When you register a domain, you agree to a set of rules. They come from your registrar, the registry that runs the extension and, for generic domains such as .com, from ICANN, the body that coordinates the domain name system. This article explains in plain terms what those rules give you, what they ask of you, and how your contact details and privacy are handled.
For generic domains (.com, .net, .org and others), ICANN sets out registrants' benefits and responsibilities: you have the right to clear information about your registrar, its prices and how to renew, transfer and resolve disputes, and you must give accurate contact details and keep them up to date. For .in domains, the .IN registry's rules apply, and personal registrant details are not shown in public WHOIS, free and automatically. Read ICANN's own summary before you register.
1. Who sets the rules for your domain
| Who | Role | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ICANN | Coordinates generic top-level domains and accredits the registrars that sell them | Rules on contact accuracy, transfers and disputes for .com |
| Registry | Runs one extension and keeps its master database | The .IN registry (NIXI) for .in and .co.in |
| Registrar | Sells and manages domains for you, under the registry's and ICANN's rules | Domain India, a NIXI-accredited .IN registrar |
| You, the registrant | The legal holder of the domain | Your name or your business's name on the Registrant contact |
Your registration agreement is the contract between you and your registrar. At Domain India it is set out in our terms and privacy policy.
2. Your benefits as a registrant
ICANN's page Registrants' Benefits and Responsibilities lists what you can expect when you register a generic domain through an ICANN-accredited registrar. In short, you have the right to:
- A registration under an accredited registrar's agreement, which you can review at any time.
- Accurate information about who your registrar is, its terms, prices and support, how to resolve disputes with it, and how to register, manage, transfer, renew and restore your domain.
- Fair treatment, meaning no false advertising, deceptive practices or hidden fees.
3. Your responsibilities as a registrant
The same ICANN page lists what is expected of you:
For generic domains such as .com, registrars must verify the registrant's email address. If a verification email is not answered within 15 days, the domain can be suspended and your website and email stop working. Use a registrant email you check, ideally one that does not depend on the domain itself. See verification of WHOIS details.
4. Your contact details and WHOIS
Every domain has contact records: the Registrant (the owner) and, often, Admin, Tech and Billing contacts. Registrars pass these details to the registry, and a public lookup service shows part of them. Most people still call this "WHOIS", although for generic domains the newer RDAP protocol has largely replaced it.
What a public lookup shows depends on the extension and the registry's rules. The registrar name, the creation and expiry dates, the nameservers and the domain's status are normally public. Personal details such as your name, street address, phone and email are increasingly hidden or redacted.
To check or change your contacts, open the domain in your client area and use its Contacts tab. The steps, and what changing the registrant means for transfers, are in change your domain's WHOIS information.
5. Privacy: .in versus other extensions
.in domains. For .in and its second-level extensions (.co.in, .net.in, .org.in and others), personal registrant details are not shown in public WHOIS. This is free and automatic; there is nothing to switch on. A company or organisation name may still appear. See .in domain WHOIS privacy.
Generic and other extensions. Privacy options differ by extension. For .com, .net and .org, Domain India lists WHOIS privacy as an optional add-on at ₹300 a year (Domain India list prices on 19 September 2026, excluding 18% GST); it shows the privacy service's details in place of yours. Some extensions do not allow privacy at all. If you are unsure about a particular extension, ask support before you register.
Privacy hides your details from the public; it does not replace them. Your registrar and the registry still hold your real, accurate details, and they can be disclosed where the law requires it.
6. Disputes
If someone believes your domain infringes their trademark, generic domains fall under ICANN's Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP). .in domains have their own dispute policy, the .IN Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (INDRP), run by the .IN registry. A dispute can end with a domain being transferred or cancelled, so keeping accurate records of your right to the name matters.
7. Where Domain India fits
Domain India is a NIXI-accredited .IN registrar and also registers .com and many other extensions, all managed from one client area: contacts, nameservers, DNS, transfer settings and renewals. Register a domain or read the ultimate guide to domain name registration first.
Frequently asked questions
What are my responsibilities when I register a domain?
Under ICANN's Registrants' Benefits and Responsibilities, you must follow your registrar's terms and the registry's and ICANN's policies, review your registration agreement, take responsibility for the domain's use, give accurate contact details and update them promptly, and answer your registrar's enquiries.
What are my rights as a domain registrant?
You have the right to register under an accredited registrar's agreement, to accurate information about your registrar, its prices, support and dispute process, and how to register, transfer, renew and restore your domain, and to protection from false advertising and hidden fees.
Is my personal information public in WHOIS?
It depends on the extension. For .in and its second-level extensions, personal registrant details are not shown in public WHOIS, free and automatically. For other extensions, privacy options differ, and some offer a privacy add-on. Registrar, dates and nameservers are normally public.
Do I need to buy WHOIS privacy for a .in domain?
No. For .in and its second-level extensions (.co.in, .net.in, .org.in and others), personal registrant details are not shown in public WHOIS. This is free and automatic; there is nothing to switch on.
What happens if my contact details are wrong?
For generic domains, an unanswered email verification can lead to suspension within 15 days, and false or incomplete details can lead to suspension or deletion by the registry. Keep the Registrant contact accurate, especially the email address.
Where can I read ICANN's official rules?
ICANN publishes a plain-language summary called Registrants' Benefits and Responsibilities at icann.org/resources/pages/benefits-2013-09-16-en. Your registrar's terms are the other half of your registration agreement.
Ready to register or review your domain? Register a domain, check your contacts in your client area, or read change your domain's WHOIS information.
Tell us the domain and what you would like to know about its contacts, privacy or registration rules.
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