Apply privacy to my domain name?

Step 1: Is your domain name being used for significant trade? If it is not, consider adding privacy.

Only .nz domain names registered to individuals can opt to have the Individual Registrant Privacy Option (IRPO). If you are an individual not involved in significant trade, we recommend that you think about adding this feature.

With IRPO, your physical address and telephone number will be withheld from being publicly displayed as part of your WHOIS registration. 

Following 1 November, your registrant email address will also not be published, and registrants will be able to contact you via a message delivery form.

It's important to note that with IRPO applied, the registrant's name, country and email address will still be visible on the registration record.

Your personal information is held securely by the Domain Name Commission and InternetNZ. Together, we run and manage the .nz domain namespace with the privacy option. With IRPO applied, your details are restricted from being publicly available. 

Step 2: Contact your registrar/domain name provider and request privacy.

If using IRPO is suitable for you, contact your registrar/domain name provider. They can apply IRPO to your domain name. When you do this, check that your registration details are up to date. This is important because some of these details will be hidden when domain privacy is applied.

Step 3: Check that domain privacy is applied.

Your registrar/domain name provider will let you know how long applying privacy to your domain will take. After that time has passed, check your public WHOIS registration to ensure that your personal information is private. You can do this by searching for your domain name.

Use our WHOIS Lookup to search for your domain name

For more information on domain privacy, read our 4 steps to ensure your privacy is protected in the .nz domain name space.

Domain Privacy Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to apply privacy to my domain name?

Applying privacy to your domain name refers to adding an Individual Registrant Privacy Option (IRPO) which prevents your personal information such as physical address and telephone number from being publicly displayed as part of your WHOIS registration in the .nz domain namespace.

Who is eligible to apply for the Individual Registrant Privacy Option (IRPO)?

Only .nz domain names registered to individuals can opt for IRPO. It's recommended for individuals who are not involved in significant trade.

How can I apply the IRPO to my domain name?

If using IRPO is suitable for you, contact your registrar/domain name provider. They can apply IRPO to your domain name. When applying IRPO, ensure your registration details are up to date. Some of these details will be hidden when privacy is applied, so it's important they are accurate.

How can I confirm if the privacy has been successfully applied?

After the estimated time given by your registrar/domain name provider has passed, you can check your public WHOIS registration to ensure that your personal information is private. This can be done by using the WHOIS Lookup to search for your domain name.