GoDaddy 60 day hold

[Name Trader]

*60 Day Lock Policy Change*

When you change the Registrant contact information (Company, First name, or Last name) on a domain you will be asked to accept the Domain Name Change Registrant Agreement and this will enforce a 60 day hold where the domain will not be able to be transferred away from Go Daddy for 60 days. You will still be able to move the domain to another Go Daddy account during this time if you sell a domain.

I just received this email from GoDaddy. On the face of it, it seems like no change. But as I've always stated, you could get this 60 day hold lifted by requesting it. So I clarified it with my Account Manager. He is no longer able to lift this 60 day hold. So GoDaddy appear to have made this their official policy now.

 

[alien51]

Isn't this illegal? Substitute 60 days with 1 year, what's the legality that any registrar can impose a holding period much longer than what ICANN is imposing?

 

[Name Trader]

It's not illegal, but I think it is against ICANN policies.

 

[domeen]

this policy is there for years already

 

[dnb8]

Recently when I called godaddy support the guy who I talked with told me that this is ICaNN policy :D lol

 

[alien51]

I don't think with other registrars if you change your email address or phone number due to typo or whatever, they will reset your holding period to another 60 days. So it can't be an ICANN policy, am i right?

 

[Kate]

Of course it's a customer retention ploy. In other circumstances you can transfer domains out of GD in <40 minutes. So it has nothing to do with security.

 

[mrjohn]

Look it up. It's an ICANN policy.

It's meant to prevent sites from shifting registrars all the time and avoiding takedown notices.

 

[dnb8]

Look it up. It's an ICANN policy.

It's meant to prevent sites from shifting registrars all the time and avoiding takedown notices.

ICANN policy is to lock domain for 60 days after transfer and registration, but not after whois change.
It is only godaddy policy.

 

[ninjadomain]

Just don't mess up or you'll do 60 more days! :lol:

 

[Domagon]

Last I checked ICANN policy, upon request by the registrant, GoDaddy must provide the authcode and unlock within 5 calender days.

http://www.icann.org/en/transfers/policy-en.htm
(some portions of this may not applicable to every registrar, but is to most, since the vast majority, including GoDaddy, have agreed to the 2009 RAA)

Below is an excerpt - emphasis mine:

------

Instances when the requested change of Registrar may not be denied include, but are not limited to:

* Nonpayment for a pending or future registration period
* No response from the Registered Name Holder or Administrative Contact.
* Domain name in Registrar Lock Status, unless the Registered Name Holder is provided with the reasonable opportunity and ability to unlock the domain name prior to the Transfer Request.
* Domain name registration period time constraints, other than during the first 60 days of initial registration or during the first 60 days after a registrar transfer.
* General payment defaults between Registrar and business partners / affiliates in cases where the Registered Name Holder for the domain in question has paid for the registration.

------

One can file a complaint at http://www.internic.net/ - click link on right hand side under "Have a Problem with a Registrar?"

ICANN itself likely isn't going to do much about the matter, but puts the incident on record and may, if many others file similar complaints, help motivate the registrar to follow-through.

Most likely with some persistence, and reminding GoDaddy about the 2009 RAA, which they agreed to, will get things moving in the right direction.

Ron

 

[Name Trader]

@Domagon - You are going to need a lot of persistence, Ron, when my Account Manager is telling me he can no longer unlock the domain. He's been doing that for me for years. Thanks for the ICANN link.

@alien51 - Read my post again. It's only if the company name, firstname, lastname, changes, you can change your email for example or make corrections to your address. But if you mis-spell your company name, firstname, lastname, then maybe you deserve to be blocked for 60 days

@domeen - No it hasn't. I've been unlocking any blocked domains for years.

 

[Kate]

This is an annoyance to domainers mostly. Corporate end users and the average Joe are not concerned about domains being locked, cause the seldom sell any or transfer away...
In fact, GD is not so domainer-friendly. Their CP is crap and slow, everything at GD is designed to waste your time.
Vote with your wallets.

 

[Domagon]

It's true most GoDaddy registrants don't notice, don't care, etc ... but domainers do, and if GoDaddy isn't careful, their 60 day hold policy could result in a class action lawsuit...

It's likely among the reasons, when pressed, GoDaddy releases the lock - they know darn well their 60 day policy is in gross violation of the original registrar agreement they signed with ICANN, plus the 2009 RAA.

Stub- as for the account manager, perhaps he's under extra pressure to keep domains from transferring out due to the recent elephant killer flap; they've lost a lot in recent weeks. Anyways, try again, pointing out the 2009 RAA ...

And if no good, contact GoDaddy's legal department - don't threaten suing, etc ... but rather remind them of the 2009 RAA and that you simply want the domain(s) unlocked and authcodes provided within 5 calendar days as required by the 2009 RAA.

Ron

 

[Name Trader]

I actually like GoDaddy, a lot. But I am transferring my domains out (to DynaDot) as they become due for renewal. Because, as a domainer, I need to do more than 2 port 43 whois lookups, a day before being blocked from the GoDaddy whois servers. It's outrageous. They're losing a lot of money from me (insignificant to them, I know).

 

[lothos]

I actually like GoDaddy, a lot. But I am transferring my domains out (to DynaDot) as they become due for renewal. Because, as a domainer, I need to do more than 2 port 43 whois lookups, a day before being blocked from the GoDaddy whois servers. It's outrageous. They're losing a lot of money from me (insignificant to them, I know).

I don't like Godaddy at all.

BTW if you didn't know, Dynadot is running a $6.99 transfer special until the 25th.

 

[alien51]

Read my post again. It's only if the company name, firstname, lastname, changes, you can change your email for example or make corrections to your address. But if you mis-spell your company name, firstname, lastname, then maybe you deserve to be blocked for 60 days

That makes their intentions more confusing. How can such policy make your domains safer from stealing, by leaving out the email address, phone numbers, from the restriction?

If a thief broke into your Godaddy account, he can just change the email address, move the domain to another registrar, and then change the rest of the WHOIS contacts after the transfer. Am i right?

Another thing, why 60 days? If this is not an ICANN policy, then why not just 30 days, or even 15 days? What benefit does it give to customers by setting the prison term that long? This is not an Anti-Thief policy, is it? This is an Anti-Domainer policy preventing you from moving domains you milked from Godaddy using those bait coupons?

 

[Name Trader]

I was just correcting your misconceptions. I'm not saying it's right or wrong. But if you push me , I will

 

[DubDubDubDot]

if GoDaddy isn't careful, their 60 day hold policy could result in a class action lawsuit...

What are your damages?

 

[Domagon]

What are your damages?

The inability of transferring out in a timely manner...

As for what that translates to in monetary damages in a class action lawsuit - well, leave that to the imagination of attorneys :D

Ron