By Mike Worsnop - 30 Sep 2014
Domain names are changing! From 1pm, 30 September 2014, you
will be able to register short and simple domain names like
shortandsimple.nz. This change will see second levels
(like the '.co' in '.co.nz' and the '.org' in '.org.nz') become
optional. For example, if your website is
mywebsite.co.nz, you may be able to get
mywebsite.nz.
Securing your .nz will depend on the status of the domain name,
which will fall into one of four categories:
- Available- If you registered your domain name
after 3pm on 11 February 2014 (or if no one has
registered the domain name), it will be available for general
registration as a .nz name from 1pm on 30 September 2014.
- Conflicted - Where your name conflicts with
other names (e.g. conflict.co.nz; conflict.org.nz
and conflict.school.nz) and all those names were
registered prior to 9am on 30 May
2012, you will need to agree with the other registrants as
to who gets the shorter version.
- Prohibited - Some domain names cannot be
registered directly using the .nz extension. These names include
'govt', 'government', 'com', 'edu', 'nic'.
- Preferential Registration or
Reservation(PRR) - If
your existing domain name has PRR status, you will have
preferential rights in the .nz name. You can register it
before anyone else during the period between 1pm
on 30 September 2014 and 1pm on
30 March 2015. You will have PRR status if:
- You registered a domain name prior to
9am on 30 May 2012, and have kept it
current. If there are conflicting names, then you will need
to agree with the other registrants as to who gets the shorter
version.
- You registered a domain name between 9am on 30 May 2012
and 3pm on 11 February 2014 and have kept it
current. If there are conflicting names, the .nz version will
be available on a first-come first-served basis from 1pm on 30
September 2014.
After 1pm on 30 March 2015, all .nz names that
had PRR status will become available for general registration.
The websites www.anyname.nz/ and www.dnc.org.nz/
have published some useful information regarding the
change. At www.anyname.nz/index.html
there is a search function which will indicate the status of your
domain name.
We are also here to help. Please contact Mike Worsnop if you have
any questions or need assistance to register your domain name.
Contacts
Mike
Worsnop