WHOIS Data Accuracy

This document includes the following sections:

  • Whois Data Accuracy Rules
  • Enforcement of Whois Accuracy
  • Review Your Public Whois Information
  • GDPR Policy
  • Review Your Private Customer Record
  • Updating Whois Information
  • Replacing a Whois Contact
  • Updating Your Customer Record
  • Keeping Your Data Private
  • How We Avoid “Whois Spam”

Whois Data Accuracy Rules

The current ICANN rules require Vianames to remind each Registrant to keep the contact information for their domain name(s) up-to-date. Inaccurate Whois information can be grounds for cancellation of a domain name.

You agree to provide Vianames with accurate and reliable contact details upon registration and during the term of the domain registration. This information includes:

  • Your full name, postal address, e-mail address, voice telephone number, and fax number if available. You must also provide the name of an authorized person for contact purposes in the case of an Registered Name Holder that is an organization, association, or corporation.
  • The names of the primary nameserver and secondary nameserver(s) for the Registered Name;
  • The name, postal address, e-mail address, voice telephone number, and (where available) fax number of the technical contact for the Registered Name; and
  • The name, postal address, e-mail address, voice telephone number, and (where available) fax number of the administrative contact for the Registered Name. Further, you agree to notify Vianames within seven (7) business days when any of the information you provided as part of the application and/or registration process changes. It is your responsibility to keep this information in a current and accurate status.

Failure by you, for whatever reason, to provide Vianames with accurate and reliable information on an initial and continual basis, shall be considered to be a material breach of this agreement.

Failure by you, for whatever reason, to respond within fifteen (15) business days to any inquiries made by Vianames to determine the validity of information provided by you, shall also be considered to be a material breach of this agreement, and can be a basis for suspension and/or cancellation of the domain registration.

Enforcement of Accurate Whois Data

  • Vianames shall accept written complaints from third parties regarding false and/or inaccurate Whois data of Registrants
  • The Registrant shall be required to update its contact information no later than 15 (15) calendar days from the date of such notice. If, within fifteen (15) days, Registrant can either (i) show that it has not provided false or inaccurate contact information or (ii) provide the updated Whois information, then the registrant will be allowed to maintain the domain name registration. If, however, after fifteen (15) days, the registrant either does not respond to Registrar’s notice or is unable to provide true and accurate contact information, the registrant shall be deemed to have breached its registration agreement and be a basis for suspension and/or cancellation of the Registered Name registration
  • Vianames shall not be required to refund any fees paid by the Registrant if Vianames terminates a Registrant’s registration agreement due to its enforcement of this provision.
  • A Registrant may request to Recover a domain deleted due to inaccurate Whois data, provided it is still in the “Pending Delete” status. When a registrar restores a name (from the redemption grace period) that had been deleted on the basis of submission of false contact data or non-response to registrar inquiries, the name must be placed on Registrar Hold status until the registrant has provided updated and accurate Whois information.

If you would like to avoid disclosing personal information in the Whois record, Vianames offers a Whois Privacy Service.

Review your Public Whois Information

You can review your Whois information by simply selecting the “Whois” link at the bottom of this page. If you have several domains with Vianames, you may prefer to access your user account and view all of your domains on one screen.

If no changes are required, then no further action is required.

GDPR Policy

On 17 May 2018, the ICANN Board approved a Temporary Specification, to establish temporary requirements for how ICANN and contracted parties will continue to comply with existing contractual and policy requirements while also complying with GDPR. More info about GDPR here.

Review your Private Customer Record

We also recommend that you login and review your private customer record. This is used to send renewal notices to your private postal address and customer email address.

  • Login to your account
  • Select “Customer” and then “List Customer”
  • Select the link shown for your customer ID
  • Review your private information
  • To change any information, select “Modify Customer”

Updating Whois Information

Please follow these steps to update your WHOIS information.

  • Login to your account
  • If you do not know your username or password, then select the “Recover Username” or “Forgot Password” links to recover/reset them.
  • Select “Domains/List Domains”
  • Select “Continue” to list all of your domains
  • Starting from the far right column, select the link for the first Registrant handle and review the registrant’s contact details. If changes are required,
    • Select “Modify”.
    • Make any necessary updates,
    • Select “Continue” and then
    • Select “Confirm” to save the changes.
    • Close this window.
  • Repeat as necessary for the other contact handles: Admin, Tech, Billing.
  • Note: you can not modify contacts not owned by you, such as “VIANAMES”. To view the contacts you own, go to “Contacts-List”

Replacing a Whois Contact

If you would like to replace a contact, then you select the link in the first column for modifying the domain name. You can either re-use an existing contact you own or create a new one to use (via the “Contact-Add Contact” menu)

  • Select “Modify” and make your changes. The contact must already exist for you to use it for your domain.
  • If you want to create a new contact, use the “Contacts-Add Contact” screen first
  • Select “Continue” to review your changes
  • Select “Commit” to save your changes

Updating Your Customer Record

IMPORTANT: Review your Customer record to make sure it is accurate, especially if you plan on keeping your personal data private in the Whois. This record is separate from the Whois contacts. It is kept confidential by Vianames and is not disclosed to any third parties.

  • Login to your account
  • Select the link for “Customer Record/Modify Customer”.
  • Select the link for “Modify Customer”.

Keeping Your Data Private

There are actually two copies of the Whois database: one maintained by Vianames and one maintained by the Registry. With the exception of .com and .net, the registry actually publishes MORE personal data about the registrant than does Vianames.  We also cannot guarantee that our Whois database will not be data-mined by third parties.

Many of our customers would like to avoid publishing personal data such as their home address or personal telephone number in the public Whois database. However, do not make up false data as this can be grounds for cancellation of your domain name.

Vianames provides a Whois privacy service for a low annual fee that protects all of the domains in your account. For more details, visit Whois Privacy.