Guide for domain name holders
This guide is intended for domain names holders, as well as for those who wish to register a domain name.
This guide provides the basic recommendations that you need to know to manage your domain name correctly.
Choice of a domain name
Whether you are an individual or a legal entity, choosing your future domain name is an important task that takes time and reflection.
Before registering a domain name, KazNIC invites you to perform the following operations:
1. Check in the WHOIS database whether the domain name you want to register is available - DOMAIN NAMES WHOIS SEARCH
2. Using the list of accredited Registrars, select the Registrar who will be responsible for managing your domain name.
Not every requested domain name can be available for registration in the Register. The reason why a domain name may not be available for registration may be:
- a) There is already a registration in the Register with a domain name identical to the one requested. The expiration date of the paid support period (the field "expired" in the registration record) does not mean the availability of this name after this period and can be extended at the request of the Registrant at any time for up to 10 years.
- b) The requested domain name is added to "stop list" - names that are not available for registration.
- c) The registration of a domain name identical to the one requested was recently removed from the Register. After the Registrar removes the domain name from the Register, it becomes available again for registration after 60 days.
Domain name registration
When registering a domain name, you will be asked to fill in the required fields marked with an asterisk. They are:
Registrant: Individual or legal entity who registered a domain name.
Deciding who should be registered as a Domain Name Registrant and reflected in the WHOIS database is an important decision. For example, there are cases in which:
- The employee of the company registered the domain name using his name as registrant, but when he resigned, a dispute arose over the ownership of the domain name.
- Individual or organization used the services of an IT company to register a domain name. IT-company registered the domain name using its name as registrant, without informing the client about it.
Before you fill in the "Registrant" field, ask yourself: Who should have the rights to my domain name? Who can decide to transfer the domain name? Who will be responsible in the event of a trial?
Also, when registering a domain name, you must specify:
Administrative contact: a contact person responsible for all administrative matters relating to the domain name, including information about the person who applied for registration.
Technical Contact: Specify a person/company you want to contact in case of any technical issues related to your domain. Usually this section contains the contact information of the Registrar who registered the domain name.
Billing contact: Person/organization responsible for receiving an invoice for payment for a domain name.
Name Server: This section contains information about DNS (Domain Name Servers); usually the DNS information consists of two lines. The first one contains information about the primary DNS of a site, and the second one contains backup information. You must provide information of two DNS at least.
WHOIS database
WHOIS database displays the following information of the domain name:
- Domain created: Date of initial domain registration.
- Registrar: Registrar of a domain name that registered a domain name.
- Last modified: The time when the WHOIS domain-related record was changed/updated in some way.
By registering a domain name in the .kz and .қаз zones, you consent to the collection, storage and processing of personal data in the volume and for the purposes specified in the domain name registration template in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Personal Data and their Protection" of May 21, 2013. In accordance with the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Informatization" of November 24, 2015 and the Rules for registration, use and distribution of domain names in the space of the Kazakhstan segment of the Internet dated January 28, 2016, the WHOIS system will display information about the Registrant and administrative contact.
Most Registrars allow their users to update the previously mentioned information using a control panel that is accessible via the Internet. Remember or save your login, which you used when you registered the domain the first time.
The most common error of domain name holders is the introduction of incorrect contact information in the WHOIS domain record. If you did not complete all the sections of the application or filled them in the wrong way or did not update the information in time, then this can lead to serious problems afterwards. For example, an inactive email address may result in you not getting the information necessary to renew your domain registration when the previous support period ends.
Registry and Registrars
KazNIC is the domain names Registry in the .kz and .қаз zones.
Thus, KazNIC faces the following tasks:
- management of the domain name register,
- technical maintenance of the domain names system that are in the responsibility of KazNIC,
- ensuring the availability of these domain names from anywhere on the Internet.
To fulfill its tasks, KazNIC uses distributed registration and interacts with Registrars, who are responsible for registering the domain names of potential Registrants.
KazNIC has any contact with the end customer rarely.
Your main contact is your Registrar, which you have chosen to manage your domain name. The registrar will guarantee all transactions with the domain name (registration, renewal, transfer, removal).
Your Registrar may cease operations. This may occur when the registrar has not confirmed its accreditation or has been removed from the Registrar's list. In this situation, the Registrar must inform all his clients that he has ceased his activity and invite them to choose a new Registrar. KazNIC will temporarily assume the obligations of the Registrar until you choose a new Registrar among the existing ones.
Rights and obligations of the domain name registrant
When registering a domain name, you agree to:
- comply with the Rules for registration, use and distribution of the domain space of the Kazakhstan segment of the Internet.
- comply with the terms of the agreement between you and your Registrar.
Rights of the Registrant
As Registrant, you have the right: to renew the domain name registration, to modify the domain name contacts, to transfer your domain name to another individual or legal entity, to transfer the domain name for service to another registrar, to delete the domain name. All these operations with a domain name can be provided if you comply with the Rules for registration, use and distribution of domain names in the space of the Kazakhstan segment of the Internet during the entire period of domain name registration, and the use of your domain name does not contradict the Legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Obligations of the Registrant
As a domain name registrant, you have certain obligations:
1. To be reachable. When registering a domain name, you must provide accurate contact information for the period of using the domain name. Failure to comply with this rule may result in the deletion of the domain name.
Upon the request of the authorized organization, KazNIC may suspend a domain name on the basis of paragraph 1 of article 17 of the Rules. In this case, you will need to confirm the contact information assigned to the Registrant. For this it is necessary to provide a copy of the identity card and address certificate for individuals and a copy of the certificate of state registration of a legal entity for legal entities. If within 10 days after receiving information about the detected violation of the Rules, you will not change contact information and documents proving its relevance will not be provided, the domain will be deleted.
2. Location of server equipment. An obligatory condition for the server equipment on which the Internet resource with the registered domain name is located is its physical location on the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Upon request of an authorized organization, KazNIC may suspend a domain name on the basis of paragraph 2 of article 17 of the Rules. In this case, you need to transfer the domain name to the hardware and software complex located in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan. If within 10 days after receiving information on the detected violation of the Rules you will not change information, the domain will be deleted.
In order to see the status of your domain name, just search it in the WHOIS database, where all statuses of domain name will be listed.
Prolongation of domain name registration
Once you have registered the domain, you become its Registrant for a certain time.
When registering a domain name, you can choose duration of registration. Duration can be from 1 year up to 10 years.
If you registered domain for a short period of time, for example, for one year, then do not forget to extend it until the end of the paid support period to prevent it from being deleted.
Even if your contract includes automatic renewal for several years, you should check your domain name every year before the expiration date to track whether the process requires an update, intervention or payment. You can also update your domain name and change its validity (from 1 to 10 years).
Why it is important to update your domain name
If your registrar can not contact you in any way before the expiration of the domain, he can delete the domain, since the registrar does not have to pay the costs of managing your domain.
Re-registration of a domain name is carried out on a first-come-first-served basis.
Domain Name Transfer
If Registrant intends to transfer domain name to another physical or legal entity, the Registrant shall notify the Registrar of the transfer of rights to the domain name used by him.
To clarify the procedure for transferring domain name, please contact your Registrar.
Change of Registrar
Domain transfer is transfer of domain from one Registrar to another, transfer of service rights and further domain name renewal to a new Registrar. Often transfer is required when conditions (quality of services or prices) of a current Registrar are not satisfactory, or a domain re-registration is required, or there is a desire to transfer all domains under the management of one Registrar and so on.
You can change Registrar at any convenient time. Make sure that you have read the terms and conditions of a new Registrar agreement. To change Registrar, you as the owner must receive transfer code (auth-info code) from current Registrar and send it to a new Registrar who will take responsibility for transfer of domain name and complete transfer procedure.
In the event of Registrar change, be sure to check contract with your current Registrar and follow its clauses.
Domain Suspension and Deletion
Domain name is suspended when:
1) identification of incomplete or unreliable information about the domain name registrant;
2) finding a hardware-software complex on which an Internet resource with a registered domain name is located outside the Republic of Kazakhstan;
3) there is a legally effective court decision to suspend the use of the domain name;
4) your domain became the object of a dispute according to the Dispute Resolution Policy.
For the period of domain suspension for one of the reasons listed above, the domain is assigned the status serverHOLD and the reason for the suspension is indicated, which can be seen through the WHOIS database.
The domain name is deleted when:
1) there is Registrant's application for termination of the registration of the domain name;
2) expiration of the term of agreement between Registrant and Registrar;
3) non-elimination of violations, which entailed domain name suspension in the prescribed period;
4) there is a legally effective court decision to delete domain name.
In addition to the cases of suspension and deletion of domains described above, the suspension and deletion of domains is possible if:
- The authorized organization detected on the Internet resource malicious software that threatens the safe use of the Internet. At the same time, at the request of the authorized organization, KazNIC can suspend the domain name on the basis of paragraph 3 of article 17 of the Rules. In this case, you need to remove malicious files. If within 10 days after receiving information about the detected violation of the Rules, you don't eliminate the violation, the domain will be deleted.
What to do if you received a notification about a possible violation by you of rights to use a trademark
A possible situation may arise in which an organization or individual may find that your domain name registration violates their rights to use a registered trademark. In which cases can KazNIC initiate a dispute resolution procedure? This can happen if:
1. Domain name is completely identical to registered trademark.
2. Date of registration of trademark precedes date of domain name registration.
In this case, trademark owner or its official representative will send a claim with a copy of certificate of trademark registration to your mailing address. Notification of the receipt of a claim and a copy of certificate of trademark registration will be sent to KazNIC, which will be the basis for opening domain name dispute. In turn, KazNIC will send you a letter with notification of the opening of the dispute and a request to provide within a 30-day period certificate of registration of your own trademark. If within the specified period KazNIC does not receive from you a certificate of registration of your own trademark, domain name is assigned the status serverHOLD until dispute resolution.