This document has been translated from the Norwegian version. The Norwegian version is the master copy, and has precedence over the English translation if a conflict between the two should arise.
1. Purpose and legal status
1.1 The purpose of this domain name policy is to ensure that administration and assignment of domain names under .no serves the public interest and is in accordance with the guidelines provided by Norwegian authorities.
1.2 The domain name policy is based on RFC 1591 and has been laid down in accordance with FOR 2003-08-01 no. 990. The domain name policy has been laid down and is enforced by Norid (Norsk Registreringstjeneste for Internett Domenenavn). Norid's operations are not a part of public administration, and the Norwegian Public Administration Act does not apply to this policy. Norid's stated objective is to conduct its activities in agreement with Norwegian authorities and international organisations that work on issues related to domain names.
1.3 The technical authority to administer the top-level domains .no, .sj and .bv has been delegated to Norid by the IANA pursuant to an agreement. Norid has undertaken to administer the top-level domains in the interests of the Internet community and in accordance with this policy.
1.4 Registration of a domain name only provides a right to use, not an ownership right. The right to use continues for the length of the subscription.
1.5 Norwegian law applies for all registrations under .no. Any disagreement related to this agreement shall be resolved pursuant to Norwegian law. The parties accept Trondheim District Court as the proper venue for proceeding with disputes.
2. Scope
This policy applies for the geographic top-level domain .no and all category domains and geographic domains administered by Norid.
3. General requirements for the domain name - what can be applied for?
3.1 A domain name must consist of at least 2 and a maximum of 63 characters.
3.2 Permissible characters in the domain name are a-z, digits (0-9), hyphens and national characters described in the table below.
| Name of letter | Letter | Unicode | Name of letter | Letter | Unicode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a with acute accent | á | 00E1 | o with acute accent | ó | 00F3 |
| a with grave accent | à | 00E0 | o with grave accent | ò | 00F2 |
| a with umlaut | ä | 00E4 | o with circumflex | ô | 00F4 |
| c with caron | č | 010D | o with umlaut | ö | 00F6 |
| c with cedilla | ç | 00E7 | s with caron | š | 0161 |
| d with crossbar | đ | 0111 | t with crossbar | ŧ | 0167 |
| e with acute accent | é | 00E9 | u with umlaut | ü | 00FC |
| e with grave accent | è | 00E8 | z with caron | ž | 017E |
| e with circumflex | ê | 00EA | æ | æ | 00E6 |
| i with umlaut | ï | 00EF | ø | ø | 00F8 |
| ENG | ŋ | 014B | å | å | 00E5 |
| n with acute accent | ń | 0144 | |||
| n with tilde | ñ | 00F1 |
3.3 The first and last character in the domain name must be a letter or a digit.
3.4 The domain name must not be identical to a registered domain name.
3.5 Some domain names are reserved or prohibited and cannot be registered. See the list of domain names that cannot be registered (Appendix A).
3.6 The requirements under this provision are in line with the international standards in RFC 1034, RFC 1035, RFC 1123, RFC 3490, RFC 3491 and RFC 3492.
4. Additional requirements for the geographic name tree and category domains
4.1 Norid administers sub-domains for municipalities, counties and all urban places with more than 5,000 inhabitants. Within the geographic name tree, names are registered according to where applicants themselves believe they belong. Generally, the placement in the name tree should reflect geographic affiliation. Registration of domain names is therefore discouraged for geographic areas to which the applicant has no connection. See the list of domains in the geographic name tree, as well as additional rules for registering the reserved sub-domain www under the geographic names (Appendix B).
4.2 Category domains are used to assemble subscriber groups that have a certain commonality. Additional rules apply for these domains. See the list of category domains in the table below, as well as additional rules for the category domains (Appendix C).
Category domains administered by Norid
| Domain | Institution |
|---|---|
| fhs.no | Folk high schools in Norway |
| vgs.no | Upper secondary schools in Norway |
| gs.[fylke].no | Compulsory schools (primary and lower secondary schools) in Norway |
| fylkesbibl.no | County libraries in Norway |
| folkebibl.no | Municipal libraries in Norway |
| museum.no | Museums in Norway |
| idrett.no | Sports organisations in Norway |
| herad.no | Municipalities and county authorities in Norway |
| kommune.no | Municipalities and county authorities in Norway |
| gielda.no | Municipalities and county authorities in Norway |
| suohkan.no | Municipalities and county authorities in Norway |
| tjielte.no | Municipalities and county authorities in Norway |
| uenorge.no | Junior Achievement (JA) firms and student firms in Norway |
| priv.no | Private individuals in Norway |
4.3 Some category domains have been set up that are administered by organisations other than Norid. See the separate list of these (Appendix D).
5. Requirements for the applicant - who can apply?
Organisations
5.1 The applicant must be an organisation that is registered in the Norwegian Central Coordinating Register for Legal Entities, see the list of which types of organisations can apply (Appendix E). The organisation must in fact conduct business and/or have activities and a presence according to information specified in the Central Coordinating Register, and it must document its actual existence if Norid requests such documentation. The organisation must have a Norwegian postal address.
5.2 Each organisation may at any time subscribe to up to 100 domain names directly under .no. In addition, an organisation may subscribe to up to 5 domain names under each geographic domain to which the organisation belongs, as well as 5 domain names under each category domain to which the organisation belongs.
Private individuals
5.3 The applicant must be over age 18, registered in the Norwegian National Population Register with a Norwegian national identity number and have a Norwegian postal address.
5.4 Each private individual may at any time subscribe to up to 5 domain names directly under .no. In addition, a private individual may subscribe to up to 5 domain names under each geographic domain to which the person in question belongs, as well as 5 domain names under priv.no.
6. Requirements for name server
6.1 In order for registration to occur, at least two name servers must be specified. All specified name servers must be correctly set up for the domain applied for, and they must be functional at the point in time the application is received by Norid. Only fully delegated domains may be registered.
6.2 The name servers for the domain must be identified by domain name and associated IP address. In addition, certain technical requirements must be met. See technical requirements for name servers (Appendix F).
6.3 There is no requirement that the applicant itself must operate the name servers.
7. Completion and submission of application
7.1 The application must be submitted by a domain name registrar who has an agreement with Norid.
7.2 Norid's form must be used. The domain name registrar must ensure that the form has been correctly filled in.
7.3 The application must expressly indicate which domain name the application concerns.
7.4 Norid's decision is sent to the domain name registrar who submitted the application. The domain name registrar informs the applicant.
7.5 In cases where Norid sends notice to the subscriber as well as the domain name registrar, such notice is sent by e-mail to the subscriber's e-mail address.
8. General rules of procedure
8.1 Norid's procedures must be in line with fundamental principles of independence and equal treatment. Norid has the right to use automatic processes in its procedures.
8.2 Norid can reverse its decision on its own initiative, but normally a decision will not be reversed to the detriment of an applicant/subscriber.
9. Notice of change
9.1 All changes in registered information must be reported to Norid (notice of change).
9.2 Substituting or changing a domain name requires setting up a new subscription and is not regarded as a change.
9.3 Norid sends confirmation of the completed change to the domain name registrar. If the change has involved an update to the subscriber's e-mail address, Norid sends confirmation of the completed change to the subscriber by e-mail.
9.4 Section 7 similarly applies for notices of changes.
10. Change in domain name registrar
10.1 The subscriber is entitled to change to another domain name registrar while retaining the assigned domain name.
10.2 Norid will send confirmation of the completed change in domain name registrar to both domain name registrars, as well as by e-mail to the subscriber.
10.3 A domain name registrar can disclaim the responsibility for administering a domain name subscription. Norid notifies the subscriber by e-mail if a domain name subscription is no longer associated with a domain name registrar.
10.4 In the event of a change to or withdrawal of a domain name registrar, the rules in Section 7 correspondingly apply.
11. Change in subscriber, suspension and deletion
11.1 If two subscribers have agreed on transferring a domain name between themselves, this is contingent on discontinuing the existing domain name subscription and setting up a new domain name subscription for the new subscriber.
11.2 Such a transfer of domain name is contingent on
- the new subscriber meeting the conditions in the domain name policy for setting up a new domain name subscription on the domain name,
- the existing domain name subscription not having expired, and
- the surrendering subscriber agreeing to surrender the domain name to the new subscriber.
11.3 The new domain name subscription runs from the date Norid assigns the domain name to the new subscriber. This becomes the new registration date for the domain name and will be the basis for determining a complaint deadline at the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee.
11.4 The subscriber can request a temporary suspension of the domain name for up to 6 months.
11.5 The subscriber can order deletion of the domain name. The domain name is unavailable for new registration for at least 30 days after it is taken out of DNS.
11.6 In the event of a change in subscriber, suspension or deletion, Norid sends confirmation to the domain name registrar, as well as by e-mail to the subscriber.
11.7 Section 7 similarly applies.
12. Compulsory deletion, suspension and change in subscriber
12.1 The following circumstances may result in Norid deleting a domain name so that the name is made available to others:
- A request for deletion in accordance with a legally-enforceable decision on deletion of the domain name.
- A request for deletion in accordance with a legally-enforceable decision on confiscation of domain names in criminal cases. Norid can quarantine the domain name for a certain period before it is again made available to other applicants.
- A request for deletion in accordance with a preliminary injunction. The name will be made available for registration by others 60 days after deletion, if Norid has not received a legal decision or settlement regarding another solution. The name will not be made available
to others under the preceding sentence, if Norid within 60 days after deletion receives written documentation that there is an ongoing legal dispute between the same parties regarding the domain. - The registration has occurred on the basis of erroneous information provided by or on behalf of the applicant. A lack of a signed Applicant’s declaration is regarded as erroneous information. The domain name subscriber will be given an opportunity to comment before deletion occurs.
- The domain name subscriber no longer exists. For organisations, this means that they have been deleted from the Norwegian Central Coordinating Register for Legal Entities; for individuals, that they have died.
- The domain name subscription has expired, i.e. that it has passed the expiry date without being extended.
- The domain is not technically operational, i.e. that the technical requirements in Appendix F are not met.
- Contact cannot be made with the subscriber’s responsible contact person.
- Any circumstance that involves breach of the applicant's responsibilities or duties under the domain name policy or the Applicant’s declaration.
- Requirements for notice under 12.4 do not apply for a), b) and c).
12.2 The following circumstances may result in Norid suspending a domain name:
- A request for suspension in accordance with a preliminary injunction.
- Requirements for notice under 12.4 do not apply.
12.3 The following circumstances may result in Norid changing a domain name subscriber on a domain name without written approval from the outgoing subscriber:
- A request for transfer of the domain in accordance with a legally-enforceable decision or preliminary injunction based on a domain name being moved from the subscriber to a new subscriber, provided that the new subscriber meets the requirements imposed by the domain name policy to have the name registered, including having signed an Applicant’s declaration. Requirements for notice under 12.4 do not apply.
- A written decision from the court that a domain is to be seized in a criminal case, or a written decision from the prosecuting authority that the domain is to be seized under Section 205, second paragraph of the Norwegian Criminal Procedure Code. While the domain is confiscated, the police and prosecuting authority are responsible for maintaining the subscription, so that it can in turn be returned, and they must see to it that extension of the subscription is ordered if it is about to expire. If the subscription expires, the domain name will become available for others.
- A request for return of a domain that has been transferred on the basis of erroneous information provided by or on behalf of the applicant or subscriber. A request for return must be presented no later than 1 year after the transfer has taken place. If Norid receives written notice of the erroneous transfer within 30 calendar days after it has taken place, an exception will be made to the requirements for notice under 12.4. Then the new subscriber will be given 15 calendar days to comment before the transfer is carried out.
12.4 Unless otherwise stipulated, notice will be sent by e-mail to the subscriber at least 60 days prior to completion of the measure.
12.5 Enquiries concerning Section 12 shall be submitted in writing to Norid by e-mail at info@norid.no or by mail to Norid AS, PO Box 4769 Torgarden, NO–7465 Trondheim, Norway. The same applies to a response from the subscriber and documentation that a legal dispute regarding the domain is under way.
13. Fees
13.1 For each domain name subscription that Norid assigns or extends on the basis of a domain name registrar’s orders, the domain name registrar shall pay a subscription fee to Norid, see Appendix K.
13.2 Norid will not accept payment directly from the subscriber.
14. Applicant's rights to registered domain names
14.1 Registration of a domain name excludes others from having an identical domain name registered as long as the registration is maintained.
14.2 Registration of a domain name only grants a right to use. It does not provide greater rights to the name or rights other than those the applicant previously had. Registration does not result in any restriction on rights others may have to use the name.
14.3 The domain name subscriber is identified through a unique identifier, the organisation number for organisations and the national identity number for individuals. The identifier indicates who has the right to use the domain.
14.4 A domain name may be freely transferred, if the new subscriber meets the requirements in the domain name policy.
15. Responsibilities and duties for applicants and subscribers
15.1 Before submitting an application, an applicant is obliged to
- become familiar with the domain name policy
- submit an Applicant’s declaration (Appendix G) in which the applicant warrants that, to the applicant's knowledge, the registration and use of the name does not unlawfully infringe on a third party's registered or unregistered rights to the name, is not contrary to Norwegian law and does not unjustifiably give the impression of involving public administration or the exercise of public authority. An applicant consents to the registry being able to revoke an assigned domain name when it is obvious that the assignment is contrary to circumstances that are mentioned, or to the domain name policy in any other way.
The Applicant’s declaration will be signed electronically and submitted through a domain name registrar.
15.2 It is the applicant's responsibility to assure itself that the registration of the domain name is not contrary to the domain name policy, Norwegian law or a third party's rights. Norid does not verify this. The applicant bears the full responsibility, including criminal liability and liability for damages, for the consequences of registering the domain name and its use.
15.3 The subscriber is obliged to follow the domain name policy at all times and to keep itself updated on changes to the domain name policy. The domain name policy is available at https://www.norid.no/en/om-domenenavn/regelverk-for-no/
15.4 A domain name subscription runs from the date the domain name is recorded in Norid's register (registration date). The subscription lasts one year from the registration date and continues to run if the subscriber chooses to extend it. By ordering an extension through a domain name registrar, the subscriber accepts the subscription agreement and the Domain Name Policy for Norwegian domain names that applies at any time.
15.5 The subscriber is obliged to provide correct information, both at the time of the application and for as long as the registration is maintained. The subscriber is obliged to respond to enquiries from Norid regarding whether the registered information is still correct. The subscriber is then obliged to document the information that has been provided.
15.6 The subscriber is obliged to keep registered information (contact information and technical information) updated at all times.
15.7 Complaints regarding the subscriber's registration can be considered by the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee pursuant to the rules and procedures set by the domain name policy. The subscriber will be bound by the decision of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee and must cover the complaint fee if the complainant prevails.
16. Norid's use of registered information
16.1 Norid collects and processes information about the domain name subscribers, in order to
- ensure that private individuals and organisations can subscribe to Norwegian domain names and to maintain and transfer the subscription within the framework of the domain name policy
- administer the Norwegian top-level domain in a way that contributes to robust operation of the Internet as infrastructure
16.2 Norid operates a look-up service in which the public can look up a domain name and obtain information about the subscription, the subscriber, technical contact and technical setup and who is the domain name registrar. The service provides different amounts of information about the subscriber depending on whether this is an organisation, a sole proprietorship or a private individual.
The purpose of the service is to
- assist in resolving technical problems, where individual domains cause harm to the functionality, security or stability of other domains or the Internet as infrastructure
- provide the public with an opportunity to contact the party that subscribes to the domain name
16.3 Historical information about the subscriptions is stored for research and statistical analysis. Such information is not made available to anyone other than the party that was the subscriber when the information was current, or upon consent from that subscriber, unless otherwise provided for by law or judicial decision.
16.4 Part of the information Norid processes is information that can be tied to individuals and is regarded as personal data. This is described in greater detail in Norid's privacy policy documents.
17. Complaints
17.1 Complaints involving this domain name policy are handled by the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, an independent complaint body that has been established to provide a quick, inexpensive and simple alternative to conflict resolution in the more obvious domain name conflicts. In order to meet the requirements for quick and inexpensive processing while ensuring due process, the complaint scheme is limited to the uncomplicated domain name conflicts, where the simple procedure the Committee can undertake is regarded as satisfactory in order to determine the result. The Committee does not handle complaints regarding the domain name policy for .no itself. The Committee's mandate can be found in Appendix M, which is supplemented by the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee's rules of procedure in Appendix N.
17.2 Norid administers the secretariat for the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee. The secretariat receives complaints and obtains the other case documents according to the appropriate complaint procedure. Norid implements the Committee's decisions.
| Complaint type | Complainant | Respondent | Complaint deadline | Complaint procedure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Third party, Public body | Subscriber | 3 years | Appendix H |
| B | Applicant, Subscriber | Norid | 30 days | Appendix I |
| C | Norid, Nkom | Subscriber | 3 years | Appendix J |
17.3 Complaint type A: Holders of rights to names may make a complaint on the basis that the registration or use of the domain name infringes on their rights. Public bodies may also make a complaint that the registration or use of the domain name unjustifiably gives the impression of involving public administration or the exercise of public authority. The complaining party can only be a legal person. The respondent in complaint cases of this type is the subscriber for the domain name that is the subject of the complaint. The complaint deadline is 3 years from registration of the domain name. See Appendix H for details and complaint procedure.
17.4 Complaint type B: Decisions taken by Norid pursuant to the domain name policy for .no may be challenged by applicants/subscribers. Decisions taken by Norid as the secretariat in complaint cases may not be challenged. The only basis for a complaint is that the decision is contrary to the rules in the domain name policy for .no. The respondent in complaint cases of this type is Norid. The complaint deadline is 30 calendar days from the date notice of the decision is received by the applicant/subscriber. The decision will be regarded as received by the applicant/subscriber no later than 14 days after the decision is sent from Norid to the domain name registrar. See Appendix I for details and complaint procedure. Norid may reverse or change the decision on its own initiative if the complaint is found to be justified.
17.5 Complaint type C: Norid may complain that a domain name has been registered contrary to the Applicant’s declaration. The Norwegian Communications Authority may complain that a domain name has been registered contrary to the Norwegian Domain Regulations. The respondent in complaint cases of this type is the subscriber for the domain name that is the subject of the complaint. The complaint deadline is 3 years from registration of the domain name. See Appendix J for details and complaint procedure.
17.6 For all complaints, the complaint deadline is cut off when the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee's secretariat receives a valid complaint pursuant to the complaint procedures that apply. If one or more additional valid complaints are received regarding the same registration while the complaint process is under way, processing of the first complaint received will be completed before the next case is started. In the event of multiple complaints, the cases will be initiated in the sequence they are received by the secretariat. A new case will be started only if the respondent is the same as when the complaint was submitted.
17.7 The Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee shall reject a case if the case is so complex or poorly stated that it is not suitable for consideration by the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee. The committee shall also reject the case if the conditions for considering the complaint are not present.
18. Limitation of liability
18.1 Norid cannot be held liable for direct or indirect harm as a result of the domain name registrar's handling of applications for domain names. Norid is not liable for the domain name registrar's acts or omissions with respect to the subscriber, such as the domain name registrar not ordering an extension of a subscription. This applies even if the subscriber has paid the registrar for the service.
18.2 Norid cannot be held liable to the subscriber for any direct or indirect harm as a result of operational breakdowns or shut-downs at Norid, when the occurrence is due to conditions or circumstances that Norid does not control.
19. Entry into force and changes to the domain name policy
19.1 This domain name policy enters into force on 19 February 2001. The previous domain name policy is abolished at the same time.
19.2 All changes in content in the policy will be announced on Norid's website and will be a part of the applicable policy. The most recent change is from 12 June 2024.