Support for Registrars
Frequently asked questions for potential Registrars about certification
What is a Registrar?
A Registrar is an individual or organization certified by CIRA to facilitate the registration, transfer, renewal, and modification of registration data for customers that have, or are applying for, dot-ca domains.
Who can become a Registrar?
To be certified by CIRA as a Registrar, you must meet Canadian presence and minimum service requirements; understand CIRA's registration rules and the domain system in general; sign a Registrar Agreement, and abide by the Technical Rules and Specifications for Registrars; and pay fees.
CIRA has over 150 certified Registrars and regularly certifies new Registrars. To ensure an open and competitive marketplace for dot-ca domain names, CIRA’s policy is to certify an unlimited number of qualified Registrars.
For complete certification requirements, see Procedures, policies and certification requirements for becoming a Registrar.
How do I become a CIRA certified Registrar?
The first steps are to read the relevant documents, including "Procedures, policies and certification requirements for becoming a Registrar," and to fill in the online Expression of Interest form. For details about the entire process, see Outline of Process
The Expression of Interest form asks for a PGP Public Key. What is that?
PGP stands for Pretty Good Privacy, an encryption mechanism. You can get a PGP Public Key from many sources, including www.pgpi.org/products/pgp/versions/freeware/ and www.pgp.com.
You should be well versed in encryption technologies before you submit an Expression of Interest. You need to understand and know how to use this technology in order to meet CIRA's certification requirements. Any good web site or book addressing security issues relating to email encryption should be able to answer detailed questions.
Why can’t I input my PGP Public Key into the Expression of Interest form?
You cannot type, or copy and paste your PGP Public Key into the Expression of Interest form. You have to export the key into the form. If exporting the key results in an error message, please send a copy of the error message to info@cira.ca.
How much will it cost to become a Registrar?
When you apply for certification, you pay a one-time, non-refundable fee, which is currently $1,000. You also pay your first annual certification fee and an account deposit, which will allow you to begin servicing customers as soon as you’re certified. The annual certification fee and account deposit will be refunded if you are not certified. Fees are subject to change.
As a Registrar, you must maintain a CIRA account with a positive balance at all times of at least $ 250. Transaction fees (including applicable taxes) relating to your clients’ activities are automatically withdrawn from this account.
If we’re certified, how soon can we start processing registrations?
You can start processing registrations as soon as you're certified and your service and technical operations are ready for customers. You must notify CIRA when you're ready to offer services.
What is CIRA's role in promoting Registrars?
When you apply for certification to become a Registrar, you can request that your business name and URL be listed at www.cira.ca.
CIRA promotes Registrars fairly. The online list is automatically sorted in random order each time it is displayed. After it is displayed, users can sort it alphabetically, by province or territory, or by language of service.
