Registrant Email Verification Process

Registrant Email Verification (RV) is a 15-day window during which a registrant must confirm their contact details in response to an email from OpenSRS. The process applies to all generic TLDs and to NIS 2-related ccTLDs. If the registrant does not respond, the domain can be suspended and its services disabled. Registrant Email Verification does not affect domain renewals.

About the verification process

The registrant is the organization contact record in the Reseller Web Interface (RWI) or the owner contact record in the Reseller Control Panel (RCP). Only the owner contact is subject to verification, not the administrator, billing, or technical contact.

The verification email contains a link to a verification page that displays the email address and first and last name used to register the domain. The page also links to the domain registration terms and conditions and includes a checkbox the registrant must select to confirm they agree.

How OpenSRS matches registrant data

OpenSRS verifies three pieces of registrant data: first name, last name, and email address. When a registrant purchases, transfers, or updates a domain's registrant contact information, OpenSRS checks whether a previously verified record exists for that exact combination.

If an exact match exists, the domain is verified automatically and no further action is needed. If no exact match exists, the registrant receives an email asking them to confirm their data. For example, John Doe / john@example.com differs from Johnathan Doe / john@example.com, so each requires independent verification.

What triggers verification

The verification process starts on any new registration, transfer in, contact update, WDRP message bounce, or mandatory renewal reminder bounce.

• Contact changes. Changing any registrant contact detail initiates verification for unverified domains. On verified domains, changing the first name, last name, or email address triggers verification.
• Bounced messages. When WDRP messages bounce, the domain enters the verification process.
• Owner changes. Completing the ICANN trade process completes Registrant Email Verification. Only the new address receives the verification request.

Verification statuses

Find the registrant verification status on the domain list or domain details page in the RCP. A report listing all domains and their RV status is available to download manually or to send daily.

Step 1: Check verification status in the RCP

1. Log in to the RCP.
2. Enter the domain name in the quick search field and click Search.
3. Read the registrant verification status in the domain overview section.

Step 2: Download the verification report

The CSV report includes the current email address, the date verification began, the suspension date, and the registrant's first and last names.

1. Log in to the RCP.
2. Click Download daily registrant verification CSV file.

Messaging and reminders

The registrant receives verification emails on days one, five, ten, and 13. On day 16, if they have not verified, they receive notice that the domain may be set to suspended status. On days 10 and 13, the admin and billing contacts receive notices of the upcoming suspension; these notices do not include the verification link.

Step 3: Resend the verification email

When verification is required, you can resend the message through either the RCP or the RWI.

To resend through the RCP:

1. Log in to the RCP.
2. Enter the domain name in the quick search field and click Search.
3. Click Resend verification email in the domain overview section.

To resend through the RWI:

1. Log in to the RWI.
2. Enter the domain in the view domain field under Domain Registration Administration and click Query.
3. Click Resend registrant verification email in the domain management section.
4. Click OK.

Toggle reseller verification messaging

You can choose whether your daily verification notice is enabled, through either the RCP or the RWI.

In the RCP, click Messaging and confirmation, then toggle the switch for the registrant verification status report.

In the RWI, click View message templates, toggle the checkmark beside Registrant verification message to RSP under the registrant validation messaging section, then click Submit.

Customizing the verification message

Logos uploaded to your branding page appear instead of the OpenSRS logo. You can change the link registrants see, add custom header and footer text, and specify a custom domain. The message body text cannot be modified, but you can add text above and below it using snippets.

To customize through the RCP, go to Account settings > Branding, click Edit in the registrant verification page section, adjust the options, then click Submit. To customize through the RWI, click Branding in the profile management section and update the hostname and verification page sections as needed, then click Save.

API reference

Two API commands relate directly to registrant verification:

Next steps

• Review the Change of Registrant (COR) process, which completes verification as part of an owner change.
• Learn how to make bulk contact changes that may trigger verification.

Questions? Contact OpenSRS Support.