cm	http://www.nic.dm/policies.jsp
   es	https://www.nic.es/media/2008-10/1224586738963.pdf
   eu	http://www.eurid.eu/files/reg_pol_DE.pdf
   biz.fj	http://domains.fj/public/regagreement.php
   com.fj	http://domains.fj/public/regagreement.php
   info.fj	http://domains.fj/public/regagreement.php
   name.fj	http://domains.fj/public/regagreement.php
   net.fj	http://domains.fj/public/regagreement.php
   org.fj	http://domains.fj/public/regagreement.php
   pro.fj	http://domains.fj/public/regagreement.php
   fm	http://www.dot.fm/policy.html
   fr	http://www.afnic.fr/obtenir/chartes/nommage-fr
   gd	http://www.adamsnames.com/register/terms.html
   co.gg	http://www.channelisles.net/tandc.shtml
   gg	http://www.channelisles.net/tandc.shtml
   net.gg	http://www.channelisles.net/tandc.shtml
   org.gg	http://www.channelisles.net/tandc.shtml
   co.gl	http://www.nic.gl/bin/view/Legal/
   com.gl	http://www.nic.gl/bin/view/Legal/
   net.gl	http://www.nic.gl/bin/view/Legal/
   org.gl	http://www.nic.gl/bin/view/Legal/
   gs	http://cocca.gs/index.php/home/policy-recommendations/policy-master-document.html
   com.gt	http://www.gt/english/registration_policies.html
   hm	http://www.registry.hm/HR_conditions.php
   com.hn	http://www.nic.hn/english/politicas.html
   hn	http://www.nic.hn/english/politicas.html
   net.hn	http://www.nic.hn/english/politicas.html
   org.hn	http://www.nic.hn/english/politicas.html
   com.ht	http://www.nic.ht/modules/smartsection/category.php?categoryid=1
   info.ht	http://www.nic.ht/modules/smartsection/category.php?categoryid=1
   net.ht	http://www.nic.ht/modules/smartsection/category.php?categoryid=1
   org.ht	http://www.nic.ht/modules/smartsection/category.php?categoryid=1
   co.il	http://www.isoc.org.il/domains/il-domain-rules.html
   co.im	https://www.nic.im/public/terms.mth
   im	https://www.nic.im/public/terms.mth
   net.im	https://www.nic.im/public/terms.mth
   org.im	https://www.nic.im/public/terms.mth
   in	http://www.registry.in/registrars/become_a_registrar/forms/Terms_and_Conditions_for_Registrants.pdf
   io	http://www.nic.io/terms.html
   it	http://www.nic.it/legal-issues/regulation-disputes-and-legal-guidelines
   co.je	http://www.channelisles.net/tandc.shtml
   je	http://www.channelisles.net/tandc.shtml
   jobs	http://www.goto.jobs/policies.asp
   jp	http://jpdirect.jp/doc/agreement.html
   kg	http://www.domain.kg/regulation.htm
   biz.ki	http://www.nic.ki/index.php/policy.html
   com.ki	http://www.nic.ki/index.php/policy.html
   info.ki	http://www.nic.ki/index.php/policy.html
   mobi.ki	http://www.nic.ki/index.php/policy.html
   net.ki	http://www.nic.ki/index.php/policy.html
   tel.ki	http://www.nic.ki/index.php/policy.html
   co.kr	http://www.domain.kr/EN/policy.jsp
   kr	http://www.domain.kr/EN/policy.jsp
   la	http://www.la/terms
   co.lc	http://www.nic.lc/policies.htm
   com.lc	http://www.nic.lc/policies.htm
   lc	http://www.nic.lc/policies.htm
   net.lc	http://www.nic.lc/policies.htm
   org.lc	http://www.nic.lc/policies.htm
   li	https://www.nic.ch/reg/ocView.action?res=EF6GW2JBPVTG67DLNIQXU234MN6SC33JNQQGI7L6&lid=en
   lu	http://www.dns.lu/en/EN-LUConditions.html
   mn	http://file.domain.mn/Domain_name_registration_policies.pdf
   sh	http://file.domain.mn/Domain_name_registration_policies.pdf
   so	http://file.domain.mn/Domain_name_registration_policies.pdf
   st	http://file.domain.mn/Domain_name_registration_policies.pdf
   tc	http://file.domain.mn/Domain_name_registration_policies.pdf
   tk	http://file.domain.mn/Domain_name_registration_policies.pdf
   tl	http://file.domain.mn/Domain_name_registration_policies.pdf
   tm	http://file.domain.mn/Domain_name_registration_policies.pdf
   to	http://file.domain.mn/Domain_name_registration_policies.pdf
   ms	http://nic.ms/modules/smartsection/makepdf.php?itemid=4
   mu	http://nic.mu/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=1
   mx	https://www.nic.mx/reapertura/POLITICAS%20%20DE%20NOMBRES%20DE%20DOMINIO%20DE%20NIC%20MEXICO%20REGISTRAR.pdf
   com.my	http://www.domainregistry.my/faq.php?id=107#202
   my	http://www.domainregistry.my/faq.php?id=107#202
   net.my	http://www.domainregistry.my/faq.php?id=107#202
   org.my	http://www.domainregistry.my/faq.php?id=107#202
   com.ni	http://www.nic.ni/index.php?s=2
   nl	https://www.sidn.nl/en/about-nl/sidn-policy/
   nu	http://www.nunames.nu/about/terms.cfm
   co.nz	http://dnc.org.nz/story/summary-list-all-nz-policies-and-procedures
   net.nz	http://dnc.org.nz/story/summary-list-all-nz-policies-and-procedures
   org.nz	http://dnc.org.nz/story/summary-list-all-nz-policies-and-procedures
   com.pa	http://www.nic.pa/politicas.html
   com.pe	https://www.punto.pe/nuevas_politicas_docs.php
   net.pe	https://www.punto.pe/nuevas_politicas_docs.php
   pe	https://www.punto.pe/nuevas_politicas_docs.php
   biz.pl	http://www.dns.pl/english/regulations.html
   pl	http://www.dns.pl/english/regulations.html
   com.pl	http://www.dns.pl/english/regulations.html
   edu.pl	http://www.dns.pl/english/regulations.html
   info.pl	http://www.dns.pl/english/regulations.html
   net.pl	http://www.dns.pl/english/regulations.html
   nom.pl	http://www.dns.pl/english/regulations.html
   org.pl	http://www.dns.pl/english/regulations.html
   shop.pl	http://www.dns.pl/english/regulations.html
   waw.pl	http://www.dns.pl/english/regulations.html
   com.pr	https://www.nic.pr/registration_agreement.asp
   com.pt	https://www.dns.pt/regras-de-dominios
   com.pt	https://www.dns.pt/regras-de-dominios
   pt	https://www.dns.pt/regras-de-dominios
   com.py	http://www.nic.py/pautas.html
   qa	http://domains.qa/en/policies
   com.sb	http://www.sbnic.net.sb/Policies.htm
   net.sb	http://www.sbnic.net.sb/Policies.htm
   org.sb	http://www.sbnic.net.sb/Policies.htm
   net.sc	http://nic.sc/en/policies.html
   org.sc	http://nic.sc/en/policies.html
   sc	http://nic.sc/en/policies.html
   com.sc	http://nic.sc/en/policies.html
   com.so	http://soregistry.so/pdfs/dotSO_Domain_Name_Registration_Policies.pdf
   net.so	http://soregistry.so/pdfs/dotSO_Domain_Name_Registration_Policies.pdf
   org.so	http://soregistry.so/pdfs/dotSO_Domain_Name_Registration_Policies.pdf
   tw	http://www.twnic.net.tw/english/dn/dn_02.htm
   com.ua	https://hostmaster.net.ua/policy/Policy_UA_en-w2.htm
   uk	http://www.nominet.org.uk/registrants/aboutdomainnames/legal/terms/
   us	http://www.nic.us/policies/
   com.uy	https://nic.anteldata.com.uy/dns/common/verCondiciones.jsp;jsessionid=E327AD3304845D0A84CE75F3EB0C4299
   co.ve	http://www.nic.ve/uploads/7i/iJ/7iiJjw8PBlT9U1Al9alXng/condiciones_nic_ve.pdf
   com.ve	http://www.nic.ve/uploads/7i/iJ/7iiJjw8PBlT9U1Al9alXng/condiciones_nic_ve.pdf
   co.za	http://co.za/annexure.html

2. You are responsible for monitoring the Registry’s site on a regular basis. In the event that you do not wish to be bound by a revision or modification to any Registry policy, your sole remedy is to cancel your domain name registration by following the appropriate Registry policy regarding such cancellation.

Domain locking is designed to prevent domains from being transferred without the Domain Owner’s express consent.  It also prevents name server (DNS) changes.

Your Domain Provider can lock and unlock your domain.  Please contact them directly to make any changes.

In some cases the option to lock and unlock a domain is within the Domain Extras section of the Domain Management Interface.

Once the correct Name Servers are listed, it normally takes 24-48 hours for the change to propagate to all computers on the Internet.   However, the configuration of the Name Servers themselves is an important factor as well.  You should consider speaking to the administrator of those new name servers to find out if they have also been configured correctly for your use.

If a domain is not resolving the way you expect it to, you should contact your Name Server (DNS) Administrator or your Provider for assistance.

For instance, if you received “unable to verify existence of name server” while updating the name servers for EXAMPLE.COM, it means those name servers are not registered with the .COM Registry.

Even if a name server is functional, it may not be allowed by a particular Registry.  Most registries keep a list of valid name servers and any foreign name server host record must be added before it can be used.

Your Domain Provider can add the required name server to all TLD Registries for you.