dotPH Domain Registrar | PHRegistrar.PH Domain and Web Services

HOME | DOMAIN NAME | WEBHOSTING | ABOUT US

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I apply for a .PH Domain name?

It's simple. All you have to do is click on [Search PH Domain] link and type in the domain name you want, then click on the "Search" button. If it's still available, supply the needed information on the online form. When you're done, the system will inform you that your application has been forwarded to us. You can expect feedback from us well within 48 hours.

2. What are the possible reasons for a rejection?

The most common are the following:

Illegal characters in the domain name (see question # 3).

Missing or improper email addresses of domain owners or administrative contact. We will not allow using the domain you're applying for as your administrative or technical contact email address. E.g., if you're applying for ph-domain.ph, you cannot use a contact@ph-domain address for the administrative or technical contact.

Missing or wrong nameserver hostname or IP address:
- The hostname must be a fully-qualified hostname (e.g., ns.isp.net).
- The IP address cannot be any of the internal IP addresses (e.g., 10.10.x.x. or 192.168.x.x.)
Wrong application form (mainly applications sent by email to helpdesk@phregistrar.ph. You don't have to worry about this if you're using the Web form.

Someone has already paid for the domain. For details, see questions # 10 and # 11 below.

3. What are the restrictions on .PH domain names?

There are a few things you need to remember:

If you're registering a plain .ph domain, it should contain at least three (3) characters and at most twenty three (23) characters.
If you're registering a .com.ph, .net.ph and the like, it should contain at least three (3) characters and at most nineteen (19) characters.
Valid characters consist of unaccented letters of the English alphabet (a-z), the digits 0-9, and the hyphen (-) character. The domain name cannot begin or end with a hyphen (-).

4. Do I need a SEC/DTI registration in order to get a .PH domain name? Do I need a local presence to apply for a .PH domain name?

No to both questions. However, you should be ready with your registration papers in case someone disputes the ownership of your .com.ph domain, and even then, PHRegistrar.PH will take a hands-off-policy in regard to domain disputes, leaving the matter between the contesting parties. In any case, SEC/DTI registration is meaningful only for .com.ph domains.

5. Someone is Cybersquatting on my name, what can I do?

You can register variations of your name, e.g., if you're Atlas Mining Co. and someone has registered atlas.ph, you can register atlas-mining.ph or atlasmining.ph.

6. What is the price of domain name registration? How do I pay?

US$42 (one year) and US$65 (two years) registration fee (subject to change without prior notice). We accept payments via credit card, bank transfer, cash, checks or Philippine-money order. You will receive a billing statement or invoice for your payment guidance.

Please also note that our bank imposes an additional US$50 clearing charge per check drawn on a non-Philippine bank.

We also accept bank drafts. Please use the same information for paying PHRegistrar.PH Web Services. Remember that additional charge of US$50 applies on bank draft payments. Please make sure you indicate your name and company when paying bank drafts.

We should add that domains existing prior to October 1, 1999 were charged a one-time registration fee of PhP1,350. They will not be subject to renewal fees unless they need to change nameservers, in which case they will be charged a new registration fee and annual renewals. See question # 9 below.

7. I have a .com.ph domain now and I want to transfer to .ph, how do I go about it? Are there fees involved?

You can always register the corresponding .ph from a .com.ph. You have the choice of maintaining both a flat .ph and a .com.ph, or you may simply stick with one or the other. Your system administrators should be able to redirect all references from one to the other -- i.e., all mail to userID@yourdomain.com.ph can go to userID@yourdomain.ph, or vice versa. In like manner, all references to http://www.yourdomain.com.ph can be redirected to http://www.yourdomain.ph.

8. Is there a charge for modification?

Applications that were paid for have NO CHARGE for modifications within their duration.

However, if you paid your domains prior October 1, 1999 (considered lifetime domains in that they had no expiration), you need to pay for the modification fee as if it were a two-year application. The domain would then become subject to annual renewals. See question # 6 above.

9. What do I have to do to transfer hosting services?

First, you should have your new hosting service register your new account, or do it yourself. Since DNS caches can store old information for up to one month, we recommend that you maintain your old nameservers for that period.

Second, we also have to ensure that you are authorizing the changes, so we'll require a signed fax from you. We will honor only the signatures of the administrative contact, the MIS/IT manager, or any higher authorized officer of the domain name owner.

Third, then you can settle your accounts with your previous hosting company, and have them delete your domain name from their nameservers.

Fourth, you can also click [here] and manage your domain.

10. I applied for a domain, and your Web site said that it was still available, so I registered it. Then, I got mail from you saying that the domain was already in process. But when I went to pay the domain, I learned that someone else had registered the domain. What happened?

Two things could have happened

There's a slight delay between the time we receive payments and the time the ph domain database was updated, so a domain may be displayed as available, even though it is already taken.

Someone else may have applied for the domain and paid for it after, before you paid for yours. PHRegistrar.PH does not reserve domains. We only consider the domain taken once it has been paid. Should you have problems delivering your payment quickly to us, don't hesitate to contact us by phone or email.

11. I have a leased line or dedicated dial-up and I need to configure my nameserver, what must I do?

You should work with your ISP.