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Frequently asked questions

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

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

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

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

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

  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date.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

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

  • Why is my domain name in quarantine?

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

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

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

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

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

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

More frequently asked questions

SIDN Annual Report 2024: Global interconnection is the internet's strength

Our Annual Report for 2024 is now available

  • Wednesday 14 May 2025

“The internet is a largely invisible network made up of more than 70,000 interlinked networks, which connects people all around the world. Thanks to the internet, we have boundless scope for working together, plus access to a vast body of information and (vital) digital services, ranging from financial and government services to health care and education. We hope that the benefits of the internet and cooperation within our sector will continue despite the international conflicts and (geopolitical) tensions the world is experiencing. And we hope that we here in the Netherlands and people elsewhere will remain committed to that ideal as a counterpoint to the negative influences that drive people apart. So that global interconnection always remains the internet's strength.” That is how our Executive Board introduces the Annual Report for 2024, published today.

Focus on our technical base

SIDN Annual Report 2024
https://www.sidn.nl/en/about-sidn/annual-report-2024
Partnering with CIRA for the security and stability of .nl

In 2024, much of our attention was focused on our technical base. The year was dominated by the proposed partial migration of our technical infrastructure to the public cloud, as we worked with CIRA to develop a new registration system. The announcement that we intended to move some of our registration system infrastructure to the public cloud gave rise to concern in certain quarters regarding the Netherlands’ digital autonomy. In the Annual Report, we look back at that period and set out what we have learnt from it. While we would of course have preferred the circumstances to be different, we welcome the fact that the digital sovereignty and strategic autonomy of the Netherlands have become topics of public debate, because the lack of such sovereignty and autonomy is an increasingly acute issue.

Contraction

Mediocre start to 2025 for the .nl domain

In January 2024, .nl grew slightly, but the Dutch domain name market then stabilised. From February to September, there was a modest contraction of 1.7 per cent, and the zone contracted again in December. By the end of 2024, there were almost 6.2 million .nl domain names, down from 6,297,384 at the start of the year. It was the first time that the .nl domain had ever experienced a period of contraction. Nevertheless, in absolute terms, the .nl domain remained one of the 5 biggest country-code domains in the world (source: Verisign, 2024).

Improved electronic accessibility

Improving SIDN's electronic accessibility

In 2024, we made significant progress with improving the electronic accessibility of our services. Our website sidn.nl was upgraded in line with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). The Dutch-language version of our Annual Report for 2024 now conforms to the guidelines as well.

Our Annual Report is now available online. Please take a look.

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