Registrant Verification Process

The Registrant Verification (RV) process is a 15-day window during which a registrant must provide an affirmative response to an email that OpenSRS sends to them. The verification process applies to all generic TLDs. 

• Registrant Verification overview
  • The registrant
  • Verification process
  • Data sets
• Verification status
  • Statuses
  • Reports
• Verification triggers
  • Owner changes
• Messaging
  • Timing 
  • Resending messages
    • Resend via RCP
    • Resend via RWI
  • Optional communications
    • Toggle reseller messaging via RCP
    • Toggle reseller messaging via RWI
  • Customization
    • Customization via RCP
    • Customization via RWI
• API

Registrant Verification overview

The domain owner must confirm their contact details via an email sent by OpenSRS. Failure to confirm the elements results in the domain becoming suspended and services being disabled. The verification process applies to all gTLDs. Registrant verification does not affect domain renewals. 

The registrant

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

Verification process

The verification process is a 15-day window during which a registrant must provide an affirmative response via an email sent to them.

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

Failure to respond to this email results in domain suspension. Services on the domain cease working while under suspension. 

Data sets

OpenSRS verifies three pieces of registrant contact data: first name, last name, and email address.

When a registrant purchases, transfers, or updates a domain's registrant contact information, OpenSRS first checks to see if a previously verified record exists for that combination of first name, last name, and email address.  

The domain is automatically verified when an exact match exists, and no further action is required. When an exact match does not exist, 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, requiring independent verification.

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Verification status

Locate the registrant verification status in the RCP on the domain list or when viewing the domain details. A list of all domains and their RV status is available as a report to download manually or automatically send daily.  

To find the status in the RCP:

1. Login to the RCP.
   
2. Enter the domain name in the quick search field and click Search.
   
3. The registrant verification status is in the domains overview section.
   

Statuses

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Reports

The CSV file available is a spreadsheet including the current email address for the domain name, the date the verification began, the suspension date, and the registrant's first and last names. 

To obtain a report:

1. Login to the RCP.
   
2. Click on Download daily registrant verification CSV file. 
   

Verification triggers

Any new registration, transfer in, contact updates, WDRP bounce, or mandatory renewal reminders bounce triggers the verification process.

Changing any registrant contact details initiates the verification process for unverified domains. Changing the registrant's first name, last name, or email address on verified domains triggers the verification.

When WDRP messages bounce, the domain enters the verification process. 

Owner changes

Completing the ICANN trade process completes the registrant verification process. Registrants must verify the new contact info as part of the process. Only the new address receives the registrant verification request.

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Messaging

The registrant receives an email to verify their contact information on days one, five, ten and 13. On day 16, when a registrant hasn't verified their data, they receive an email informing them that we have set the domain to suspended status. 
Note: Messages take up to 24 hours to go out.

On days 10 and 13, the admin and billing contacts for the domain receive emails notifying them of the upcoming suspension. These admin/tech notification messages do not include the link to verify the domain details.

Timing

All verification emails are sent out immediately except for suspensions, and the five, 10, and 13-day reminders go at 04:00 UTC. When manually sending the email, it goes out within minutes. 

Resending messages

When verification is required, the message may be resent. The option to resend the verification email is available for sub-resellers in the RWI.

Resend via RCP

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

Resend via RWI

1. Login to the RWI.
   
2. Enter the domain name in the view domain field under the domain registration administration section and click Query.
   
   
   
3. Click Resend registrant verification email from the domain management section. 
   
4. Click Ok.
   

Toggle registrant verification messaging.

Resellers choose whether their daily notice is enabled or not through the RCP or the RWI.

Toggle reseller messaging via RCP

1. Log into the RCP.
   
2. Click Messaging and confirmation.
   
3. Toggle the switch for the registrant verification status report.
   
   

Toggle reseller messaging via RWI

1. Login to the RWI.
   
2. Click View message templates.
   
3. Toggle the checkmark from the box beside Registrant verification message to RSP under the registrant validation messaging section.
   
4. Click Submit at the bottom of the page.
   

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Customization

Logos uploaded to the branding page are displayed instead of the OpenSRS logo. Resellers can change the link registrants see in the RV message, and add custom header and footer texts. It is possible to specify a custom domain as well.

The text of the message body cannot be modified, but resellers can add text above and below the existing text using snippets.  

Modify the verification hostname and URL through the RCP and RWI.
Note:  When setting up a custom hostname, configure the CNAME record on the address pointing to approve.domainadmin.com and allow it to propagate fully.

Customization via RCP

1. Login to the RCP.
   
   
2. Select Account settings.
   
3. Click the Branding tab.
   
4. Click Edit in the registrant verification page section.
   
5. Modify the available options as needed.
   
   
6. Click Submit in the bottom right corner.
   

Customization via RWI

1. Log in to the RWI.
   
2. Click Branding. from the profile management section. 
   
3. To modify the hostname, update the customized data quality and ICANN registrant verification hostname and URL section as needed. Click Save.
   
4. To modify the RV landing page, update the customize ICANN registrant verification page section as needed.
   

API

Two API commands are directly related to registrant verification.

get_registrant_verification_status

send_registrant_verification_email

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