frequently asked questions (FAQs)

 

Can anyone register a domain?

Yes, it does not matter what country you live in or even if you have a web site. However certain domain types may have restrictions, such as .US.

How much does it cost?

For most of our domains the cost of registering a domain name is only $13.50 per year. You can select a registration period ranging from 1 to 10 years. There is no other fee, no NIC fee, no setup fee, no domain parking fee.

What forms of payment do you accept?

We accept credit card payments with VISA, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover Card. With a credit card payment your registration will be completed instantly.

We no longer accept checks or money orders as a form of payment.

I thought I could only register domains through NSI?

ICANN opened up the registration process to other registrars in 2000 and the domain name registration system is now open to other companies besides NSI.

How long does the registration take?

It is instantaneous. Your registration will be completed on-line. As soon as you submit and receive the "registration successful" message, it is ready. A confirmation e-mail is also sent right away.

What is the difference between a domain registered through your service and one registered through Network Solutions?

There is absolutely no difference, other than our excellent service and much enhanced tools to assist you. You will find our registration system much easier to use.

Are you ICANN accredited?

Yes. 000Domains.com (R & K Global Business Services, Inc.) is an ICANN accredited registrar.

Do I own the domain I register?

In most cases, yes. It is yours to sell, keep, do whatever you like. Please note that registering a domain name does not necessarily convey the legal right to use it. The responsibility to avoid trademark infringement is that of the registrant. Registrants who impinge on the rights of others may lose their domain names by either ICANN's Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) or legal action.

What is bulk registration?

Bulk registration enables you to register multiple domain names at once, saving you time on the process. When you type all the domain names you want in the bulk lookup, it will tell you which domain names are not available and will let you continue with the available names. If you type the domain names without the extensions it will find all available .com, .net or .org. If you type with the extensions, it will only search names with that particular extension.

When I register my domain, don't I need to provide Name Servers?

When you register, your domain name is automatically parked at 000Domains.com servers. Whenever you like to use your own name servers, or want to transfer your domain to a hosting company, you can simply login to Account Manager, and follow the "Name Servers" link to change the name servers.

Can I transfer domains to you from other registrars?

Yes, using our Transfer Domain page you can transfer domains from other registrars to us and renew them at our rates. Please refer to the Transfer section of this page for details.

WHOIS search shows a domain with an expired date. Can I register it?

Although WHOIS may show an expired date, a domain cannot be registered until it is deleted from the root registry database. Deletion time depends on the registrar but it is 40 days (check with the registrar of the domain). However after the registrar deletes the domain, it will further remain on the registry database during the Redemption Grace Period (see Expired Domains section below for further info) for about 30 days (15 days for cn domains). If the expired domain name belongs to you, you can renew it with your current registrar; otherwise you will have to wait until it is deleted. Following the RGP, domain waits in a deletion queue for about 5 days and then it is deleted from the registry. So after the expiration date, it can take up to 76 days for the domain to become available for public registration. If you are seeing an expired date longer than 76 days, there is a good chance the domain has already been renewed but whois data was not updated. You will have to contact the registrar of the domain for further information.

What is "Page cannot be displayed" error?

If you are experiencing this error while trying switch to a secure site page (such as when clicking on "Register above domains Now" button, or login to Account Manager etc.), then problem might be related to your browser's security settings. If you are an Internet Explorer user, click Tools/Internet Options/Advanced, scroll all the way down to Security heading and make sure "Use SSL 2.0" and/or "SSL 3.0" are checked. If "Use PCT 1.0" or "Use TLS 1.0" are marked, unmark them (set OFF). If you are using version 5.5 or older versions of Internet Explorer, please make sure you have all necessary updates, or you may try a different browser, such as Netscape. Also, if your computer is behind a firewall that could be causing a problem. Several of our customers reported a similar problem. If that is the case you may try using a computer that is not behind a firewall.

What is "Invalid XML or unsupported high end ASCII" error?

This error occurs when you have multilingual characters in the data you are submitting. Eliminate the multilingual characters and try it again. If you are not using any multilingual characters and still continue to receive this error, it may have something to do with the settings of your browser or computer. If available, you may try a different browser or a different computer.

 

I have registered my domain, what do I do next?

If you just want to reserve the domain name for future use, you do not have to do anything. If you want to have a web site and email addresses with your domain name, you will need to find a hosting service. Please note that by default newly registered domains are assigned with our nameservers and will display our park page, which also includes advertisements and search engine results. If you prefer not to display a park page, you can either remove our nameservers or replace with different ones. Alternatively, you can also use the forwarding options in our Domain Management Secrion to forward your domain to your existing web sites or existing email address.

Where do I host my site?

You can host your site with any hosting service you choose. Once you decide on a hosting provider they will tell you how to point your domain to their server by changing your nameservers to theirs. For details see below how to change nameservers.

I have found a hosting company. What do I need to do?

All that needs to be done in our end is changing the nameserver information of your domain name. Find out the nameservers of your hosting company (typically they will provide two of them but it can be more in some cases) and assign them to your domain name using our Account Manager. Please refer to the section below for details on how to change the name servers. Also make sure your hosting company adds your domain name to their nameservers.

I already have a web site. How do I redirect my domain name to my web site?

You can use the Forwarding option in our Domain Manager. See below for more information about Forwarding setup.

I registered my domain today, and received a confirmation that it had been processed, but when I do a WHOIS it says my domain is available.

If you use our WHOIS utility you will not encounter this problem because our database is updated immediately. Root registry whois database (for com and net domains) is updated once a day, but sometimes it takes two days. In other WHOIS searches, until their database is updated, your domain will show as not being registered. However it is registered, and can not be reserved by another person. To make sure your domain is registered, use our WHOIS utility, or login with your domain.

Can I sell or transfer ownership of my domain?

Yes, domain name is yours to either sell or keep. For details please refer to the section below titled "How do I transfer ownership of my domain?"

How do I renew my domain registration?

From the Account Management page, select the “renew” link to renew your domain names renew your domain names. Your domain must be already registered with us. Otherwise you need to use the "Transfer Domain" section to transfer and renew your domain.

Do you send renewal notifications?

Any customer with at least one domain in their account set to expire within 60-days will begin receiving a consolidated, weekly report every Monday that shows any domain(s) in that expiration period. With the report you can renew domains or opt out of notices for one or more domains. If you opt out you will still receive one additional notice on the day of expiration.

 

I renewed my expired domain. How long it takes to start working again?

When a domain is renewed, its functionality is activated at our end instantly. However, it takes 24-48 hours for the active status of the domain to propagate the Internet. Once the propagation is over, the domain will start functioning again. To avoid such interruptions, we advise you to renew the domain before it expires.

What does "transferring" a domain name mean?

Transferring means changing the registrars. If you have domains that were registered with other registrars such as Network Solutions or Register.com, you do not have to renew your domain with them. You can transfer the domain to us and renew at our low rates. Transfer needs to be done before the domain name expires. Please see the restrictions below.

Transferring a domain name does not mean transfer of ownership or changing hosting company. If you want to "transfer" your domain name to a hosting company please refer to section above titled "I have found a hosting company. What do I need to do?"

What is required to do a transfer? What are the restrictions?

In order to transfer a domain successfully, certain criteria should be met:

• A domain that was transferred from one registrar to another less than 60 days ago cannot be transferred to us. Just wait 60 days and transfer afterwards.

• Domains that are on HOLD cannot be transferred. Registrars can place a domain on hold due to several reasons such as payment issues or legal disputes. Until the ownership issue is solved and domain is taken out of hold, it cannot be transferred.

• If the domain is on LOCKED status it cannot be transferred. However, you should be able to remove the lock status at your current registrar and than start the transfer.

• Just to be on the safe side, we recommend that you should allow at least 2 weeks prior to expiration date to do the transfer. However even recently expired names are eligable for transfers.

• If you don't have access to the current Admin Contact e-mail of the domain, transfer cannot be done. The Admin Contact's approval via e-mail is required. If your domain's Admin Contact e-mail is not valid anymore, first you should update it with your current registrar, and then apply for transfer. Most of our transfer failures occur due to this reason. You can use WHOIS to find out the current admin contact email address in your domain record. If our WHOIS lookup does not display the domain record, you may want to use your current registrar's web site.

How do I know my domain meets the requirements?

Use our WHOIS search for the domain in question. It will show you the date it was registered (created), the date it will expire, the Admin Contact e-mail, and sometimes whether it is on locked or not. The hold status may not be clear through whois lookup.

Is there any transfer fee? What is my cost?

There are no additional costs. The only amount you will be charged is $13.50 for one-year registration fee. This registration will add one year to the current expiration date of the domain no matter how early you do the transfer.

What are the steps in transfer process?

1. After you submit a transfer request from our transfer page, a confirmation e-mail will be sent to the new Admin Contact e-mail.

2. A separate approval request e-mail will also be sent to the current Admin Contact e-mail address. Follow the instructions in that e-mail to indicate your approval.

3. Then the request will be sent to "losing" registrar for their approval. The losing registrar may also send a notice to you. This registrar has to approve or reject normally within 5 days. Your domain will be renewed for one year and the new expiration date will be one year from the last expiration date. Using our WHOIS you can check the new expiration date of the domain name.

Does it affect the functioning of my web page?

No, transfer process does not change your name servers. Functionality of your web page will not be affected.

How do I transfer my domain to my hosting company?

Transferring to a hosting company is not same as transferring from a registrar. To transfer to a hosting service, all you need to do is change the name servers of your domain to the name servers of your hosting company. Please refer to How do I change my name servers? section below.

My current admin contact email is wrong. How can I submit a transfer request?

Contact your current registrar and have them correct your admin contact email address. Before submitting the transfer request, using our WHOIS search please make sure the updated email address appears in your domain record. Even after your registrar says it is updated, it can take up to 48 hours for the new email address to appear in the domain record.

What is Auth-Info (also known as Auth-Code, Transfer Key, Domain Key)?

Auth-Info is a special password unique for every domain that uses EPP protocol (all org/info/biz/us/name/cn domains). Currently only exception to EPP protocol are com and net domains which do not require an Auth-Info. You will need to know the Auth-Info when you want to transfer your org, info, biz, us, name, or cn domain from one registrar to another. The gaining registrar will ask you for that information during the initiation of the transfer request. For your domains registered with 000Domains.com, you can find the Auth-Info of your org, info, biz, us, name, or cn domains under Domain "Quick List" scroll down near the bottom of the screen and click on  "Request Transfer Authorization Code." For your domains with other registrars, check your account tool with them or contact the registrar for the Auth-Info information. Every registrar is obligated to provide this information upon request.

How do I transfer my domain from 000Domains.com to another registrar?

You need to initiate the transfer request from the gaining registrar's end. Make sure your domain name is not locked. If it is, you can unlock it in Account Manager. If you are transferring a domain name shortly after it has expired, it may be on hold status. If so, please contact us to remove the hold status.

How do I edit my domain information?

To make changes to your domain information, log into your account and click on the domain that you want to make the changes to.  Click the link for “Update Domain Contacts”. Select which contact you want to change, enter your new information and make sure to click “update”.

Can I change/cancel my domain name and registration period?

That can be done only if you notify us within the first 5 days of the registration. Once your registration is completed your domain name and registration period is instantly sent to the root servers. Root registry will allow us to delete a name only for a limited period of time. After that, the domain name itself and the registration period cannot be changed.  We do NOT offer refunds as established in our Registration Agreement.If you decide not to use it, you can just let it to expire at the end of the registration period.

I cannot login.

If you receive "Domain NOT found" error, then the domain name was not entered correctly. Note, you do not need to type "www." in front of your domain name. If you receive"Bad Password or Username" error, then it means that the username and/or password were not entered correctly. Note, the username and password are case sensitive. They should be typed exactly as they were assigned during the registration.

Does it cost anything to make changes to my domain record?

No, we charge nothing! It is all in your control, and you have an excellent tool to maintain, edit, and update your domain information. We will continue to enhance the features of this program.

How long does it take for my information to be updated?

All information is updated instantly. However, it may take up to 24-48 hours for root registry whois servers to reflect the updates and an additional 24 hours for changes of nameservers to propagate to the internet.

Do you do forwarding/redirecting? I want to forward my domain name to my existing web page!

To order the free forwarding services for your domain, please use these instructions
1)  Login to your account
2)  Click on the domain that you want to add the service to
3)  Click on the link that says "Add Services" at the bottom of the page
4)  Under the heading "Other Services", next to Free Forwarding Services there is an ADD button.  Click ADD
5)  Click Continue
6)  Read and Accept the agreement and click "Submit Order"

How do I change my nameservers?

 

1. Log into your account (for com/net/org domains registered prior to 1/1/2003, you will need to use the Domain Manager for which you will be warned when you try to login at the main page).
2. Click on the domain for which you wish to change the name servers.
3. Click on "Update Name Servers."
4. Type in the name of the first name server, and then click on the "Add" button.  Do this for each name server.  Please be sure to enter the names of the name servers and NOT the IP addresses.  Name server names will typically be something like ns1.nameserver.com.  You can remove an entered name server by clicking on the "remove" link next to each name server.
5. When you have finished entering the name servers, please enter the email address to which you would like confirmation sent (if any), and then be sure to click on the "Continue" button.
6. Now please wait up to 72 hours for the change to propagate.
Please make sure that the name servers that you are entering are valid, otherwise our system will reject your changes.  To check the validity of a name server, please visit www.verisign-grs.com and do a name server Whois search.  If your name server is valid, it will return a result with an IP address.  If not, then you need to check your spelling or check with the person that provided you with the server and try your search again.  Once you have found a valid server than you can update that from within your account.

I have accidentally deleted my nameservers. How do I add them back?

You will need to re-type them in the blank fields at the Nameservers page.

Can I create/register my own nameservers?

If you would like to register your name servers, you will first need to get the two IP addresses from your ISP, and then follow these instructions:
1.  Please log into your account
2.  Click on the link of the domain you would like to register a name server for.
3.  Click on the "Register Name Server" link at the bottom of the screen.
4.  You are then prompted to add the first part of the name server extension. We strongly suggest that you use ns1 and ns2 as the beginning extensions. The rest of the name server appears by default as your domain name.
NOTE: Please DO NOT enter www as the beginning extension for your name server.  This will cause forwarding problems in the future.
5.  Enter the IP address in the text boxes directly below name of the server, EXACTLY as the ISP has given them to you.
6.  Then click on the "Update" button, and your name server is registered.
*You can then register a second name server.

 

I have forgotten my password (and/or username), how can I get it?

We have a forgotten password link located on the account login page. If you enter either your account name, or one of the domains in your account, our system will send an e-mail message to the address listed as the account owner. The message will contain the account name (within the first few lines of the message) as well as a link to change the password.
Once you change the password, you will be able to log into your account.
NOTE: If the account owner e-mail address is no longer valid, you will not receive the e-mail to change your password.
In that case, we will need proof of ownership before we can provide you with access to your account. This is to prevent unauthorized persons from making changes to, or even stealing, your domain.
1) photo identification for the owner of the domain
PLUS, if the domain is owned by a business, at least one of the items below:
2) a signed and notarized request on company letterhead
3) a copy of your company’s business license or articles of incorporation
Fax your proof of ownership to us at (360) 397-8707. Here is a link to a fax form you can fill out, print out and send to us:
https://secure.registerapi.com/services/fax_form.php
When we receive your request and proof of ownership, we will provide you with the information you will need in order to log into the account.

How do I transfer ownership of my domain?

 

CHANGING OWNERSHIP OF A DOMAIN
You can change the ownership information for a domain name within your account, or to give a new owner full access to this domain, but not others in your account, you can move the domain into a separate account.
CHANGING DOMAIN OWNERSHIP INFORMATION WITHIN YOUR ACCOUNT

1) LOG INTO your account.
2) Click on the DOMAIN you would like to manage.
4) Click the UPDATE CONTACT INFORMATION link.
5) Click on the Owner | Administrative | Technical | Billing links to change the appropriate contacts.

MOVING DOMAINS TO A DIFFERENT ACCOUNT
You can move any domain you own into any other 000Domains account. You may want to do this to manage a domain separately from your other domains, or to allow someone else to access some of your domain names, but not others.

1) Click the ACCOUNT link at the top of the 000Domains home page.
2) Click the REGISTER HERE link.
3) Complete the information to create your new account.

TO MOVE THE DOMAIN(S)
1) Log into the account that currently holds your domain(s).
2) Click on the domain that you wish to move.
3) Click the MOVE DOMAIN TO ANOTHER ACCOUNT link.
4) Enter your password and the name of the account to which you want to move the domain.
5) Click on MOVE DOMAIN.

When I login to Account Manager I don't see all my domains. How can I manage them together?

If your domain was registered before BEFORE January 1, 2003 the domain was actually registered through TUCOWS Registrar as 000Domains acted as a reseller for TUCOWS. You will need to log into the OPENSRS Manager to gain access to your domain.
To do this please follow these instructions:
1) Go to our home page and under the password field, click the "Need Help" link.
2) Now you will need to click on the "please use our OpenSRS Manager" link.
3) Login with your user name and password and you should be able to manage
your domains.

Shortly, you will be able to transfer your domain into the same area as the rest of your domains.  There may be a small fee attached to the transfer process, but it will add an additional year on to your domain registration.  Please watch our site for this feature to become available.

Can you make the necessary changes for me?

For security purposes our support personnel do not have access to your username and passwords, therefore cannot make the changes for you. The Account Manager program is designed to help you with all your update needs. If you have any questions, our support personnel can always assist you.

What is Lock/Unlock? How Do I Lock My Domain?

You can lock your domain name to prevent any unauthorized transfers or accidental changes being made on it. Once a domain is locked, any transfer attempts on it will be denied automatically. Only owner and admin has locking unlocking rights on a domain name. We advise to keep the domains always locked, and only unlock it when some changes needs to be done on domain record. To lock/unlock your domain log in to Account Manager with the domain in question.

 

To remove this lock please follow these instructions:
1) Login to your domain account
2) Click the domain that you would like to manage
3) Scroll down to the "Other Services" heading on the domain page
4) Next to "Domain Locking" you will see Active Yes and then a "manage" link
5) After clicking the Manage link a new page will come up where you can click the "unlock" link
6) Make your updates and then you can relock the domain following the same procedures.

What happens when my domain expires?

When a domain expires, the name servers are defaulted to our name servers and sends the domain to an expired domain page.  It will remain in this status for approximately 30 days and you will be able to renew the domain from within your account.  If the domain does not get renewed during that time frame, we will delete it from our database and at that time the domain will go into Redemption status at the Registry level.  During the time that the domain goes from our database to the Registry database, there is a chance that the domain may be picked up through a domain grabber, as in Namewinner.

What is Redemption Grace Period (RGP)?

After a domain name expired and deleted from the registrar database, the registry keeps the domain for a further period of time to allow a final chance to recover it. This period is called Redemption Grace Period (RGP) and is typically 30 days (15 days for cn domains). During the RGP, the last domain owner (not anybody else) can still contact the last registrar of the domain to recover it. RGP gives the domain owner one final chance to recover a domain before it is permanently deleted from the registry and becomes available for public registration. The price for recovering a domain that was deleted from 000Domains.com database is currently set at $99.95 (for domains that were deleted from our old system at OpenSRS, the cost is $100.00). When the name is available to public it can be registered like a new domain name at regular prices. However, please keep in mind that people go after desirable expired names through several domain grabbing services, and an expired domain name can be captured by such a service within the second it becomes available. If you are serious in keeping you domain name, we advise you to recover it during the RGP.

How can I recover my domain during Redemption Grace Period?

Please contact our support (support@000domains.com) with your request indicating the domain name. The domain will be restored with its last information at the time of the deletion. An RGP domain cannot be restored with different information. Restoration does not include the renewal of the domain.  Once the domain is redeemed, you will need to log into your account and renew your domain immediately to prevent the domain from going back into redemption.

Whois shows a domain with an expired date. Can I register it?

Although WHOIS may show an expired date, a domain cannot be registered until it is deleted from the root registry database. Deletion time depends on the registrar but it is 40 days (check with the registrar of the domain). However after the registrar deletes the domain, it will further remain on the registry database during the Redemption Grace Period (see Expired Domains section below for further info) for about 30 days (15 days for cn domains). If the expired domain name belongs to you, you can renew it with your current registrar; otherwise you will have to wait until it is deleted. Following the RGP, domain waits in a deletion queue for about 5 days and then it is deleted from the registry. So after the expiration date, it can take up to 76 days for the domain to become available for public registration. If you are seeing an expired date longer than 76 days, there is a good chance the domain has already been renewed but whois data was not updated. You will have to contact the registrar of the domain for further information.

What is a domain name?

A domain name is the unique name that identifies an Internet site. Domain Names always have 2 or more parts, separated by dots, like "yourname.com", "house.net", "tree.org".

What is the difference between .com, .net, .org, .biz, .info, and .us domain names?

The domain suffixes basically differentiate between the various types of organizations on the Internet.
Generally, the following rules apply:

• .com -- businesses and commercial enterprises

• .net -- network-related organizations and enterprises

• .org -- charitable or non-profit organizations

However these are not absolute rules. Anybody can register any of these names and domain extension and they can be used for any purposes.
.biz domain names have restrictions. It can be only registered for businesses. Please refer to Biz F.A.Q. above for details.
.us domain names have restrictions. It can be only registered by US residents or companies. Please refer to US F.A.Q. above for details.
.name domain names have restrictions. It can be only registered by individuals. Please refer to NAME F.A.Q. above for details.
.cn domain names have restrictions. It can be only registered by businesses. Please refer to CN F.A.Q. above for details.
The domain suffix type itself has no bearing on accessibility on the Internet from a technical standpoint, but over time the .com domain type has become the most popular and recognizable on the Internet.

What is the maximum length of a domain name?

A valid domain name can have min. 2 max. 63 characters (excluding the extension). You can use any combination of 26 letters in English alphabet, numbers from 0 to 9 and "-" (hyphen) character. Domains cannot start or end with a "-" (hyphen) character. Certain registries have further restrictions on domain names with 2 letters. Please refer to registry specific F.A.Q.'s above.

Once I have a domain name secured, how long may I use it?

If there are no trademark or legal disputes, your secured domain name will be yours for as long as you maintain the yearly registration fees.

What if my desired name is the same as a trademarked name?

Generally, if you've registered the name in good faith, it's not a name belonging to an internationally known company, and you can show that you have a legitimate reason to use that name then you are likely to be able to keep that name. That may not be the case if it can be shown that you purchased the name for the express purpose of reselling it to a company with a legitimate claim to the name. Please see the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy for details.

Why should people register domain name(s)?

Just like a company logo, brand name, your domain name too represents your business identity. If you want people to find your web site easily, you will need a domain name.

What is WHOIS?

WHOIS is a tool to retrieve the registration information of a domain name, including the registrant's name, contact information, and record creation date. You can perform a WHOIS lookup by clicking on this WHOIS link.

What are Name Servers?

A nameserver is a computer that holds records of domain names. Those records indicate where the browser should look to display the web pages for the domain name.

What are registry, registrar and registrant?

Registry is the central service which maintains certain types of domains. For example Verisign is the registry for com and net domains, and Public Interest Registry is the registry for org domain names. Registrar is the service through which a domain name is registered. 000Domains.com, Network Solutions, Register.com etc are registrars. A registrant is the person who registers and owns the domain name.