.UK domain name validation
Making sure your whois details are correct.
Nominet, the .uk domain registry have recently introduced a new validation process which requires you to act upon the steps detailed in an Email which we will send to you, the domain name registrant.
Until the information of a domain name registrant is validated as current and correct, the domain name may enter a ‘suspended’ state, meaning that any website or Email services on the domain name may cease to operate until the validation process has been fulfilled. This period of suspension currently takes place around 2hrs after the domain name is registered, once this new process is better established the suspension will not take hold until 30 days after registration, giving a registrant much more time to validate their details with us.
How do I find out if my domain name is suspended?
The status of your domain name can be found on any whois referral site, if the domain name is not suspended it will say ‘Registered until expiry date.’, if it is suspended it will clearly state ‘*** This registration has been SUSPENDED. *** ‘
Nominet provide their own whois reference where you can lookup the status of a domain name and what records are publicly visible at http://www.nominet.org.uk/whois
What domain extensions are affected?
.uk, .co.uk, .me.uk, .org.uk, .ltd.uk, .plc.uk and .gov.uk
What is required to validate a domain name registration?
The legal registrant of the domain name and their address must be validated, initially we will try to validate the information ourselves but if we are unable to do so we will ask for more information. For a company registering a domain name, you can bypass the steps detailed below and simply provide us with your company number. For private individual or sole trader registrations, you can validate your details by scanning or taking a photograph and then Emailing one of the following documents to your domain name provider:
- Bank Statement
- HMRC letter or statement
- Utility bill
- Any other official document
Why do Nominet need these details?
It has always been the responsibility of a domain name registrant to provide accurate information. A domain name registration is contractual and subject to the conditions set by the registry, valid registrant details are one such condition. Pressure from law enforcement agencies and governments have pushed for additional checks to be made throughout the registration process.
If I have domain name privacy, does this still apply to me?
Yes. The registrant details are for Nominet’s own reference and submitting these documents does not mean that your details will be shown on a whois referral site, if you have opted into whois privacy, these details will continue to be hidden.
You can view or update your registrant details for your domain name through our online control panel, this link gives instructions on how to do this:
https://www.names.co.uk/support/articles/changing-the-legal-registrant-of-a-domain-name/
Please note that the owner or legal registrant of a domain name must be a legal entity.
Note: The owner or legal registrant of a domain name must be a legal entity.
Guidelines on ensuring registrant details are correct.
- If registered to an individual, please supply the full name as would appear on your credit card, passport or on the UK electoral roll.
- If registered to a business, the full legal trading name of the business should be entered. Limited and Plc companies can be verified against official company databases such as Companies House in the UK.
- If an unregistered business or Sole Trader, please enter the name of an authorised individual or insert an individual
.uk domain – what happens after payment?
Once payment for a .uk domain has been successfully completed, the registration process begins automatically. Below is the typical process and timeline customers can expect.
1) Payment confirmation
As soon as payment clears, the domain order is submitted for registration.
- In most cases, this happens immediately.
2) Registration with the registry (Nominet)
.uk domains are registered through Nominet, the official registry for UK domains.
- Registration is usually completed within minutes, but in some cases it can take up to a few hours to fully process at registry level.
3) Domain becomes active
Once registered:
- The domain will appear in the customer’s account
- WHOIS information becomes available
- Nameservers can be set or updated
- DNS records can be added (depending on where DNS is hosted)
4) DNS & Website/Email Availability
If the domain is pointing to existing nameservers, the website and email may begin working shortly after registration.
- If DNS records or nameservers are newly added or changed, DNS propagation can take up to 24 hours (occasionally up to 48 hours worldwide).
5) If the domain does not appear immediately
If a customer reports that the domain is not visible or not resolving shortly after payment:
- Allow a short period for the registration to complete
- Check whether nameservers are set correctly
- Confirm whether DNS is hosted with us or externally
If the domain has not appeared after a reasonable amount of time, this may indicate a registration issue and should be investigated further.