Domain registration rules

APPROVED
Order
of the operational and analytical centre
under the President of the Republic of Belarus
18.06.2010 No. 47

 

INSTRUCTIONS on the procedure of domain names registration in the field of hierarchical names of the national segment of the Internet network

 

CHAPTER 1
GENERAL PROVISIONS

1. The present Instructions are elaborated in accordance with the Decree No. 60 dated February 01, 2010 “On measures of the improvement of the Internet network national segment use” (National register of the legislative acts of the Republic of Belarus, 2010, No. 29, 1/11368) and determine the procedure of domain names registration in the field of hierarchical names of the national segment of the Internet network.

2. For the purposes of the present Instructions the terms and definitions are used in the meanings established by the Decree No. 60 of the President of the Republic of Belarus dated February 01, 2010, as well as the following terms and definitions are used:

  • Domain administrator – a legal entity or an individual who has concluded an agreement on the registration of a domain name and performs the domain administration;
  • Pause of the domain administration – temporary deprivation of rights of a domain administrator on administration;
  • Administrator of the national domain zone – a specially authorized governmental authority in the sphere of security of the national segment of the Internet network use *;
  • Domain administration – determination of the domain use procedure;
  • Domain delegation – introduction of information to the national domain zone by the registrar relating to the domain and servers of the domain names (DNS) providing for its functioning, their network addresses indicated by the domain administrator, and/or the introduction of data on a new domain administrator to the register;
  • Domain zone – a field of the hierarchical space of the domain names in the Internet network which is indicated by a unique domain name;
  • Domain name (domain) – a symbolic (alphanumerical) designation formed in accordance with the international rules of the Internet network addressing intended for the named call of the information resource of the Internet network and corresponding to a certain network address;
  • Applicant – a legal entity or an individual appealing for the registration of a domain name;
  • National domain zone – a hierarchical segment of the Internet network consisting of the set of complexes of software and hardware tools providing for the functioning of domains in frames of the system of the Internet network domain names;
  • National domain – a domain of the first (upper) level with the domain name “by” **;
  • Registrar – a legal entity accredited by the administrator of the national domain zone for services rendering relating to the domain names registration in the national segment of the Internet network;
  • Domain registration – organizational and technical events necessary for the provision of the claimed domain name functioning;
  • Register – the centralized set of databases of the national domain zone containing the information on the registered domain names;
  • Network address (IP-address) – a unique numerical device identifier operating in the Internet network;
  • Technical administrator of the national domain zone – an authorized organization providing for the functioning of the national domain zone;
  • Domain transfer - organizational and technical events on the change of a registrar rendering services on the domain name registration;
  • Technical events – a complex of works relating to the provision of domain names’ servers functioning, timely introduction, modification and presentation of information necessary for the provision of domains functioning, as well as the technical provision of the equipment operability of a registrar, a technical administrator;
  • Domain level – a quantity of words in a domain name separated by dots (”.”).

* Pursuant to Article 13 of the Decree No. 60 of the President of the Republic of Belarus dated February 01, 2010, the specially authorized governmental authority in the sphere of security of the national segment of the Internet network use is the Operational and analytical centre under the President of the Republic of Belarus

** bу is the official two-lettered code of the Republic of Belarus in accordance with the International standard1803166-1 approved by the United Nations Organization

3. The registration of domain names is performed with the purpose of their further use for the addressing of the domain administrator resources in the Internet network.

4. Domain names may be of the first, second, third and further levels. The domain name level is determined by the ordinal number of a word located on the left of the first level domain name “.by”.

5. The rights for the national domain zone are provided for to the Republic of Belarus by the Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

6. A domain name shall contain not less than two and no more than sixty three letters of the Latin alphabet, numbers, symbols, hyphen “-“, it shall not begin, end with the symbol hyphen “-“, in the 3rd and 4th positions simultaneously.

In case an applicant is a legal entity it is recommended while choosing a domain name to use the name of the organization or a group of organizations on behalf of which the agreement on the second level domain name registration of the national domain is concluded (hereinafter – agreement).

The following domain names shall not be subject to the registration: containing words or phrases not corresponding with the general moral and ethic standards, rousing the international hatred, advocating violence, cruelty and other actions prohibited by the laws of the Republic of Belarus.

While choosing a domain name one should avoid the names coinciding with the titles of the famous trademarks, service marks and organizations.

7. The registrars performing the organizational and technical arrangements on the provision of the second level domain name registration of the national domain zone shall be determined by the national domain zone administrator.

8. In case of revelation of the unauthentic data on the domain registration, agreement details, domain in the register, as well as upon availability of the information on violations connected with the use of the domain name, the administrator of the national domain zone shall have the right to hold up the domain delegation, administration or to exclude the domain from the register.

9. The period of temporary suspension of the domain administration shall be 30 calendar days. The period of temporary suspension of the domain administration may be prolonged if the registrar is provided with the institution materials in the court proceedings on the case connected with the use of the domain name.

 

CHAPTER 2
THE REGISTRAR. RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE REGISTRAR

10. The administrator of the national domain zone may involve registrars for the registration of the second level domain names in the hierarchical space of the national segment of the Internet network.

11. The registrar may be a legal entity created in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Belarus with the location in the Republic of Belarus (hereinafter in the present chapter – the organization).

12. The complex of software and hardware tools of the registrar shall correspond to the requirements stated in Appendix 1 to the present Instructions.

13. The organizations willing to be a registrar:

13.1. shall have a special permission (license) of the Operational and analytical centre under the President of the Republic of Belarus for the fulfilment of activity relating to the technical protection of information including by cryptographical methods as well as the use of electronic digital signature;

13.2. sends the complex of software and hardware tools of the registrar to the technical administrator for the testing;

13.3. concludes an agreement with the administrator of the national domain zone after receipt of the positive results of the testing.

14. The registrar shall have the right to register domain names in the national domain zone on behalf of its organization in the other registrar only.

15. In case of activity termination the registrar shall be obliged to transfer information on the agreements with the domain administrators which were serviced by him to the technical administrator.

16. The registrar is to keep details of the agreements on the domain names registration of the second and subsequent levels as well as other information identifying the subjects of the agreement within three years.

17. The registrar shall be obliged to:

  • transfer the requested information to the administrator of the national domain zone and technical administrator;
  • carry out a number of organizational and technical events on data protection of the domain administrator with the purpose of provision of integrity and availability of a domain being registered (delegated) and personal data confidentiality.

 

CHAPTER 3
REGISTRATION OF THE SECOND LEVEL DOMAIN NAMES

18. The registration of the second level domain names in the national domain zone is performed by the registrars on the basis of agreements concluded with the applicants.

19. In order to register a domain name an applicant shall conclude an agreement according to the procedure determined by the registrar and make payment for the domain name registration. Such agreement shall come into force and be binding on the parties from the moment of payment by the registrar.

20. The registrar shall perform the registration of the domain name by means of information entry to the register upon agreement coming into force.

21. A domain name is located in the register on the name of the applicant whose agreement was first to come into force, and the applicant whose domain name is located in the register shall possess the rights for the domain administration.

22. The term of validity of the agreement shall be one year upon its coming into force. Upon termination of the agreement validity, the domain shall be transferred by the registrar to the condition at which its administration or any other use is not allowed. In this case the domain is not excluded from the register.

In such condition, the domain may be until the registrar receives payment for the extension of the agreement, but no more than 30 calendar days upon expiration of which the domain name shall be excluded from the register. The extension of the agreement shall be performed from the end day of its validity.

23. The domain administrator shall be obliged to inform the registrar on all changes of the personal data or data of a legal entity stated in the agreement no later than one month from the moment of such changes introduction.

24. The registrar upon receipt of the information from the domain administrator relating to the changes of the personal data or data of a legal entity stated in the agreement shall be obliged to introduce such changes into the register within three days.

25. The registrar shall perform the registration of the second level domain names for the administrator of the national domain zone without entering into agreement.

26. The administrator of the national domain zone may cancel the agreement effect between the registrar and the administrator of the domain in case violations of the present Instructions’ requirements of one party or both parties are revealed.

 

CHAPTER 4
DELEGATION AND TRANSFER OF DOMAINS

27. The information necessary for the domain delegation shall be included into the register on the basis of data provided for by the domain administrator to the registrar performing the domain registration.

28. The domain administrator may send the applications for the termination or renewal of the domain delegation except for the periods when delegation is terminated by the administrator of the national domain zone.

29. The domain delegation is performed on the basis of the application submitted by the domain administrator.

30. The domain delegation is terminated by the registrar:

30.1. upon end of the condition to which the domain has been transferred in accordance with the paragraph 22 of the present Instructions;

30.2. in case of the domain exclusion from the register;

30.3. on the basis of the court decision.

31. The transfer of the domain shall be performed on the basis of the application submitted by the domain administrator on the intention to perform the domain transfer sent to the registrar’s address with whom the agreement is concluded, as well as the registrar with whom the agreement conclusion is suggested.

32. The transfer of the domain shall be made by the registrar with whom the agreement is concluded, as well as with the registrar with whom the agreement conclusion is suggested.

 

CHAPTER 5
EXTENSION OF THE AGREEMENT

33. The registrar shall send the notification to the domain administrator on the expiration of the agreement and suggestion for its prolongation by means of E-mail or in writing one month before the expiration of the agreement.

34. The term of validity of the agreement may be prolonged by the domain administrator within the period of its validity as well as within 30 calendar days after expiration of the agreement.

35. The agreement shall be deemed prolonged after payment of the domain administrator to the corresponding account of the registrar.

36. Should the payment be absent, the registrar shall exclude the domain names stated in the agreement from the register upon expiration of thirty days.

37. Within the period of termination of the domain administration the domain administrator shall not have the right to perform any actions with the domain except for the extension of the agreement.

38. Upon the expiration of the agreement within the period of the domain administration temporary suspension, the term of validity of the agreement shall be prolonged till the expiration of this period.

 

CHAPTER 6
REGISTRATION OF THE DOMAIN NAMES OF THE THIRD AND SUBSEQUENT LEVELS

39. Domain names of the third and subsequent levels in “.by” domain are registered by the registrars of the corresponding upper level domains.

40. In order to register the domain name of the third and subsequent levels with respect to the third parties the administrator of the corresponding domain shall register the agreement with the third party in the registrar of the second level domain.

41. The term of validity of the agreement for the registration of the third level and/or subsequent level domains shall not exceed the term of validity of the agreement for the registration of the corresponding second level domain.

42. The registration of the domain names in the special domain zones gov.by, mil.by is performed by the administrator of the national domain zone.

 

CHAPTER 7
RENUNCIATION AND TRANSFER OF THE RIGHTS FOR THE DOMAIN ADMINISTRATION

43. The domain administrator shall have the right to waive the right for the domain administration at any time within the agreement validity except for the cases of the domain administration validity.

44. In order to waive the right for the domain administration the domain administrator shall send the written application to the registrar.

45. The domain administrator shall have the opportunity to transfer the rights for the domain administration to the other legal entity or an individual. In order to transfer the rights for the domain administration, the domain administrator shall send an application on such rights transfer to the registrar with the indication of information on the other applicant.

46. The registrar upon receipt of the application on the domain administrator’s intention to transfer the rights for the domain administration to the other applicant shall conclude agreement with this applicant in accordance with the present Instructions.

47. The agreement with the other applicant shall be concluded on a free-of-charge basis for the remaining term of the agreement concluded with the domain administrator.

48. The registrar shall introduce the corresponding changes into the register after agreement conclusion.

 

CHAPTER 8
THE TECHNICAL ADMINISTRATOR OF THE NATIONAL DOMAIN ZONE. RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE NATIONAL DOMAIN ZONE

49. The technical administrator of the national domain zone (hereinafter - the technical administrator) may be a legal entity created in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Belarus with the location in the Republic of Belarus.

50. The technical administrator shall be determined by the administrator of the national domain zone according to the results of the competition carried out under the Regulations on the procedure of the competition carrying out relating to the determination of the technical administrator of the national domain zone.

51. The technical administrator:

  • provides for the functioning of the national domain zone;
  • provides for the functioning of the inquiry and communications system on the domain names in the national domain zone the requirements to which are stated in Appendix 2 attached to the present Instructions;
  • cooperates with the international organizations with regard to the issues on provision of the national domain zone functioning;
  • performs technical support of the register.

52. In case the registrar terminates his/her activities the technical administrator shall send notifications to the domain administrators on the term of validity of their agreements, the necessity to choose other registrars and concluding agreements with them. The technical administrator shall perform operational arrangements at the moment of the domain transfer.

53. The technical administrator shall perform testing of the complexes of software and hardware tools of the registrars for the compliance with the requirements stated in Appendix 1 to the present Instructions.

Pursuant to the testing results, the technical administrator shall send the certificates on the testing results to the administrator of the national domain zone.

 

APPENDICES

Appendix 1 to the Instructions
on the procedure of domain names
registration in the field of hierarchical names
of the national segment of the Internet network

REQUIREMENTS
to the complex of software and hardware tools of a registrar

The complex of software and hardware tools of the registrar (hereinafter – the complex) realizes the protocol of interaction between the registrars with the register of the national domain zone xRRP.

The complex must use the protected network protocols on the basis of data authentication.

The complex shall perform the inspection of the complex administrator authorities on the basis of data authentication.

The complex shall perform logging and audit of the security events.

The system time set on the complex shall be synchronized with the standard sources of time.

The complex shall perform everyday data back-up ensuring the integrity and full recovery of data in case of software and/or hardware failures.

The complex shall be protected against unauthorized access.

Computer network comprising the complex shall contain the means of firewalling and filtration.

The complex shall be provided with the uninterrupted power.

 

Appendix 2 to the Instructions
on the procedure of domain names
registration in the field of hierarchical names
of the national segment of the Internet network

REQUIREMENTS
to the national inquiry and communications system on the domain names in the national domain zone

The national inquiry and communications system on the domain names in the national domain zone (WHOIS service) shall contain the following information:

  • at the registration of the domain name by an individual:
    • name, patronymic name, surname;
    • country (two-lettered code according to ISO 3166-1 alpha-2);
    • residential area (place of residence);
    • contact number;
    • E-mail address;
  • at the registration of the domain name by a legal entity:
    • name of an organization;
    • country (two-lettered code according to ISO 3166-1 alpha-2);
    • residential area (place of residence);
    • contact number;
    • E-mail address.