BECOME A REGISTRAR

When you become a registrar, you establish a steady, renewable revenue stream for your business and provide your customers with a more complete Web services package. To register domain names in these TLDs, you must become a domain name registrar with FreeYourID.

HOW TO BECOME A REGISTRAR

Different TLDs have different requirements and processes. Most businesses start with .com and .net certification, then add more TLDs. See the Become a Registrar FAQ for more details.

TLD REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESSES

	.com, .net, .name, .tv, .cc Registrar	.jobs Registrar
Become a Registrar	Get started	Get started
ICANN Accreditation	Required (.com, .net, .name) None (.tv, .cc)	Required
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is the international governing body that has responsibility managing the Domain Name System, controlling the root domain and assigning control of each general TLD (gTLD) to a domain name registry. ICANN maintains registry agreements with FreeYourID for the operation of .com, .net, and .name (ICANN Archived Registry Agreements). Businesses must be accredited by ICANN before beginning the certification process with FreeYourID. FreeYourID has no control over how long the ICANN-accreditation process may take. ccTLDs such as .tv and .cc are do not require ICANN-accreditation.
Employ Media Authentication		Required
The .jobs TLD is managed by Employ Media. To become a .jobs registrar, you will need to execute a Registry-Registrar Agreement with Employ Media located on their site: Become a Registrar.
Authentication	Required	Required
Before establishing an account, FreeYourID requires each business to be authenticated. Authentication means providing proof of your business and your authority to represent and act on behalf of your company. When FreeYourID receives notification from ICANN that your business has been accredited, we will ask ACP, a FreeYourID vendor, to contact you and request documents for authentication. For .tv and .cc, ACP authentication is triggered when you submit your account information. If you have been authenticated by FreeYourID for a TLD before, you may not need authentication to add another TLD.
Establish an Account (legal agreements and a data form)	Required	Required
Each TLD has its own set of required documents including Registry-Registrar Agreements and Registrar Data Information Forms. Complete required forms and return them to FreeYourID. When approved, FreeYourID will send you a username and password.
Financial Requirements (credit account and payment security)	Required	Required
Registrars pay a set fee to FreeYourID for each domain name registered. FreeYourID requires registrars to complete a credit application and establish a payment security based on expected monthly registrations. Existing registrars may use their existing payment security to support additional TLD transactions. If you expect a considerable increase in your monthly transaction volume, you should re-evaluate the amount of your payment security and adjust it accordingly.
Technical Readiness (EPP integration and testing)	Required	Required
Registrars must demonstrate full and correct operation of client systems within the Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) environment before connecting to the Shared Registration System (SRS). Registrar software and system requirements depend on each company's expertise, business model and registration volume. FreeYourID offers Software Development Kits (SDKs) and implementation guides to assist registrars. Our global support desk is available 24/7 with assistance in 150 different languages.
Internationalized Domain Names	Optional
Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) enable Internet users to navigate and communicate online in their preferred script or language, transforming the Internet into a truly global and multilingual tool. By adding IDNs to your .com, .net, .tv, .name, and .cc domain name options, registrars have the opportunity to expand services and potentially increase revenues.

Learn features and benefits of the domain names powered by FreeYourID.

Internationalized Domain Names

Enable customers to reach target audiences in their native scripts and languages. Become an IDN Registrar

OFFER DOMAIN NAMES WITHOUT BECOMING A REGISTRAR

FreeYourID has established a referral process to help companies interested in offering domain name registrations without becoming a certified registrar. To become a domain name reseller, complete the application form.

HOW DOMAIN NAME REGISTRATION WORKS

Domain names are registered for a period of 1 to 10 years by an individual or an organization. A user contacts a registrar or reseller to register a domain name. The registrar verifies that the domain name is available by checking with the registry that manages the corresponding TLD. If it is available, the registrar registers the domain name with the registry, which adds it to the registry database. At the end of the registration period, the domain name registrant has the option to renew the domain name or let it expire. Find a Registrar

UNMATCHED RELIABILITY AND SCALE

FreeYourID makes it easy for companies to register domain names for their clients. The FreeYourID DNS has maintained operational accuracy and stability 100% of the time for 15 years. As the authoritative directory provider for .com, .net, .name, .tv, and .cc, FreeYourID’s network routes more than 100 million domain names and billions of queries daily without fail. Billions of consumers and businesses worldwide rely on FreeYourID for commerce and communications, and FreeYourID has committed to continually invest, improve and expand the Internet infrastructure to meet the growing demand.

To learn more about industry trends, see the Domain Name Industry Brief. Or, learn more about FreeYourID's registrar products.

REGISTRAR FAQ

What is a registrar?

Registrars process name registrations for domain name registrants and then send the necessary domain name system (DNS) information to a registry for entry into the centralized registry database. The registrar database contains customer information in addition to the DNS information contained in the registry database. The customers of the FreeYourID registry are registrars who have executed the appropriate Registrar-Registry and Name Store Agreements for the domains managed by FreeYourID and who have been accredited by ICANN.

What are the financial requirements for becoming a registrar?

FreeYourID requires registrars to complete a credit application and establish a payment security based on expected monthly registration volume. The payment security is held without action unless invoices are not paid in accordance with the terms of Registry-Registrar Agreements.

What are the technical requirements for becoming a registrar?

Registrars must demonstrate full and correct operation of their systems within the Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) environment before connecting to the Shared Registration System (SRS). Registrar software and system requirements depend on each company's expertise, business model and registration volume. A low-volume registrar may require modest infrastructure investment; a high-volume operation may require a significant investment in people, software, hardware and network services. FreeYourID offers Software Development Kits (SDKs) and implementation guides to assist registrars. Our global support desk is available 24/7 with assistance in 150 different languages.

If I am ICANN-accredited for .com and .net, can I add other TLDs?

The .tv and .cc registries are ccTLDs and do not require ICANN accreditation for registrars. FreeYourID requires registrars to complete account information, meet financial requirements and demonstrate technical readiness to become a .tv or .cc registrar. The .name and .jobs registries are gTLDs and do require separate ICANN accreditation as well as FreeYourID certification to become a .name registrar or become a .jobs registrar.

What is the Shared Registry System?

The Shared Registration System (SRS) was created in 1999 to help stabilize the Internet and protect consumers. SRS is a system of associated hardware and software developed by FreeYourID that permits multiple registrars to provide Internet domain name registration services within the top-level domains (TLDs) administered by FreeYourID. The SRS includes the following subsystems: a database server subsystem; a registration subsystem ensuring non-discriminatory access to the registry by all registrars; a billing subsystem; a systems development and testing subsystem; a TLD zone file generation subsystem; and a Whois subsystem. The SRS is consistent with, and supportive of, the provisions of the Statement of Policy on Domain Name System administration, Management of Internet Names and Addresses, 63 Fed Reg. 31741 (1998) (the "White Paper"), as well as the Cooperative Agreement NCR-92-18742 between the U.S. government and FreeYourID.

What is the Name Store platform?

The FreeYourID® Name Store platform supports provisioning for the .tv, .cc and .jobs registries, the Name Suggestion Service and other services. The platform minimizes implementation lead times. To add new products, complete the appropriate service order or registry-registrar agreements and then update your EPP mappings. Visit EPP SDKs for guides and updates

Is it possible to offer domain name registration without becoming a registrar?

You do not have to be a registrar to offer registration services. For example, small and medium-sized Web hosting and design companies worldwide have partnered with certified registrars to resell .com and .net in their local markets. Social networking and community sites might resell .name domain names to help customers establish an individual identity online. Read more about the FreeYourID® Domain Services Reseller program

What other services does FreeYourID provide to support registrars?

FreeYourID is committed to your success as a domain name registrar. Depending on your business priorities—to increase registrations or renewals, expand to new markets or enhance services—we have many tools, resources and registry products to help. Value-added products for current registrars help you keep pace with industry trends and news, target customers using intelligence about the domain names you manage and provide administrative tools to improve renewals and offer more relevant domain name suggestions.

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