Successful domain registration via RCP or XML API or REST API requires:

• two or more nameservers or a nameserver group
• registrant data needs to be real and valid. Fake data may lead to suspension by the registry.
• DNS Belgium Registry will use the following regular expressions to validate the registrant's postal code and phone number before registration.
• Postal code must have the correct syntax for the countrycode of the registrant. For a country without postal codes, you are allowed to use ‘0000’ or ‘00000’. For instance, Kosovo(XK) postal codes will be standardized to five digits (as per the update from registry). Until then, '0000' can be used instead.
• The length of the phone number must be correct for the phone prefix.

The regular expression for the validation can be found here.

Contact verification

• From 1st March 2022, DNSbelgium has implemented a new contact verification process, please find more information about it in this article : New DNSbelgium Registrant Verification Process
• The status "Not verified" means that the domain name is not selected for verification and it has no impact on the domain name. In other words, the domain name will be active directly.
• The status "Pending" means the domain is selected for verification and you will receive an email from the registry.
• In case the verification fails due to an incorrect name, create a new handle with the correct details and start a TRADE to update the domain. Adjusting the name in the handle itself or attaching a different handle during the validation proces is not supported.
• In case the registrant is unable to locate the email from the BE registry or deleted it by accident, the registrant can contact the registry directly via verification@dnsbelgium.be

In some special cases, the registry will automatically start a contact verification process. This happens for registration requests that might be suspicious (based on multiple parameters). The domain name will not resolved while a verification process is active. The domain registrant and reseller are informed as well about this process. As soon as the registrant proves his or her identity to DNS Belgium, the domain will be unsuspended.

If the data is not updated within 14 days, the domain will get deleted, transferred to the .BE Registry itself and can not be updated or restored via the control panel anymore.
A restore from quarantaine is possible, but comes with extra costs.

INFO: The Belgian registry (BE) has introduced a new feature on their website that allows domain owners to request a new verification email.

Users can update the contact handle in RCP and then use this link from the registry to start a new validation email.

Whois information

Starting from June, 2023 the .be registry will no longer display a phone number with the WHOIS details, even if the domain name holder is an organization or a company. This is to comply with GDPR regulations.

A search in the public WHOIS (via web, command line or RDAP) shows the following data:
- Nothing if it is a private person - organization field is not filled in
- The address if it is a legal entity (organization, company) - organization field is filled in

Notes:

• Starting from January 15, 2024 all .BE domain names will have 1 day renewal offset. This won't be applied to existing domains that expire before March 15th, 2024. 
• During registration process, .be will send a verification email to the domain owner. This email can be resend only once, if the owner fails to complete verification.
• Registrar or Domain name holder can request the email verification again from: https://www.dnsbelgium.be/en/registrant-verification.

Revoke Procedure (NIS2 Compliance):

In line with the NIS2 legislation, specifically Article 94, paragraph 2, DNS Belgium has implemented important changes to how domain names in the revoke procedure are managed.

Key Restriction: Transfers Prohibited

As of now, domain names selected for the revoke procedure cannot be transferred:

• External transfers (to another registrar) – not allowed
• Internal transfers (within your own registrar system) – not allowed

This restriction is mandatory and applies to ensure compliance with the NIS2 regulation.

What is Still Possible?

• Updating contact details: Updates (such as postal address or e-mail address) can still be made via a standard contact update.
• Name or Organization Changes: Previously, changes to the name or organization of a domain holder during the revoke procedure required manual intervention from DNS Belgium. However, they can now be carried out via a standard update.

Successful domain transfer via RCP or XML API or REST API requires:

• two or more nameservers or a nameserver group
• an authorization code provided by:
  • in case of external transfer - the .be registry > www.dnsbelgium.be
  • in case of internal transfer* - the current Openprovider reseller (Internal transfers can be done using the external transfer code as well).

The authorization code provided by the registry is valid for 7 days.

A valid EXTERNAL authorization code has 5 blocks of 3 characters, for example 123-345-678-901-234

Internal Transfer

*Notification is shown in RCP when internal transfer applies.
Follow these internal transfer steps. An internal code can only be generated by the reseller who manages the domain. This can not be generated in an openprovider account where the domain is not managed. Internal transfers can be done using the external transfer code as well.

The registrant can NOT be changed during an internal transfer (unlike an external transfer, where this is supported)

This can only be done once the internal transfer is finished, via the "Trade" option which you can find in your control panel here: https://cp.openprovider.eu/domain/trade1.php
A Trade requires a valid transfercode from the BE registry.
Please see section Update for more information about trades.

Note: If you get the error message "An unknown error has occurred!" when trying to perform an internal transfer, please check and make sure that the domain has nameservers/NS groups assigned to it before the transfer.

Additional notes on a .be transfer

• Transfer from quarantine is possible from RCP, additional costs apply.
• In the rare case that a .be registrar stops its business, its domains will be transferred to a special registrar account of DNS Belgium. Transfers from this account will not restart their registration period; instead, the expiration date will remain unchanged.
• A bulk transfer is possible, more information can be found here.
  
  

• External authorization code request - via RCP (Reseller Control Panel), or XML API or REST API or directly at the registry
• External authorization code delivery - sent by .be registry only to the registrant
• External authorization code reset - not possible
• Internal authorization code request - via RCP and API
• Internal authorization code delivery - visible in RCP, API

In case the error "clientTransferProhibited" is shown when requesting an external transfer code via Openprovider, the transfer lock is enabled in your control panel. Unlock the domain via the domain detail page and try again.

In case the error ""Array" is shown, please check if the domain is still active in your account.

You can also use the following link to request the code: https://www.dnsbelgium.be/en

Owner change (trade)

• requested via Trade section in RCP (Reseller Control Panel) or XML API or REST API (NOT possible via normal domain update)
• an external authorization code is required (internally generated transfer code is not valid)
• the registration period starts over again, any remaining period is lost

In case an error is shown during the trade or update that the data is not matching with the .be Registry, please check this link to resolve that problem.

Other update

• requested via RCP or XML API or REST API
• processed realtime
• registrant can not be updated, trade is required.

The following rules apply in order to decide whether a trade or normal update is required:

• • Organization to a different organization: trade (also if it's only the trading name that changes)
  • Organization to a private individual: trade (also if the private individual was the previous contact person of the organization)
  • Organization to the same organization, but another contact name: regular update (also if other contact data, like address or e-mail, changes)
  • Private individual to a different private individual: trade
  • Private individual to an organization: trade (also if the organization's contact is similar to the previous private individual)

In exceptional cases a monitored update can be requested for € 25,- (excl vat) per domain.

Delete

• requested via RCP (Reseller Control Panel)  or XML API or REST API
• processed realtime
• will result in a quarantine period

Restore / reactivate

• restore / reactivation supported via RCP (Reseller Control Panel) or XML API or REST API 
• Quarantine period can be found under Detailed extension information > Technical information > Quarantine period