What's in a name?
A guide to protecting your domain name registration.
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A proud pet owner has a dog named Joe Brown. |
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A political hopeful begins planning the campaign to elect Joe Brown. |
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A budding entrepreneur launches a brand new restaurant called Joe Brown's. |
This doesn't seem like a problem until the question is raised, Who gets to register joebrown.ca?
The answer is that all of these people can register the domain name, as long as they are Canadian residents or represent a Canadian organization.
The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) acts on behalf of all Canadians to provide fair and equal access to dot-ca domain name registrations. Whether the website you want to create is about your dog, your business or yourself, you can register that domain name and control its use - but only if it's not already registered to someone else.
The easiest way to protect your domain name is to be the first to register it, because domain names are registered on a first-come, first-served basis. In the Joe Brown example, the first to register joebrown.ca can use the domain name.
Remember—a domain name can reflect your identity. It's your responsibility to manage the registration.
Register Your Domain Name
If you are a Canadian resident or represent a Canadian organization, you can register a dot-ca domain name in three easy steps:
- Choose your dot-ca name and make sure the name you wish to register isn't already taken. You can do that by entering the name in the WHOIS box on CIRA's website at www.cira.ca.
- When you have confirmed that the domain name is available, choose a Certified Registrar from the CIRA website.
- Complete the registration process with the Registrar you have chosen.
Is this the first dot-ca domain name you have registered? If so, you may be directed to the CIRA website to read and accept CIRA's Registrant Agreement and registration rules.
You can register your dot-ca domain name for a period of one to ten years. If you know that you are going to keep your domain name registration for the long term, registering for more than one year at a time may be convenient for you.
If this seems complicated, don't worry. Friendly CIRA representatives are available toll-free at 1-877-860-1411 from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm (Eastern time) to help you with the process.
The Administrative Contact
When you register your domain name, you will be asked to provide contact names for that registration. The most important of these is the Administrative Contact.
CIRA and your Registrar communicate only with the Administrative Contact and will send correspondence only to the email address you provide for that person. If the person listed is not the person who is responsible for administering the domain name registration, or if the email address is incorrect, expiry and renewal notifications from CIRA or the Registrar will not be received.
The easiest way to ensure that your Registrar and CIRA communicate with the right person is to ensure that you have listed that person as the Administrative Contact and that the email address you provided is up to date.
Keep It Current
Keeping your dot-ca registration information current is extremely important, and we've tried to make it as easy as possible for you. Your Registrar will usually notify you by email 60 days before your domain name registration is scheduled to expire. If you still have not renewed, CIRA will alert your Administrative Contact that your domain name registration is going to expire seven days before it becomes inactive.
When you renew your dot-ca domain name registration, you can register for up to ten years. Remember that longer registration periods mean fewer renewals and greater convenience.
Don't Lose Control
If you forget to renew your dot-ca domain name, it will become inactive for up to thirty days. That means that any websites or email addresses associated with the domain name registration will not work. During this time, only the Administrative Contact can renew the domain name registration.
If the registration is renewed during the thirty-day suspension period, it will become active again. If it is not renewed during the thirty days, it will be released to the public and can be registered by someone else. Domain name registrations are usually registered by other parties very soon after they are released. If another party registers your domain name after it has been released, there is very little you can do to get it back.
There are some special circumstances. If you have a Canadian registered trade-mark that resembles a domain name registered by another party, you may be able to begin a proceeding through CIRA's third-party dispute resolution process. For more information on CIRA's dispute resolution process, visit the CIRA website at www.cira.ca.
Things to Remember
- Nobody owns a dot-ca domain name. Domain names are simply registered by individuals or organizations for one to ten years.
- Keep your Administrative Contact information and email address current. Without them, you will not receive notices of renewal and risk losing your domain name registration.
- Minimize the risk of having your domain name registration transferred to someone else without your permission. Keep your Administrative Contact email address up-to-date and functional. And keep your user IDs and passwords secure!
If you let your registration lapse, someone else can register the domain name and control your identity.
Who Is CIRA?
The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) is the not-for-profit, member-driven organization that manages Canada's dot-ca (.ca) domain name registry, develops and implements policies that support Canada's Internet community, and represents the dot-ca registry internationally. CIRA processes over 300 million requests per day to connect Internet users with over one million dot-ca Internet addresses. For more information, visit: www.cira.ca.
Additional information about CIRA is available at www.cira.ca.
General Inquiries and Customer Service:
Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm (Eastern)
Phone: 1-877-860-1411 (toll-free)
Fax: 1-800-285-0517 (toll-free)
