• General FAQ

  .ME Registrar FAQ

  Registrar Security FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

.ME Registrar FAQ

1. What is an authorization code? How do I use one?
2. What finance-related issues should registrars be aware of?
3. What is the port 43 Whois-Server?
4. What time conventions are used?
5. What are the valid characters and valid lengths for domain names?
6. What are the status values?

1. What is an authorization code? How do I use one?
   When a domain name is registered, a registrant is required to create a contact object along with a password.  This password is the authorization code used for conducting registrar-to-registrar transfers (passwords are not required for any other operation with a domain).
   
   When a registrant wishes to transfer a domain to a new registrar, providing the “authorization code“ (or auth code) to the new registrar (gaining registrar) is the only action required to initiate the transfer process. Registrars are obliged to provide registrants with the respective “authorization code” for a domain upon receiving such a request.
2. What finance-related issues should registrars be aware of?
   Please refer to the Credit and Payment Policies document provided by the .ME Registry for complete information on funding Registry accounts.  Generally, registrars are required to submit the provided financial forms, which must indicate the desired funding level and notification thresholds for an account.  Importantly, when a registrar drops below their requested low balance notification threshold, the Registry will automatically send an email alert to the designated contact. 
3. What is the port 43 Whois-Server?
   The port 43 Whois-Server can be located at “whois.meregistry.net”
4. What time conventions are used?
   The .ME registry uses the UTC time for WHOIS and generally all data/displays.  UTC stands Coordinated Universal Time, which is essentially the same as GMT since both uses the time in Greenwich, England as the base reference point.  For more information on UTC, please reference the World Clock website.
   
   In the Web administrative tool, dates are formatted YYYY-MM-DD.
5. What are the valid characters and valid lengths for domain names?
   Please refer to the Registrar Manual for details. Additionally, at this time, the .ME Registry does not support multilingual domain names in foreign character sets.
6. What are status values?
   Domains can be in various states, which allow or restrict certain actions to be executed on the domain.  Statuses for a domain are displayed in the domain record as well as the WHOIS for a particular domain name.  Two types of status values exist – client or server.  Client-related statuses can be placed on a domain or object by its owner (registrar), and can also be removed by the registrar. Server-related statuses are usually placed on domains or other objects by the Registry system itself in special cases like to enforce a grace period.
   • OK: This is the normal status of a domain.
   • pendingTransfer: A transfer is in progress. Displayed during the transfer period.
   • DeleteProhibited: The object cannot be deleted until the status is removed.
   • Hold: The domain name can be updated, renewed, deleted, or transferred; however, the domain name is not included in the zone and will not resolve via DNS. This status value is also placed on a domain by Registry when a domain does not have at least two nameservers.
   • RenewProhibited: Requests to renew the domain name will be rejected; however the domain name can be transferred, deleted, or updated.
   • TransferProhibited: The domain cannot be deleted until the status is removed.