Registering a Domain Name in the Control Panel

Use the OpenSRS Reseller Control Panel to search for available domain names and submit registrations on behalf of your customers. The Control Panel walks you through availability search, registration period, contact details, nameservers, and payment in a single workflow. This article covers the standard new-registration path.

Note: If you prefer to register domains programmatically or in bulk against the OpenSRS API, use the Reseller Web Interface (RWI) instead. See Registering Domain Names Through the RWI for the equivalent workflow in that UI.

When to register through the Control Panel

The Control Panel is the recommended path when you are registering individual domains, supporting walk-in customer requests, testing TLD behaviour, or troubleshooting a registration that failed elsewhere. The interface validates contact data inline, exposes premium and aftermarket pricing, and surfaces TLD-specific requirements (such as registrant identifiers or trustee services) before submission.

Before you begin

• Sign in to the Reseller Control Panel at manage.opensrs.com.
• Confirm your reseller account balance covers the registration fee, including any premium or aftermarket surcharge.
• Have the registrant's contact details ready: full name, organization (if applicable), postal address, phone number, and a working email address.
• Decide whether the domain will use OpenSRS default nameservers, custom nameservers, or be parked.
• Review any TLD-specific requirements (for example, .ca CIRA registrant types, .us nexus categories, .eu residency). See TLD Policies.

Step 1: Search for an available domain

From the top navigation, select Domains > Register a Domain. Enter the domain name (or a base term plus desired TLDs) in the search field and submit. The results screen lists each requested TLD with its availability status, list price, and any premium or aftermarket flag.

Tip: To control which TLDs appear in availability results by default, configure your search list. See Specifying the gTLDs and ccTLDs to Display in Availability Search Results.

Step 2: Select the domain and registration period

Check the box next to each available domain you want to register. For each selection, choose a registration term from the drop-down. Minimum and maximum terms vary by TLD — most gTLDs allow 1–10 years; some ccTLDs are fixed at 1 or 2 years. Click Continue.

Step 3: Enter registrant and contact details

Provide the four standard WHOIS contacts: Owner, Administrative, Technical, and Billing. You can copy the Owner contact to the other roles to save time. For TLDs that require additional fields (such as a CIRA legal type for .ca, an organization identifier for .au, or a VAT ID for some EU TLDs), complete the extended form that appears below the contact section.

Warning: WHOIS data drives ICANN compliance notices and renewal reminders. An invalid registrant email may block the domain at the registry under ICANN Registrant Verification rules. Confirm the email address with the customer before submission.

Step 4: Configure nameservers and DNS

Choose one of the following nameserver options:

• OpenSRS default nameservers — quickest setup; the domain resolves to OpenSRS parking until you change DNS records.
• Custom nameservers — enter up to 13 nameservers manually. Use this when the customer is hosting DNS elsewhere.
• Park the domain — no nameservers attached; the domain is registered but does not resolve.

Step 5: Review pricing and submit

The summary screen shows each domain, registration term, and the total charge against your reseller balance. Review the order, accept the registration agreement, and click Register. The Control Panel returns a confirmation page with the order ID for each domain and the new expiry date.

Note: Premium and aftermarket domains may not return an immediate confirmation. See Purchasing an Aftermarket Premium Domain for the asynchronous workflow.

Next steps

• Configure DNS records. If you chose OpenSRS nameservers, add A, MX, and CNAME records in the domain's DNS management page.
• Enable WHOIS privacy. Add Contact Privacy from the domain's Manage screen where the TLD supports it.
• Set auto-renew. Decide whether the domain should renew automatically or expire on its term end date.
• Use the RWI for bulk work. Switch to Registering Domain Names Through the RWI when you need to register many domains at once.

Questions? Contact OpenSRS Support.