Frequently Asked Questions about .ORG domains

Q. How do I transfer .org domains?

Sign in and navigate to the Web-RAR link on the left menu. Click on ‘transfer domain’ in the top right hand corner and enter the .org domain name and auth code. The Auth code is usually required to transfer the domain but may not be for certain extensions. Please note that .org domain transfers can take up to 5 days to complete and that your account will only be billed on successful transfer.

Q. What is an Auth code?

An Auth code (short for authorization code) is a unique string of random letters and numbers assigned to a domain. Much like a password, it is used when you transfer a domain to another registrar. This helps prevent domain hijackers from transferring a domain without the owner's permission. Some domains do not require an auth code for the transfer process to happen.

Q. How long does it take to register .org domain?

.org registrations are near instant in the General Availability phase. If your account is already setup and you have default contacts and nameservers set, this can take only a few seconds.

Q. Are there any character restrictions for .org domain names?

  • have minimum of 1 and a maximum of 63 characters;
  • begin with a letter or a number and end with a letter or a number (cannot begin or end with a dash);
  • use the English character set and may contain letters (i.e., a-z, A-Z),numbers (i.e. 0-9) and dashes (-) or a combination of these;
  • not contain a dash in the third and fourth positions (e.g. www.12- -345.org); and
  • not include a space (e.g. www.no spaces allowed.org).

Our Domain Management tool, called Web-RAR, will advise you if there are any errors with your .org domain registration or transfer request in real-time.

Q. Can I park my .org domain name?

Yes, you can register a .org domain without making use of it right away. Domain parking may be useful if you think a certain .org domain name may later be valuable on the market to resell, or if you intend to create your website using the .org domain name and you don’t want to risk it being registered by someone else before you are ready to use it.

Q. Can I set up domain forwarding for my .org domains?

Yes, we call it "Domain Spin" within our Web-RAR domain management tool. You can spin your new .org domain to any desitnation on the web such as your facebook page, twitter account, personal blog, etc.

Q. Can I set up email forwarding for my .org domains?

Yes, we call it "Email Spin" within our Web-RAR domain management tool. You can create up to 5 personalised email addresses using the spin feature for each of your .org domains.

Q. Can I use trademarks in my .org domain registration?

No, you should only use your own trademarked names. Trademarks are protected by law and will likely be enforced by .ORG Domain Dispute Policies and Regulations should there be any violations discovered.

Q. Do you offer WHOIS protection for .org domain registrations?

WHOIS protection is no longer required. As of 25 May 2018 the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been in effect. This super sophisticated Internet data privacy protocol has been developed to protect people in the EU from data vulnerabilities, and sets out a series of stringent requirements companies need to meet in order to be considered as GDPR-compliant. All Registrars and Registries have to comply with GDPR so your whois information will not be displayed in any event, unless required by law to do so, Registries will not provide such information.

Q. How do I report abuse on .org domains?

DNS Africa’s priority as a registrar is to offer secure, safe, and user-focused tools that enable individuals and businesses to get online. Please see the .org Abuse procedures here.

Q. What is the process for .org complaints?

At DNS Africa, we take pride in providing a cost effective service, according to our terms and conditions. If you feel we have not lived up to the expectations created by the user agreement, please let us know by sending an email to legal@dns.business with the subject of "Complaint". You can read more about this here.