What was the deadline for eligible parties to lodge their preference for a conflicted domain name?

Parties eligible for a conflicted domain name had until 27/10/17 to submit their preference. Failure to do so resulted in removal from the conflict set and forfeiture of rights to the conflicted domain name.

What is the process for registering a resolved domain name?

If your chosen preference resolves the conflict, the party with rights to the conflicted domain name will receive an email notification. You have two months from the resolution date to register the resolved domain name through a registrar of your choosing. Failure to register by the deadline will result in the domain becoming available for first-come, first-served registration.

How should I proceed to register a resolved domain name?

Contact the .nz authorized registrar of your preference to initiate the registration process.

Change my preference for a conflicted domain name

Q: How can registrants involved in a conflicted domain name agreement reach an agreement?

Registrants entangled in a conflicted domain name scenario must collectively determine who can directly register the domain name at the second level. This consensus is established through the Conflicted Names Process, wherein each registrant manages their preference.

Q: Can you explain what it means to be registered at the second level?

To clarify, consider this example: "anyname.nz" signifies that "anyname" is registered at the second level, while "anyname.co.nz" indicates registration at the third level.

Find out on this page how to change your preference in regards to a conflicted domain name.

Domain name holders involved in a conflicted domain name set may agree on who can register the domain name directly at the second level. An agreement can only be reached by taking part in the Conflicted Names Process.

Conflicted names process background

Since 2014, we have been working with InternetNZ to resolve the .nz domain names in the conflicted names set. In June and July 2024, InternetNZ surveyed domain name holders about how the conflicted .nz domain names are managed. After a full consultation process, they have now made a final decision on the review outcome.

The decision has been taken to:

Retire the process of allowing agreements to be made as to who should register a conflicted domain name, including ending the lodging of preference changes at 12pm on Tuesday, 1 July 2025.
Continuing to block the remaining conflicted domain names from registration.
Confirm and continue the ability for InternetNZ to release conflicted domain names in the future when only one remaining conflicted domain name remains in a conflict set.

This approach was agreed at the InternetNZ Council meeting of InternetNZ on 14 February 2025.

What this means for conflicted domain name holders:

Conflicted domain names holders are not required to do anything in response to this policy change.
However, if conflict holders would like to register the shorter domain name, they have four months to use the existing process and agree with the other party/parties who should register the shorter domain name. The party/parties withdrawing from the conflict will need to register a change of preference before 12pm on Tuesday, 1 July 2025.

Note: This process has a strict cut-off date of 12pm on Tuesday, 1 July 2025. It is advised that conflict holders make a change well in advance of this date. They need access to the registrant email address’ emails to authorise a preference change.

Steps to change your preference:

1. You will need your domain name. Head over to the lodge your preference portal.

2. To login to the portal:

Enter your existing domain name and click ‘Sign in’.

An email will be sent to the domain name holder’s email address that is listed on the registration record.

In that email, there will be an authorisation link, click on the link, and it will then log you into the portal.

3. If you are the person agreeing to allow the other party to register the domain name, select the following preference:

I don’t want the shorter version of my domain name and don’t care who gets it. Then click submit.

You are all done! You will receive an email stating that you have successfully changed your preference for the conflicted domain name.

Frequently asked questions

How to register a resolved domain name

If you are the remaining party in a resolved conflict, you now have the right to register the resolved domain name and will be notified by email.

From the date of the notification email, you will have two months to register the resolved domain name through a registrar of your choice. If the resolved domain name is not registered within this time frame, it will become available to the public to register on a first-come, first-serve basis.

We suggest that you contact the .nz registrar you wish to register this domain name with directly. You can refer to our list of .nz authorised registrars.

Can you explain what it means to be registered at the second level?

If you register this domain name at the second level, it will be anyname.nz. If you were to register it at the third level it could be anyname.co.nz or anyname.org.nz

How can domain name holders involved in a conflicted domain name set reach an agreement?

Domain name holders involved in a conflicted domain name set must collectively determine who can directly register the domain name at the second level. This consensus is established through the Conflicted Names Process, wherein each domain name holder manages their preference.

What happens if the conflict isn’t resolved by 12pm on 1 July 2025? Will the conflicted domain name ever become available?

If the conflict isn’t resolved by 12 pm on 1 July 2025 (including being successfully actioned by a change of preference in the database), the domain name will remain blocked.

Approximately once a year, the conflicted domain names will be released where only one party remains in the conflict set. The person holding the final domain name in the conflict set will be notified and given the opportunity to register the conflicted domain name before it is released for general registration.

Note: If you hold a preference in a conflict set, ensure that your domain name contact details are up to date so that you don’t miss a notification.