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Domain validation & verification

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  • Applies to: Domain Registrations
    • Difficulty: Easy
    • Time Needed: 5 min
    • Tools Required: Email access

Overview

Beginning January 1, 2014, new ICANN rules related to domain registration ownership are in effect for all registrars. The new rules require that a domain's registration be validated via email in the following scenarios:

  • A new domain is registered.
  • A domain is transferred to a new owner.
  • The ownership information on the domain WHOIS is modified.
  • A domain's 30-day or 5-day annual renewal notice (also known as the "WDRP") returns an email bounce message.

In situations requiring verification, validation messages are sent to the listed WHOIS owner contact. If the verification process is not completed within 15 days, the domain will enter a suspended state and will be locked against additional activity or transfer.

If your domain was registered on or after February 17, 2014, you will see the following message, sent from "sales@secureserver.net."

2072_1_validation 

If you registered your domain prior to February 17, 2014, the email you receive will be similar to the example below.

NOTE

From: "Media Temple, Inc" <dnsadmin@mediatemple.net>
Subject: ACTION REQUIRED: Please verify your Media Temple domain name right away
Date: January 1, 2014 1:10:11 PM PST
To: <your@email.com>

Dear Media Temple customer,

Recently you registered, transferred, or modified the contact information for the following domain name:

mt-example.com

As of January 1, 2014, ICANN regulations require domain name registrars to validate your new contact information. To keep your domain name(s) from being suspended, please click the following link and follow the verification instructions:

https://approve.domainadmin.com/registrant/?verification_id=unique_url_string

If you have any questions about domain validation, please read this KnowledgeBase article (https://kb.mediatemple.net/questions/2072), or visit the Media Temple Help Center (https://mediatemple.net/help).

Regards,

(mt) Media Temple

Instructions

    1. The registrant contact needs to be validated upon the purchase or transfer of a domain name, or when the registrant's first or last name is modified.
    2. When domain validation is required, an email is sent on behalf of (mt) Media Temple by our affiliated registrar. This message is sent to the listed registrant contact and requires a link be clicked from the email to validate the domain.
  • If no response is received, this email will be re-sent on day 5, 10, and 13 within the 15-day validation window.

NOTE:

  • Messages sent on day 10 and 13 will also be copied to the Admin, Tech, and Billing contacts.
  1. Per new ICANN regulations, the domain will be automatically suspended after 15 days of non-response. 
  2. The domain can be reinstated by completing the validation email sent to the Owner/Registrant contact on the domain WHOIS record.

Resending the Domain Verification email

If you didn't receive your domain verification email, this may be because it might have gone into your spam folder or it went to an old email address that you no longer use. However, once you have updated the WhoIs information, you can resend the domain verification email by doing the following:

    1. Log into the Account Center. 
    2. Navigate to your domain's control panel.
    3. Select Domain Verification from the menu.
      2072_domainverification
    4. Click the Resend Verification Email button to continue
      2072_resendverification

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Is (mt) Media Temple alone in instituting new requirements for domain registrations?
    • This is not a (mt) Media Temple decision, but is due to ICANN regulations taking effect in 2014. As such, all registrars must comply with these new regulations.
  • Why are these new ICANN rules taking effect?
    • These regulations are taking effect for security reasons; the main goal appears to be to prevent the growing trend of "domain hijacking" in advance of a wide-ranging field of new Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs).
  • Which TLDs do these new regulations take effect for?
    • These regulations apply to all gTLDs.
  • Will my existing domain registration be affected by this change?
    • Existing registrations will not be impacted unless the first or last name in the WHOIS contact information is modified. Changes to your WHOIS contact information will now trigger a verification email.
  • How will I know if my domain has been suspended under this policy?
    • Domains suspended for non-verification reasons will display a blank white page.
  • My domain was suspended under this policy. How do I get my domain reactivated?
    • Please note that suspended domains under this policy are not suspended by (mt) Media Temple, but by our affiliated registrar in accordance with recently introduced ICANN requirements. As such, you simply need to follow the instructions provided to you in the validation emails to reactivate your domain. Usually, this is a single-click verification.
  • My domain is suspended, and the email listed on the WHOIS record is inaccessible. Help!
    • This can be resolved by updating the WHOIS record through your domain's Control Panel in the Account Center. Once the WHOIS record is updated, the email should send automatically to the new address.
    • If you still have trouble after updating the WHOIS record, please contact our support team via chat, telephone, or support request to resolve this issue. Although such suspensions are not being performed by (mt) Media Temple directly, our agents will be able to assist you in completing the verification process and updating any necessary records with our affiliated registrar.

If you're still having trouble, please log into your Account Center and open a chat or support reqest, or give us a call via telephone.

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