Chose your color

Frequently visited

Frequently asked questions

  • I am looking for a domain name registrant. Where can I look it up?

    The Whois is an easy-to-use tool for checking the availability of a .nl domain name. If the domain name is already taken, you can see who has registered it.

    On the page looking up a domain name you will find more information about what a domain name is, how the Whois works and how the privacy of personal data is protected. Alternatively, you can go straight to look for a domain name via the Whois.

  • I would like to transfer my domain name to another registrar. What is the procedure?

    To get your domain name transferred, you need the token (unique ID number) for your domain name. Your existing registrar has the token and is obliged to give it to you within five days, if you ask for it. The procedure for changing your registrar is described on the page transferring your domain name.

  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date. How can I get them updated?

    To update the contact details associated with your domain name, you need to contact your registrar. Read more about updating contact details.

  • Why is my domain name in quarantine?

    When a domain name is cancelled, we aren't told the reason, so we can't tell you. You'll need to ask your registrar. The advantage of quarantine is that, if a name's cancelled by mistake, you can always get it back.

    One common reason is that the contract between you and your registrar says you've got to renew the registration every year. If you haven't set up automatic renewal and you don't renew manually, the registration will expire.

  • Ik heb een klacht over mijn provider/registrar. Kan ik daarvoor bij SIDN terecht?

    Wanneer je een klacht hebt over of een geschil met je registrar dan zijn er verschillende mogelijkheden om tot een oplossing te komen. Hierover lees je meer op pagina klacht over registrar. SIDN heeft geen formele klachtenprocedure voor het behandelen van een klacht over jouw registrar.

  • What conditions do I have to meet as a registrar?

    Would you like to be able to register domain names for customers or for your own organisation by dealing directly with SIDN? If so, you can become a .nl registrar. Read more about the conditions and how to apply for registrar status on the page becoming a registrar.

More frequently asked questions

Working together to enhance the internet

CENTR Jamboree in Lyon shows the added value of collaboration

Illustration of the skyline of Lyon
  • Monday 26 May 2025

As the registry for .nl, SIDN is affiliated to CENTR, the trade association for European country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs). CENTR represents the operators of more than 50 ccTLDs, mostly in Europe, but also beyond. By working together, its members are able to address relevant issues more effectively than they could on their own. Progress with various joint projects was recently discussed at the annual CENTR Jamboree, which took place in Lyon earlier this month. So, what are the projects in question, and what added value do they have for internet users in the Netherlands and elsewhere?

Fighting DNS abuse

One of the main topics on the agenda was the fight against DNS abuse. DNS abuse is a broad concept, but can be defined as use of the DNS or domain names for malware, botnets, phishing, pharming or spam. At the Jamboree, various registries, external experts and registrars made presentations about their initiatives and experiences combatting such abuse. For example, EURID (.eu) told the Lyon audience about their Abuse Prevention Early Warning System (APEWS). Knowledge-sharing in connection with initiatives like APEWS helps to make the internet more secure, in Europe and the wider world.

How do we deal with DDoS attacks?

The Jamboree’s sessions also provide an opportunity for attendees to collaborate on particular subjects. SIDN’s Systems Engineer Stefan Ubbink led a session where dealing with DDoS attacks was on the agenda. Stefan told the session how, earlier this year, SIDN defined a number of threat levels and the measures to be taken at each level. The audience then divided into small groups to discuss a number of statements, giving everyone the opportunity to get various perspectives on the same subject.

Cooperating on standardisation

A third area where collaboration adds value is standardisation. When all registries implement certain protocols and processes the same way, it simplifies interaction with registrars and others. One initiative we’re involved with is development of the RESTful Provisioning Protocol (RPP), which we’re working on in partnership with DENIC (.de) through the IETF. RPP is a standard of the future. It makes use of modern web technologies for domain management to improve the performance and scalability of domain name registration processes and make them more future-proof. Together with a representative of the DENIC team, SIDN Labs’ Research Engineer Maarten Wullink updated the audience on the status of the work and discussed the current RPP requirements. There was a good debate about some of the requirements, providing valuable feedback for consideration by the IETF’s RPP working group at the next IETF meeting.

Market developments: AI

On the market side, a lot of attention was given to the rise of AI and the consequences for internet use. Michiel Henneke, our Marketing Manager for the .nl domain, presented the findings of a study, which showed that AI users visit fewer websites than non-users. He argued that, over time, a paradox was likely to arise, as AI users visit fewer websites, while AI itself needs those same websites as sources of the information required to answer users’ questions. Even in an AI-dominated world, therefore, websites will still have a role to play.

Impact of the geopolitical situation

As well as specific initiatives and ideas, people attending the Jamboree had the opportunity to debate matters of societal significance. Particular attention was given to the geopolitical situation and its impact on domain name registries and their critical infrastructures. A survey of attendees revealed that more than 80 per cent were very concerned about the threat to the sector posed by recent developments. As a result, digital autonomy, security and threat analysis are set to become hot topics in the years ahead.

Collaboration pays

The Jamboree was a fruitful and informative conference. We are very grateful to our French hosts at AFNIC (.fr) and to the CENTR secretariat for organising the event. The next CENTR Jamboree is scheduled for May 2026 at a venue yet to be decided.

Want to know more about CENTR? Visit https://centr.org.

Related articles