| Q. |
5.) What Is A Top-Level Domain Name? |
| A. |
A top-level domain is used to designate the type of
organization or the country of origin. Generic top-level designators are commonly three
letter suffixes like .com, .net, .org, .edu. Country code top-level domains are commonly
two letter suffixes like .ca, .us, .uk, etc., as assigned by the United Nations. |
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| Q. |
6.) How Does .CA Differ From .COM? |
| A. |
.CA is the country code Top Level domain (ccTLD)
designating Canada. .COM is the generic Top Level domain (gTLD) designating commercial
activities. The policies and administration of the .ca domain name will be set by CIRA and
governed by Canadian law. The gTLDs are managed in the United States under American law. |
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| Q. |
7.) Who Is An Applicant? |
| A. |
An applicant is a party interested in registering a .CA
domain name, or a party who has already applied for, but has not yet been granted or
refused, a .CA domain name. |
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| Q. |
8.) How Do I Register A New .CA Domain
Name? |
| A. |
A person who wishes to register a new .CA domain name must
retain a certified
registrar to submit a registration request to CIRA. Applications will be processed on
a "first come, first served" basis, in accordance with CIRA's registration
rules. A domain name may be registered for a period of 1 to 10 years. CIRA will charge the
registrar a fee dependent on the registration term. Registrars are then free to set their
own fee structure. If CIRA validates a registration
request and the requested domain name is available for registration by an applicant who is
not already a registrant, the applicant will be required to complete the registration
procedure, including accepting the Registrant Agreement, at CIRA's secure website. Once a
person is registered as a registrant in the CIRA system, it will be fairly simple to
register future domain names through a registrar. If the requested domain name is
available, the name will be registered and the registrant will be advised by CIRA. |
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| Q. |
9.) How Many Characters Can I Register
In A .CA Domain Name? |
| A. |
Domain names must be not less than two (2) and not greater than sixty
three (63) characters long. |
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|
| Q. |
10.) What Is The Fee For Registering
New .CA Domain Names? |
| A. |
.CA Registration has several price points available
starting from just $49.95+GST / HST for 1 year to $349.95+GST / HST for 10 years. For a
complete list, Click Here. |
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| Q. |
11.)How Can I Determine If A Domain
Name Is Available? |
| A. |
Effective on November 8, 2000, CIRA will maintain a
"WHOIS" look-up system at on this site where applicants and registrars can query
the .CA database to determine if a specific domain name is available. This query service
will be provided at no cost to the user. You can also Click Here. |
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|
| Q. |
12.)How Will Domain Name Requests Be
Approved? |
| A. |
CIRA will review each completed request for registration
of a domain name made by a registrar on behalf of a registrant, and determine whether to
accept or reject the application in accordance with CIRA's Registration Rules in force at
the time of the receipt of the completed application. Applications will be processed on a
first come, first served basis, in accordance with the Registration Rules. |
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| Q. |
13.)Are The New Rules Available? |
| A. |
Yes. The Registration Rules are available at Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA)
web site. |
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|
| Q. |
14.)How Many .CA Domain Names Can An
Organization Or Individual Register? |
| A. |
Under the UBC rules, only federally incorporated
organizations were allowed to register domain names in the .CA domain and they were
limited to only one domain name registration. Under
the CIRA Registration Rules, any
qualifying individual or organization will be able to register an unlimited number of .CA
domain names. The rules are posted in the registrant section of this site. |
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| Q. |
15.)Can Anything Be Registered As A
Domain Name? |
| A. |
No. Applications for the registration of domain names only
be accepted if they are admissible domain names in accordance with CIRA's Registration Rules. To whom will a domain name be registered, if there are two requests
for the same domain name?
.CA domain names will be registered on a first-come,
first-served basis, in accordance with the Registration Rules, provided that
the applicant and it's certified registrar meet all the conditions for registration as
well as CIRA's rules and procedures. |
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| Q. |
16.)Once I Have My Domain, Will It
Automatically Appear On The Internet? |
| A. |
No. You need to find a company to host your domain. Once
your domain is hosted, you can choose to build a web site on that domain whenever you
like. |
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| Q. |
17.)What are the specific changes to CIRA's policies and procedures?
|
| A. |
The changes to CIRA's policies and procedures arising out of
the new system include the following:
- Elimination of CIRA user IDs.
- No longer need to confirm certain transactions with CIRA.
- Auto-renewal of domain names.
- CIRA no longer supports new 3rd and 4th level domain names (with the exception
of 4th level municipal domain names, and CIRA will provide "grandfather"
support to existing 3rd and 4th domain names).
|
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| Q. |
18.)Why is CIRA eliminating CIRA user IDs?
|
| A. |
Currently, Registrants have CIRA user IDs and passwords
to manage their domain names with CIRA's registry. These credentials are used to
authenticate and approve special requests such as Registrant transfers, Registrar
transfers and updates of critical information.
Once CIRA launches the new system, these CIRA IDs will no longer be needed.
All transactions will be carried out directly with your Registrar, and you will
no longer need to confirm special requests such as Registrant transfers, Registrar
transfers and updates of critical information with CIRA. CIRA will focus on allowing
our trusted partners - certified .CA Registrars - to fulfill that role. CIRA will
still notify Registrants by email after the above transactions have taken place.
|
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| Q. |
19.)How do I transfer a domain name to another person in the new system?
|
| A. |
Currently, in order to transfer a domain name to another
person you are required to request your Registrar to initiate a transfer request with
CIRA. Once the transfer request is validated and approved by CIRA, the transfer
request must then be confirmed with CIRA by you, the new Registrar and the new
Registrant within the specified time frame.
Under the new system, you will no longer need to confirm the transfer request with CIRA.
You simply need to contact your Registrar, who will then submit the transfer request to CIRA.
Once the transfer request is validated and approved, CIRA will update the contact information
for the domain name so that the new Registrant is listed as the Registrant. CIRA will notify
you, the Registrar, and the new Registrant of the transfer by email. This is done in order
to advise the parties of the transfer as well as to provide an alert in case you did not
request or authorize the transfer request. |
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| Q. |
20.)How do I change Registrars in the new system?
|
| A. |
Currently, in order to change Registrars you must
request the new Registrar to submit a Change of Registrar Request to CIRA.
Once validated and approved by CIRA, you are then required to confirm the Change
of Registrar Request with CIRA within the time frame specified.
Under the new system, you will no longer be required to confirm the Change
of Registrar Request with CIRA. To change to a new Registrar, you must first
obtain the applicable authorization code from your current Registrar. Once you
have this authorization code, you then request the new Registrar to initiate a
change of Registrar request with CIRA. Once validated and approved by CIRA, the new
Registrar will be identified as your Registrar. Your domain name registration will
also be extended by one year, up to a maximum of 10 years, and you will receive an
email notifying you of the Change of Registrar. |
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|
| Q. |
21.)How do I change the mailing address or email address of
my Administrative Contact in the new system? |
| A. |
Currently, in order to change the mailing address of your
Administrative Contact, or any other information which is defined as
a "critical
information" by CIRA, you are required to contact your Registrar and have them submit
the request to CIRA to change the information. Once validated and approved by CIRA,
you are then required to confirm the changes with CIRA within the time frame specified.
In order to change the email address of your Administrative Contact, you are required
to fill out and have your Registrar submit to CIRA the Manual Change of Administrative
Contact email form.
Under the new system, you will no longer be required to confirm critical changes
with CIRA, or to submit the Manual Change of Administrative Contact email form.
All these changes will be done through your Registrar. Once completed, CIRA will
send you an email notifying you of the changes. |
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|
| Q. |
22.)How will Domain Names be auto-renewed in the new system? |
| A. |
Currently, domain names must be renewed prior their
expiry. A domain name can be renewed at any time for a period of one to nine years,
up to a maximum of 10 years. If a domain name is not renewed at its expiry date,
it becomes suspended for 30 days. A Registrant may reactivate the domain name by
renewing it during this suspension period. If the Registrant does not reactivate the
domain name, it will then be cancelled and made available to others for registration.
Under the new system, domain names can still be renewed at any time for a period of
one to nine years, up to a maximum of 10 years. However, at the expiry date, domain
names are automatically renewed for one year. In other words, unless you indicate
otherwise, domain names will automatically be renewed for one year on an annual basis
and you will not have to go through the renewals process every year. When your domain
name is auto-renewed, your Registrar is debited the applicable fee in its CIRA account.
It is important to note that your Registrar must have sufficient money in its account
to pay for the auto-renewal. If your Registrar does not have sufficient money in its
account to pay for the auto-renewal, your domain name will not be renewed. |
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|
| Q. |
23.)What happens if I don't wish to keep a domain name that has been auto-renewed? |
| A. |
Once a domain name has been auto-renewed, there is
then a 45-day grace period called the Auto-Renew Grace Period where a Registrar can
delete the domain name and obtain a refund of the fee charged by CIRA.
If you do not wish to keep a domain name that has been auto-renewed,
instruct your Registrar to delete it during the 45-day Auto-Renew Grace Period. |
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|
| Q. |
24.)What happens if my Registrar
accidently deletes my domain name during the Auto-Renew Grace Period? |
| A. |
When a domain name is deleted during the Auto-Renew
Grace Period, there is then a 30-day period called the Grace Redemption Period
where the domain name can be redeemed and renewed. During the Grace Redemption Period,
your domain name is suspended which means that it does not resolve to your website.
If your Registrar accidently deletes your domain name during the Auto-Renew Grace
Period, simply instruct your Registrar to redeem the domain name, but make sure it's
done within the 30-day Grace Redemption Period. |
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|
| Q. |
25.)What are 3rd and 4th level domain names? |
| A. |
The majority of domain names registered with CIRA a
re 2nd level domain names. This consists of the name -dot- extension. An example
of a 2nd level domain name would be cat.ca.
A 3rd level domain name consists of the name -dot- province -dot- extension.
An example of a 3rd level domain name would be cat.on.ca, or cat.bc.ca, or cat.qc.ca.
A 4th level domain name consists of the name -dot- city - province -dot- extension.
An example of a 4th level domain name would be cat.ottawa.on.ca, or cat.toronto.on.ca.
|
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|
| Q. |
26.)Why does CIRA have 3rd and
4th level Domain Names? |
| A. |
Prior to the formation of CIRA, the .CA domain
name registry was originally handled by the University of British Columbia (UBC).
Under the UBC system, the rules were stricter and Registrants were only allowed to
register a 2nd level domain name (e.g. cat.ca) if they operated a company that had
physical locations in multiple provinces. Domain name levels were used to define
the operational scope of the company that registered the domain name. For example,
if a company had an office in Ontario, but no offices in other provinces, it was
only allowed to register a domain name at the 3rd level (cat.on.ca, or cat.qc.ca).
When CIRA took over the .CA domain name registry in 2000, this restriction was
lifted such that any Registrant who met CIRA's Canadian Presence Requirements
could register a 2nd level domain name. |
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|
| Q. |
27.)Why is CIRA no longer
supporting new 3rd and 4th level domain names? |
| A. |
CIRA has found that there is very little market
demand for 3rd and 4th level domain names. For example, last year 3rd and 4th
level domain names represented less than 0.68 per cent of total new domain name
registrations.
Allowing new 3rd and 4th level domain names requires that CIRA continue
to support the "Registration of Conflicting Domain Names" policy. This policy,
which provides a mechanism for requesting 2nd level domain names when they exist
at the 3rd level, is complicated and expensive to support, both for CIRA and Registrars.
It was decided by CIRA, in consultation with its Registrars, that it was not worth
building the technical infrastructure to support new 3rd and 4th level domain names.
Please note that CIRA will grandfather and continue to support existing 3rd and 4th
level domain names. Existing 3rd and 4th level domain names will continue to be
registered until they are deleted by the Registrant. CIRA will also continue to
support existing and new 4th level municipal domain names as these involve a
manual process for CIRA and its Registrars.
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