Domain ownership verification is a crucial requirement set by ICANN to ensure the accuracy of contact information. Trustname not only helps you comply with these rules but also offers a unique two-tiered approach to protect your privacy
Key Takeaways
- Verification is Required - ICANN mandates that domain owners verify their contact information, typically via email, to maintain data integrity.
- Suspension for Non-Verification - Failing to verify your contact details within 15 days may result in your domain being suspended, rendering your website and email inaccessible.
- Use a Privacy Proxy - You can skip the manual verification process by registering your domain using Trustname's pre-defined proxy contact, which handles the verification on your behalf.
- Understand Whois Privacy - Trustname offers a free, two-tiered Whois privacy service that shields your personal information from public view in the database.
- Regain Control - If your domain is suspended, you must log in to your portal and complete the verification process to reactivate it and restore all services.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key Takeaways
- ICANN’s Whois Accuracy Program
- Whois Privacy Protection
- Consequences of Not Completing Domain Ownership Verification
- With Trustname, You Can Skip Verification
- What to Do if Your Domain is Suspended
- Trustname’s Two-Tiered Approach to Whois Privacy
- FAQs
When registering a domain name, per ICANN regulations, you’ll need to submit contact information - the registrant, admin, and billing contacts - and we’ll verify your information to ensure it’s accurate. This information, also known as Whois data, is then made available in the public Whois database. Learn how domain ownership verification works and how Trustname ensures your privacy with our Two-Tier Whois protection.
ICANN’s Whois Accuracy Program
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is the regulatory body in charge of coordinating the names and numbers related to Internet Addresses.
The Whois Accuracy Program, mandated by ICANN, ensures that the contact information associated with domain registrations is accurate and current. The program requires domain owners to verify their contact details to help maintain the integrity of the domain registration system and prevent misuse.
To verify your domain ownership and adhere to the Whois Accuracy Program, registrars like Trustname allow you to verify your domain ownership via email.
Whois Privacy Protection
By default, registrant information is publicly available in the Whois database, leaving domain owners at risk. Anyone can run a Whois lookup on your domain and see your complete contact information.
Trustname offers Whois privacy protection for free—a service that replaces your contact details in the Whois database with generic information. Our Whois privacy protects you without affecting your ownership rights. Your domain remains under your control, and the Whois privacy service simply hides your personal information from the public.
Consequences of Not Completing Domain Ownership Verification
Verifying your domain contact information is as simple as clicking a verification link or submitting a verification code sent to your email to confirm its validity. Failing to verify your contact information can lead to
- Domain Suspension
ICANN may suspend your domain if you don’t verify your contact information within the required timeframe (typically 15 days). If your domain is suspended, visitors won’t be able to access your website, and email services associated with the domain will be disrupted.
- Limited Domain Management
Even before the verification timeline expires, you’ll have only limited access to your domain settings. And when it does, you’ll lose access to your domain settings altogether and won’t be able to make updates to nameservers and Whois information.
With Trustname, You Can Skip Verification
Trustname allows you to register your domain under the name of our partner privacy proxy service, Perfect Privacy LLC. You only need to select the ‘Use a pre-defined contact’ option for your contact information when registering the domain.
If you choose this option, you won’t need to verify your domain contact, as you are not listed as the registrant. PP LLC will handle this for you, while you retain complete control of the domain.
You will only need to verify your contact information if you choose to register the domain with your personal details.
What to Do if Your Domain is Suspended
If you couldn’t verify your contact information in time and your domain got suspended, here’s what you should do on your Trustname account:
- Log In to the Customer Portal: Visit the Trustname.com website, click ‘Log In’, and type in your username (email) and password to access your customer portal.
- Check for Verification Notices: Look for any notifications regarding your domain’s verification status, or click on Domains >> Registered Domains and click on the affected domain.
- Complete Verification: Follow the instructions to confirm your contact information or respond to the verification email we’ll send to you.
- Contact Customer Support: If you experience any hiccups while resolving your domain suspension and need assistance, kindly reach out to Trustname’s customer support. We will guide you to complete the verification process and reactivate your domain.
Trustname’s Two-Tiered Approach to Whois Privacy
When you register a domain name with Trustname, you enjoy our signature Two-Tiered Whois privacy that shields your domain’s contact information like no other. Here’s how it works
Optional Third-party Registration
When registering a domain at Trustname, you can choose to register the domain under the name of our partner proxy service, Perfect Privacy LLC, or under your own name. Perfect Privacy LLC is then recorded on paper as the registrant.
However, the company is only listed as the registered proxy owner of the domain name and merely acts as an intermediary. You retain full ownership of the domain name from the date of registration; Trustname guarantees this.
In the event of any legal issues or disputes regarding your domain name, they will first be addressed to Perfect Privacy LLC, the official ‘registered owner’ of the domain name. The proxy company will be the first contact for any legal disputes or notices, and Trustname will ensure that you are promptly notified, giving you enough time to take action.
Learn more about why Trustname registers the domain by default in the name of Perfect Privacy LLC.
Want Your Name Behind The Domain?
You have the option to request that the domain name's registration be formally transferred to you at any time. You only need to change the contact information associated with the domain name in your Trustname account to reflect your information. You will then be registered as the domain name's official owner with the relevant registry.
How We Bend The Rules For You
Although we ask for all the contact information required by ICANN when you register a domain name, we will give you the option to use a pre-defined proxy contact from Perfect Privacy LLC instead of yours.
However, you can also choose to register your domain name using your contact information and fill in your own details manually. By using our third-party domain registration service, you agree to Trustname registering your domain using Perfect Privacy LLC on your behalf. The company will be the owner on paper, but you’ll be the actual owner in control of the domain.
Double-Layered Whois Protection
Trustname’s commitment to your privacy is two-fold. After the first layer, we also give you a second option to hide your domain’s contact information (the proxy company’s or your own information, if you decide to) in the Whois database by replacing it once again with proxy details from our second partner company, Whois Privacy Protection Service LLC.
This is because we follow the privacy trend, current privacy laws in California, Europe, and worldwide, and because if you’re an individual, there is absolutely no reason why you have to make your private info public in the Whois database.
Learn more about our Two-Tier Domain Privacy.
FAQs
If you didn’t receive the verification message in your email, make sure to check your spam or junk mail folder. If it isn’t there, you can request a new verification email through your customer portal or contact Trustname’s support for assistance.
ICANN typically requires verification to be completed within 15 days. If you don’t verify your contact information (email) within this period, your domain may be suspended.
No, there is usually a grace period (usually 15 days) during which you can complete the verification process before your domain is suspended.
No, Whois privacy protection will not be active while your domain is suspended. You need to complete the verification process to restore your domain’s active status and enjoy Whois privacy protection.
Log in to your customer portal to complete the verification process. If you need help, contact Trustname’s customer support by submitting a ticket or chatting with us live.