Contact Verification

Email verification, WHOIS accuracy, and clientHold enforcement

ICANN requires registrars to verify the accuracy of domain registrant contact data. The primary mechanism is email verification of the registrant contact at registration and when contact data changes.

Verification Process

Trigger: New domain registration, or change to registrant email address.
Method: Verification email sent to registrant email address. Registrant must click confirmation link.
Deadline: 15 days to complete verification (ICANN standard). Some registries enforce shorter windows.
Failure consequence: clientHold status applied. Domain stops resolving (DNS disabled). Domain remains registered but non-functional.
Resolution: Complete the verification. clientHold is removed and DNS restored.

⚠ clientHold is silent. The domain owner may not realise their website and email have stopped working. Always verify registrant email is correct and accessible before registration.

WHOIS Accuracy Programme

ICANN's WHOIS Accuracy Programme requires registrars to take reasonable steps to investigate and correct inaccurate WHOIS data. Registrars must:

RDRP: Send annual Registration Data Reminder Policy email to registrant to review and update contact data.
Accuracy complaints: Investigate WHOIS inaccuracy complaints within 15 days. Suspend domain if data not corrected.
NIS2 overlay: EU member state registries (.DE, .SE, .FI) may impose additional verification on top of ICANN requirements (phone number validation, risk-based identity checks).

TLD-Specific Verification

.DE (NIS2): Phone number mandatory since Dec 2025. Automated risk assessment. Adverse risk = mandatory holder verification. Failure = deletion.
.SE (NIS2): ServerHold for inaccurate data since Jan 2025. 60-day correction window. No renewal/transfer while on hold.
.BE: Registry-level WHOIS review. 14-day correction window. Revocation after 40 days if not corrected.
.IT: "Bad WHOIS" procedure: NicIT contacts registrant directly. Non-response leads to revocation.
.IN: eKYC mandatory from 2025. DigiLocker for Indian residents. 7-day deadline. Temporary emails prohibited.
.DK: Domain must be activated within 4 days (registrant accepts T&Cs). Trade triggers Punktum ID check.