Validate my details?

We have put together a number of ‘How do I guides’ for commonly asked questions that we receive at the Domain Name Commission.

If you have any further questions about validating a domain name that this guide doesn't cover, please contact us.

What is the Data Validation Process?

As the regulator of the .nz domain namespace, the Domain Name Commission (DNC) regularly performs checks to ensure that the contact information listed on the registration record is correct for .nz domain names.

We check to ensure that the registrant is contactable at the details that they have provided on the whois and that they are either an identifiable individual over the age of 18 or a lawfully constituted entity. 

If you think you have identified a domain name that doesn’t meet these requirements you can inform us here.

We will attempt to make contact with the registrant of a .nz domain name from the contact details listed on the registration record. The registrant is asked to validate the contact details to prove they are correct.

We also at times, ask the registrant to provide supporting documentation to demonstrate their compliance with .nz domain name policy.

The DNC regularly monitors and receives reports regarding .nz domain names from a number of different sources. We review these reports before investigating and validating the registration information of a .nz domain name.

First Notice and Call

The initial notice is a request for a registrant to confirm their registration details. If these are confirmed, we may ask a registrant to provide supporting documentation.

Second Notice and Call

This is to act as a reminder for the registrant to confirm their details or to provide additional supporting documentation.

Suspension Notice

If we haven’t received the supporting documentation requested or the contact details haven’t been confirmed we will advise a registrant that their domain name will be suspended.

While a domain name is suspended any associated website and domain email address will not function. During this 90-day period, a registrant can still contact us to verify their contact details and thus reinstate the domain name.

If the domain name has not been reinstated and has not passed our Data Validation Process after 90 days from the date of suspension; the domain name may be made available to the public for registration on a first-come, first-served basis.

My domain name has been suspended how do I reinstate it?

If your domain name has been suspended and locked by the Domain Name Commission please contact us here and we will advise how to reinstate your domain name.

What type of supporting documentation do you require?

The DNC uses a third-party service to receive identification documentation, the service is called Aplyid. Aplyid uses advanced biometric ID verification technology to verify individuals.

If the registrant's name is in the name of an individual it will need to be either a Passport, a Driver's License or a government-issued proof of age ID card.

If it is in the name of an organisation it will need to be either a certificate of incorporation, a business card, a utility bill or any other relevant company documentation that matches the registrant's name.

How secure is the third-party service?

For Aplyid, your identity documentation will be held securely using the latest encryption technology. The documentation will be deleted from the provider’s records no later than 14 days after collection. 

You can view Aplyid’s privacy policy here.

What gives us the right to ask for this information?

The .nz policy clauses that relate to this are:

2.2. Operational Rules

2.2.2. DNCL may request a Domain Name Holder at anytime to provide any relevant information to verify their identity (Identity Verification), this includes but is not limited to:

1. where a Domain Name Holder is an individual, a verified copy of the original passport, drivers licence or other government issued identification; or
2. where the Domain Name Holder is a lawfully constituted entity, a certificate of incorporation or a copy of the constitution

The Domain Name Holder must provide the Identity Verification within the timeframe detailed in the request made by DNCL.

You can view the .nz rules in full here.