gov.in Domain Registration Service India

Frequently asked Questions (FAQ)

• Domain Name Registration
  • What are the eligibility requirements for obtaining a name in the GOV.IN / सरकार.भारत domain?
    Government Organizations can get domain name under GOV.IN / सरकार.भारत as per the guidelines
  • Are Government Schools/Colleges/Universities are eligible for names in the GOV.IN Domain?
    Educational Institutions are advised to register domain names under AC.IN or EDU.IN or RES.IN as per their functions/activities. ERNET is the exclusive registrar for the AC.IN, EDU.IN & RES.IN Domain names. Please visit the site http://www.registry.ernet.in and follow the registration procedures to register a domain name under AC.IN, EDU.IN & RES.IN.
  • My Department already has a name in the NIC.IN domain. Can we still request and use a name in the GOV.IN domain? Do we have to give up our existing name?
    As per the latest .IN Domain Name Policy, Department of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India has advised all Union as well as State Government Departments to have a Domain name under GOV.IN to provide on-line Services over the Internet. If your web site is already hosted on NIC.IN or any other domain, you can acquire a domain name under GOV.IN and map the same to the existing website. No need to give up your existing name, the acquired GOV.IN domain name can be mapped with the website along with the existing domain names.
  • How do I register a GOV.IN/ सरकार.भारत domain name for my Ministry/Department/ Organization?
    Please visit the link to know about domain registration process at https://registry.gov.in/domainregister_procedure.php
  • What are the naming conventions for GOV.IN domain?
    For details on domain naming conventions under GOV.IN Domain, Please visit https://www.registry.gov.in/domiannamingcon.php
  • What are the valid characters for a domain name and how long can it be?
    The only valid characters for a domain name are letters, numbers and a hyphen. Any other characters like including a space are not permitted. Domain names cannot begin or end with a hyphen. A domain name may be between 3 and 63 characters in length (excluding the extension GOV.IN). For more detail, please visit https://www.registry.gov.in/domiannamingcon.php.
  • Who has to sign the Authorization Letter?
    The Authorization Letter should be signed by the person of organizational contact on his pre-printed letter head or put seal of the name and designation of the organization contact if there is no pre-printed letter head is available. Also note that the Organizational and Administration Contacts should be two different persons (different name and email address)
  • Where do I send my Authorization Letter?
    The Authorization letter has to be submitted online after login using valid login details at registry.gov.in
  • • Who has to sign Forwarding Letter (Annexure II)?^new
    Forwarding Letter Should be signed by Nodal Officer nominated by the parent Ministry/ Department/ State.In case nodal officer has not been nominated, the Forwarding Letter should be signed by Non-nodal officer by adding the detail online while generating request letters.
  • How can I check whether a domain name is available or not?
    Please follow the link https://www.registry.gov.in/domain_check.php to check the availability of a domain name. (Check for URL of new site)
  • Who is domain Sign-Up person? ^new
    Sign-Up person is the person who signup on https://registry.gov.in for registering a GOV.IN domain. Sign-Up must be person from the department who is owning the domain name.
  • How To get Digital Signature Certificate? ^new
    Contact Any Certiying Authority.
  • How To Get email address in NIC.IN? ^new
    To get email address in NIC.IN, please contact NIC State Centre or District Centre. You may get more details at http://email.gov.in.
  • Where to get Authorization Letter Formats? ^new
    You may generate the Authorization Letter for Domain Registration, Renewal and Cancellation of Domain after Sign-In.

• Domain Name Management
  • How can I renew my domain name?
    Please follow procedures available at https://registry.gov.in/domainrenewal_procedure.php
  • What if the information in the WHIOIS database is wrong for a GOV.IN Domain Name?
    If you find any discripency in your GOV.IN Domain Information, the same can be modified using the online Domain Update Forms available at https://registry.gov.in/domainauth/domain_modify.php. Once the updations are over, the details can be verified using WHOIS Query.
  • How do I make nameserver address changes?
    Changes to a nameserver IP address or changes to the nameserver name in the domain, can be made through the online Domain Update Forms at https://registry.gov.in/domainauth/domain_modify.php. Once the updations are over, the details can be verified using WHOIS Query.
  • How can I modify the contact details of a Domain Name?
    The Domain Contact (Dept, Admin & Tech) details can be updated through the online Domain Update Forms at https://registry.gov.in/domainauth/domain_modify.php. Once the updations are over, the details can be verified using WHOIS Query.
  • How do I make nameserver address changes?
    Changes to a nameserver IP address or changes to the nameserver name in the domain, can be made through the online Domain Update Forms at https://registry.gov.in/domainauth/domain_modify.php. Once the updations are over, the details can be verified using WHOIS Query.
  • How can I modify the contact details of a Domain Name?
    The Domain Contact (Dept, Admin & Tech) details can be updated through the online Domain Update Forms at https://registry.gov.in/domainauth/domain_modify.php. Once the updations are over, the details can be verified using WHOIS Query.
  • What is Domain ID? ^new
    Domain ID is a 10 digit Unique number assigned for any GOV.IN domain names. It is important to mention the Domain ID for any correspondence to GOV.IN registrar.
  • If who is query out put shows status as "INACTIVE" or "TRANSFER PROHIBITED" what does it mean?^new
    "TRANSFER PROHIBITED": It means the domain can't be transferred from NIC to other domain registrars. Because NIC is the only registrar available for GOV.IN Domain registration. This message is not related to any functionality of the domain name.
    "INACTIVE": Due to either the non-availability of nameserver details or any problem with DNS server of your hosting service provider results the above status message.
  • What if the domain is not renewed after domain expiry date?^new
    It is mandatory to get the domain name renewed to avail uninterrupted services.If the domain name under .gov.in is not renewed for any reason it will be further renewed for 1 year to facilitate uninterrupted service, during this period user must complete all the formalities required for domain renewal
  • Can I mix uppercase and lower case alphabets in domain name?^new
    Domain name is not case sensitive.
  • What if the Login ID and Password are forgotten?^new
    Please visit at https://servicedesk.nic.in
  • How do I Reset/change my password?^new
    To reset password, it is mandatory to have login id, registered email id and domain name.Password can be reset using Forgot Password option available on Sign In page after filling this form https://registry.gov.in/forgetpassword.php
  • Maximum for how many years a domain can be Registered?^new
    A valid GOV.IN domain registration are done for minimum ONE year to Maximum TWO years. The domain creation date is the date on which the domain is activated. For details lease refer who is query result at https://registry.gov.in
  • • How to cancel a GOV.IN domain name?^new
    Login at registry.gov.in, generate and upload signed cancellation letter in specified format. For details please see the Domain Cancellation link https://registry.gov.in/domaincancellation_procedure.php

• Domain Name Transfer
  • How can I get the login detail for a domain if the login person is not available?^new
    In case of non availability of login person, please follow the procedure available at https://registry.gov.in/domaindelegation_procedure.php
  • Domain Name Registration Service Support
    • What are current domain name registration fees?
      As per the present policy, there is no fee for the domain name registrations under GOV.IN. However, if there is any change in the policy, the Registrar reserves the right to charge the fee for domain name registrations as well as cancel the registration on account of non payment.
    • Is there any domain name renewal charges?
      There is no fee for the domain name renewals under GOV.IN as per the present policy. However, if there is any change in the policy, the Registrar reserves the right to charge the fee for domain name renewals as well as deactivate the domain name on account of non payment.
    • How do I contact GOV.IN registry for support?
      For any assistance on GOV.IN Domain Registrations, please contact us through the online form available at Service Desk . The answers to most of the expected questions can be found on the FAQ section.Please go through it before sending your request through the link given above.
    • What are the hours of operations for the Registration Help Desk?
      Help desk work 24x7.
  • Sub-domain Registration
    • How to register sub-domain?
      Sub-domain registration is allowed only for those 3rd level domain which are hosted in NIC and using the name server
      NS1.NIC.IN
      NS2.NIC.IN
      NS7.NIC.IN
      NS10.NIC.IN
      To get the sub-domain please visit https://registry.gov.in/subdomainreg_procedure.php
    • Is there any domain name renewal charges?
      There is no fee for the domain name renewals under GOV.IN as per the present policy. However, if there is any change in the policy, the Registrar reserves the right to charge the fee for domain name renewals as well as deactivate the domain name on account of non payment.
    • How do I contact GOV.IN registry for support?
      For any assistance on GOV.IN Domain Registrations, please contact us through the online form available at Service Desk.
    • What are the hours of operations for the Registration Help Desk?
      Help desk work 24x7.
  • Domain Name Technical Questions
    • Where to I go to register domain names under AC.IN, RES.IN or EDU.IN?
      ERNET is the exclusive registrar for the AC.IN, EDU.IN & RES.IN Domain names. Please visit the site https://www.ernet.in/ and follow the registration procedures to register a domain name under AC.IN, EDU.IN & RES.IN
    • How can I register domain names under .IN, CO.IN, NET.IN, ORG.IN, FIRM.IN, GEN.IN, or IND.IN?
      These Domain names can be registered with any of the Domain Name Registrars accredited by .IN Registry and the Registrars list can be found at https://www.registry.in/
    • How do I get a domain name under .COM, .ORG or .NET?
      These Domain names can be registered with any of the Domain Name Registrars. An alphabetical listing of these Domain Name Registrars appears in the InterNIC Registrar Directory at http://www.internic.net/regist.html.
    • Where do I get Name server details if my hosting service provider is not NIC? ^new
      Contact your hosting service provider and get the Nameserver details (Primary and Secondary Host Names).
    • How do I make name server address changes? ^new
      Request for changing Name server IP or name can be submitted online using the link available under Modify Domain Detail after login into https://registry.gov.in/login.php. Once update request processed by admin, the details can be verified using WHOIS link https://registry.gov.in/domain_whois.php
    • How can I modify the contact details of a Domain Name? ^new
      The Domain Contact (Dept, Admin & Tech) details can be updated through the online option Modify Domain Details under Domain Management after login into https://registry.gov.in/login.php
    • Whom to request for DNS and MX record entry?^new
      Contact your Hosting Service Provider for DNS and MX record entry with respect to your domain If you still have a question, contact GOV.IN Domain Support.
    • Is it mandatory to use e-Sign?^new
      Provision for both ink sign and e-Sign has been provided. Use may use e-sign to sign the request letter or may proceed to upload scanned sign letter.
      No hard copy is required in case of e-sign renewal/registration letter.

  If you still have a question, contact GOV.IN Domain Support.