Registration and maintenance of domain names

As a registrar, you are responsible for all procedures involving registration and maintenance of domain names. In this section, you’ll find detailed guides for these procedures. Please note that it is your responsibility to authenticate the domain name subscriber for all types of transactions.

Here is a description of which tests the system performs against name servers in connection with registration of and updates to domain names. More detailed technical information is found in the documentation for the EPP interface.

Here is an overview of general requirements that apply to domain subscribers, domain names and domain subscriptions, including authentication requirements.

Register a domain name

1 Register the objects you need to register the domain name.

It is also possible to re-use previously registered objects. At minimum you need a domain subscriber object and a technical object, as well as two host objects.

Object is a common name for database entities. For each type of object there are some data you must register, and some data you can register. All objects can be updated. Here is a list of all objects and their attributes.
2 Add contacts and name servers for the domain name. The domain name must have at least two name servers.

Here is a description of the tests our system runs on name servers.
3 Create a transfer code.

The code must have at least 8 characters and no more than 64 characters. The characters must be chosen from at least two of the following four groups:
A-Z
a-z
0-9
– ! # $ % & * + , . \ / : ; < = > ? @ _
4 Add the applicant's declaration submitted by the subscriber.
5 Add DNSSEC data if the domain name is to be secured with DNSSEC.
6 Initiate the transaction with the command create.

When does new data from Enhetsregisteret get imported into the registry database?

New data from Enhetsregisteret is imported once every hour.

Can my customer register their domain name on the same day as they got registered in Enhetsregisteret?

Yes, it takes 60 minutes at the most from an organization is registered in Enhetsregisteret until it is available in the registry database.

Update object information

1 Initiate an info command on the object you want to change. This could be a domain object, a contact object or a name server object.

With an info command, you will see the information that is already registered on the object.

Object is a common name for database entities. For each type of object there are some data you must register, and some data you can register. All objects can be updated. Here is a list of all objects and their attributes.
2 Make the changes you want to make.

All data can be updated except for the domain name itself.
3 Start the transaction with the command update.

Change name of a private individual

1 The domain subscriber enters their national identity number and new name in the personal ID tool.
2 If the national identity number is already registered and the name is different from the name registered for this national identity number, the tool will presume that the subscriber wants to change their name.
3 If the new name matches what is registered in the National Population Register, the personal ID register is updated with the new name.
4 Update the domain subscriber's contact object via EPP.

Transfer domain name to a new subscriber

1 The new subscriber must submit an applicant's declaration.
2 Transfer the domain name to your account if you are not already its registrar.
3 Change relevant objects and add the new applicant's declaration.

At minimum, you must switch the subscriber object and add the new declaration data.

Object is a common name for database entities. For each type of object there are some data you must register, and some data you can register. All objects can be updated. Here is a list of all objects and their attributes.
4 Create a new transfer code.

The code must have at least 8 characters and no more than 64 characters. The characters must be chosen from at least two of the following four groups:
A-Z
a-z
0-9
– ! # $ % & * + , . \ / : ; < = > ? @ _
5 Start the transaction with the command update.

Please note that the domain name gets a new creation date and a new expiry date when a change of holder is completed.
6 A confirmation email is sent to the former domain subscriber.

Extend the domain name subscription (Renew domain name)

You can choose whether you want to extend domain name subscriptions in your portefolio automatically or manually. In both cases, the renewal is instant and cannot be cancelled. The registrar web has a list of the subscriptions in your portfolio that are up for extension each month. A process to delete the domain name is initiated for discontinued subscriptions.

Extend subscriptions automatically

You can activate automatic extension of subscriptions on the registrar web under Settings, by setting the value for Automatic renewal to Enabled.
All subscriptions are then automatically extended when they reach their expiry date.
If you want to change the subscription period for a domain name, you must do so manually.
If you do not want to extend a subscription, you must withdraw as registrar before the expiration date in order to prevent the domain name subscription from being extended for another period.

Extend subscriptions manually

You can activate manual extension of subscriptions on the registrar web under Settings, by setting the value Automatic renewal to Disabled.
You extend a domain name subscription with the EPP command renew. A subscription can be extended at any time during the month before its expiration date. The new period is added to the expiration date, which is immediately moved forward. Example: Exampledomain.no expires on 3 May 2020. You extend a subscription manually on 5 April 2020, and the expiration date is immediately moved forward 365 days, to 3 May 2021.
You can choose a shorter subscription period than the standard, which is 12 months. The minimum period is one month. The fee is the same regardless of the length of the period. Example: Exampledomain.no expires on 3 May 2020. You extend a subscription for a period of six months. The expiration date is immediately moved forward 183 days, to 3 November 2020.

If a domain name subscription is discontinued

If you do not extend the subscription before its expiration date, a 90-day process to delete the domain name and the subscription is automatically initiated. Notification that a deletion process has been initiated is sent to the domain name subscriber. You can extend a domain subscription at any time during this deletion process, but please note that it is too late to retrieve it once the domain name has been deleted from the database.

Extension of the subscription can be done by the current registrar, or by another registrar assuming the role of registrar. A registrar who acquires a domain name after its expiration date must also extend the domain name subscription.

Withdraw as registrar of a domain name

1 Withdraw as the registrar of a domain name using the command withdraw.
2 The domain subscriber is notified via email.
3 The domain name is tagged with REG0, which means it has no registrar.
4 The transfer code (AuthInfo) is automatically reset.

Delete a domain name

1 Set a date for deletion from DNS (max. 90 days from today’s date) and from the database (max. 90 days after deletion from DNS).

If you do not set a date, the system adds the default values (deletion from DNS 60 days from the current date, deletion from the database 90 days from the current date). We recommend a minimum of seven days between deletion from DNS and deletion from the database. This is called a quarantine period.
2 Order the deletion of the domain name with the command delete.
3 A confirmation email is sent to the holder.
4 If you have set the quarantine to less than 30 days from the date on which the domain name is removed from DNS, the domain name will remain blocked for re-registration for a total of 30 days from the date on which it becomes inactive. If the quarantine period is longer than 30 days, there is no such additional block.

This means that the domain name cannot be registered anew before a minimum of 30 days has passed since the domain was deleted from DNS. Example: You order deletion from DNS on 1 March. If you don't add a quarantine period, the domain name will also be deleted from the database on 1 March, but will remain blocked until 31 March.

Delete name server and contact objects

1 Order the deletion of the object using the command delete.

An object can only be deleted by the registrar it belongs to.
2 The object is removed from the database immediately.

If the object is referred to by other objects in the database, it cannot be deleted. For example, a contact object cannot be deleted if it is registered as contact for a domain name or a name server.

Published: 12 May 2020
Updated: 15 January 2024