Last updated 25 June 2002

What is a Pre-Nominet domain name?

A pre-Nominet domain name is any .uk domain name registration that was applied for before 1 August 1996, when Nominet UK took over the management of the .uk Register Database.

How can I identify a pre-Nominet domain name?

Any .uk domain name that has a "before - August 1996" created date or has no created date at all is a pre-Nominet domain name registration. You can check a .uk domain name's created date by using the public WHOIS domain name search tool on our website. Enter the domain name in full and it will then provide details on the domain name. If the WHOIS message shows no "Registered on" date, then the domain name is a pre-Nominet domain name. Please be aware that the "last changed" date does not affect the status of the domain name, it just refers to the last time that the domain name entry was updated.

How can I get a list of the pre-Nominet domains that are registered to me?

Post or fax a written request on your letterhead (including your contact details) confirming the name of the person that you believe the domain names were registered for. Your request must be signed by someone authorised to make this request, for instance a director in the case of a limited company, or a partner in the case of a partnership. Nominet will then send you a list of the pre-Nominet domain names that were applied for by that person.

What services do Nominet currently provide for the pre-Nominet domain names?

Nominet's database contains a number of registrations which were made before August 1996 when Nominet took over the management of the .uk Register Database.

Over the last six years Nominet has continued to provide services for pre-Nominet domain names including:

• pointing to the name servers specified in the relevant Register database entries
   
• maintaining the relevant zonefile entries for those domain names.

Both of these services have been provided free of charge, however Nominet is not contractually obliged to provide such services or to maintain the registrations.

Why has Nominet now decided to address the pre-Nominet domain name registrations?

Nominet's Council of Management (CoM) and Policy Advisory Board (PAB) have decided that Nominet cannot provide the above services free of charge indefinitely to pre-Nominet domain name holders, and it must take steps to regularise the position. Nominet will therefore now seek to bring the pre-Nominet domains onto our terms and conditions.

What action will Nominet take next?

In the near future, we will be writing to all Registrants of pre-Nominet domain names to ask them to confirm their domain name registration under Nominet's terms and conditions. A flowchart displaying Nominet's pre-Nominet domain names project can be found here.

What terms are being offered to the pre-Nominet domain name Registrants?

After an initial free registration period of 2 years the pre-Nominet domain name registrations will be subject to the domain name registration renewal fees in force at the time.

If after 3 months we receive no response from the registrants or they confirm that they do not wish to continue their registrations on these terms, Nominet will withdraw its services (of pointing to the name servers and maintaining the zonefile for the domain name registrations). Any such registrations will then be cancelled in due course if there is no change in the position.

What action should Registrants now take?

Registrants of pre-Nominet domain names should now review the pre-Nominet names that are registered to them and ensure that these domain name records hold full and up-to-date Registrant contact details.

To do this you should check whether a Tag Holder (ISP) is associated with your domain name. You can do this by using the Nominet WHOIS domain name search" tool on our website. If the search shows "registered by XXXXX", then your domain name's Tag Holder is XXXXX. If the search does not show who the domain name was registered through then you can assume that your domain name is not associated with a Tag.

If your domain name is associated with a Nominet Tag holder, you should contact your ISP to arrange for your contact details to be updated.

If your domain name is not associated with a Tag Holder, you should contact Nominet in writing to check that your contact details are up-to-date.

A list of Nominet Tag Holders can be found here.

Where can we find further information?

You can contact the project team by email to pre-nom@nominet.org.uk, by telephoning 01865 332211 or by fax to 01865 332288. Please direct all enquiries regarding pre-Nominet domain name registrations to the project team who will be happy to help.

Contact Details:

Nominet UK
Sandford Gate
Sandy Lane West
OXFORD
OX4 6LB

phone: 01865 332211
fax: 01865 332288
email: pre-nom@nominet.org.uk