[What Happens If Domain Registrar Goes Out Of Business
Melvin Amey
What can one do in such a situation to recover control over the domain? The whois clearly (and correctly) shows the name of the owner - but you can't just transfer a locked domain to another registrar without some participation from the other organization. Or can you?
The first step is for the registrant to unlock the domain with the current registrar, who's domain control panel should still be accessible. Next, they should initiate a transfer to another ICANN-Accredited Registrar. This will require authorization sent automatically to the email address contained in the registrant's contact information, so make sure that's up-to-date.
Each accredited registrar, and reseller there-under, is bound by a Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA). Under that agreement, registrars must permit inter-registrar transfers to other registrars within a specific time-frame, with the exception of certain limited circumstances.
Domain registrants also have certain rights under the RAA. If a registrar either refuses or ignores your request to transfer your domain, or otherwise violates your Registrant Rights, you can also file a Contractual Compliance Complaint with ICANN.
Businesses can declare bankruptcy but still continue to operate. Often this is done to restructure debt, and in some cases, they may do this prior to being purchased by another company. So the registrar may be in the process of being acquired by another company, under which the registrar may continue to function.
When a registrar completely goes out of business however, ICANN will make provisions with the registry for the domain extension(s) that it oversees to be transferred to another ICANN-Accredited Registrar. This usually occurs automatically and transparently, so registrants will not have to transfer their domain(s) unless they chose to.
In this situation, if ICANN also finds that the registrar is unresponsive, they will in bulk transfer all the domains under that registrar to another one and provide access to all those who own the domains. Apparently, when one registers a domain, the registrar, per compliance rules of ICANN, needs to send the original registration data to a third party, with the actual name and contact information of the owner of the domain. So, that even if that domain owners information is protected, the third party has that data.
The domain should be transferred to a new registrar appointed by ICANN. My first step would be to contact ICANN and see what they have to say about it. Perhaps nominating a new registrar for the domains.
I'm sure they are obligated to take responsibility for the registrants problem. As long you weren't equally seclusive with your registrant and admin whois data, you're able to identify yourself, allowing to kindly request a solution. If that doesn't work then the 2nd step would be ICANN.
incase you didn't know, godaddy has just been hit by some idiot hacker that has caused millions (including my own) sites to go down.This leads me to my question... I was using the godaddy nameservers (NS12.DOMAINCONTROL and NS13.DOMAINCONTROL.COM) for my domain... If I had only registered my domain with godaddy but used different nameservers, then would my site not have been effected?.. i.e. should I consider using diff nameservers?
Your domain will not go down when your registrar goes down. It only went down because you happened to use the same company acting in two different roles at the same time: as a registrar and also a name service provider.
But the nameserver clusters for all of the gTLDs (com., net., org., etc...) and most respectable ccTLDs (ca., jp., fr., etc...) are pretty robust and very well distributed. They don't exactly go down often (or at all).
This scenario is not as far-fetched as one might think. In fact, in July 2017, Domain Incite reported that ICANN expected hundreds of domain registrars to go out of business between July 2017 and July 2018.
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You will find multiple companies offering various types of domain name registration services. Before completing any transaction relating to domain name registration, ICANN offers these general guidelines:
The registrar you choose will ask you to provide various contact and technical information that makes up the registration. The registrar will then keep records of the contact information and submit the technical information to a central directory known as the "registry." This registry provides other computers on the Internet the information necessary to send you e-mail or to find your web site. You will also be required to enter a registration contract with the registrar, which sets forth the terms under which your registration is accepted and will be maintained.
Your domain name registration is not the same thing as a website or a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). While some people assume that the registration of a domain name automatically means you have a website, what they do not understand is that a domain name is like a street address for getting postal mail: there must still be a building or post office box at the street address for delivering letters or packages. You must purchase, find, or implement services like web-hosting or email to make your Internet presence known and make your domain name functional and accessible to others.
The registrant, also known as the "Registered Name Holder" is the person or entity that holds the rights to a domain name. Check with your registrar to see who the Registrant of record is for your domain name. If you have outsourced a third-party, such as a developer, to help manage your domain name, they may have registered the domain name using their own contact details (even if you have paid them to register and manage the domain name). Therefore, they may be listed as the official Registrant of record for the domain name. You may need to provide proof of your payment to the third-party/developer to prove to your registrar that you are the rightful holder and should be the registrant of the domain name.
Remember, paying to register a domain name is not the same as "buying" it outright or permanently. You do not "own" a domain name. What you are doing is more like leasing the domain name from the registry operator that the domain name is associated with. Registration periods can vary depending on the registry operator. You cannot buy a domain name forever. However, you can continually renew its registration (before the registration period expires) to maintain control over it. While the term "buying a domain name" is also commonly used in relation to purchasing an existing domain name registered to someone else, the purchaser is not buying the domain name, but just acquiring the rights to register it to themselves and continue to manage and re-register it in the future.
If you register a domain name but do not acquire or implement web-hosting and/or email services as well, in some instances you could experience "parking" on your domain name. Domain name parking occurs where the registrar sets the domain name's nameservers and uses the site for advertisements. Contact your registrar if you see advertisements on your domain name to see if and how you can have them removed. You can also acquire web-hosting/email services to gain fuller control over the content associated with your domain name.
The .aero, .coop, and .museum TLDs are sponsored TLDs and are designed for use within a specified community. Registration restrictions for these TLDs have been developed by the sponsor with input from the community. For more information, contact your registrar or visit the sponsor sites listed below.
Information about who is responsible for domain names is publicly available to allow rapid resolution of technical problems and to permit enforcement of consumer protection, trademark, and other laws. The registrar will make this information available to the public on a "WhOIS" site. It is, however, possible to register a domain in the name of a third party, as long as they agree to accept responsibility -- ask your registrar for further details. More information about WHOIS can be found at whois.icann.org.
Many companies that are not accredited by ICANN offer domain registration services - some are reselling names obtained from accredited registrars. ICANN recommends that you deal directly with an accredited registrar.
In general terms, you'll need to obtain a static (fixed) IP address for your computer from your ISP (although there are work-arounds for dynamically-assigned IP addresses). You'll need to arrange for two external computers acting as nameservers to point your domain at your IP address. Your registrar can then point your domain at the two nameservers which have been configured with your information.
While some registrars do provide web-hosting/email services along with domain name registration services, it could be the case that your web-hosting/email services are being provided by a different entity than your domain name registrar (who may also be a provider of web-hosting services). Your domain name is not the same thing as a website or a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). While some people assume that the creation of a domain name automatically means you have a website, what they don't understand is that a domain name is like a street address for getting postal mail: there must still be a building or post office box to receive letters or packages. You must purchase, find, or implement services like web hosting or email to make your Internet presence known by your domain name functional and accessible to others.
Your 'A' record is your 'Address' record. By assigning a name to the IP address or vice versa, the web becomes easier to use. Contact your registrar to find out your options for changing your "A" record.
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