Domain Registration
1. How do I register a .ph domain?
There are three easy steps to getting a PH domain:
- First Step
Check for availability. Just go to the dotPH homepage and type in the domain name you want. Choose your preferred domain suffix from the drop-down menu, then press "GO". If the name is still available, you are automatically brought to the next step. If the name is already taken, type in a new name and search again. - Second step
Fill out the Online Registration Form. Just follow the instructions, provide us with some basic information and click "GO". Before you know it, you will have gotten a notice informing you of the status of your application. - Third Step
Pay for your domain. Use our online credit card payment system and get your domain instantly. If you don't have a credit card, you may send a check or pay in person to:
dotPH Domains Inc.
2706 Jollibee Plaza Bldg.,
F. Ortigas Jr. Rd. (formerly Emerald Ave.),
Ortigas Center, Pasig City
1605 Philippines
Fax: +632 6327319
Please check the approval notice for details on how to pay by check or cash.
2. What if the name I want is not available?
If the name you want is not available, you can try searching for a different name or a variation of the name you desire (sometimes a slightly different spelling or incorporating a hyphen will work).
Or you can avail of our Waitlist Service. A Waitlist reservation means you are first in line to get that domain if it expires and the current registrant does not renew.
A Waitlist reservation costs the same as registering a domain. If the current registrant does not renew, the Waitlist fee is applied towards your domain registration. If the current registrant renews or you get tired of waiting, you may apply the Waitlist fee to register an available domain (or Waitlist another domain) at no extra cost.
3. What are the rules on choosing a domain name?
One and 2 character domain names are disallowed.
As few as three and as many as 63 characters (not including .PH) are permitted. Some mail programs do not accept more than 26 characters in a combined TLD and second level domain name, so we therefore do not recommend more than 23 characters for the second level domain (plus .PH = 26). Names may not begin or end with a dash, and upper case and lower case are treated as lower case only. Besides the - character, only alphanumeric characters a-z, 0-9 are accepted. Spaces and any other characters in a name will not be accepted. Names with only numeric characters and names with spaces will not be accepted.
4. What information is required to register a Domain Name?
You must provide:
- your name
- a company/organization name
- mailing address
- a phone number,
- an e-mail address for Primary and Secondary Users.
Email addresses for both Primary and Secondary Users must be valid. Furthermore, the domain you are registering cannot form part of any of these two email addresses. E.g. if you applied for "dom-name.ph", you can't use "contact@dom-name.ph" as the email address for either your Primary or Secondary contacts.
You should also provide DNS information about the servers that will point to your Domain Name. Valid Name server hostnames and IP addresses must both be indicated.
5. What if I don't have an ISP/hosting company yet?
You can make use of the default name servers (ns1.domains.ph and ns2.domains.ph). These name servers will only serve as placeholders until you are ready to use your domain.
6. Can I register a Domain Name without having a Web site?
Yes. Domain Names can be registered and "parked" on our server until you are ready to launch your Website.
7. After the online registration, how will I be informed and how long will it take for the approval?
If the domain name you submitted is available and your registration form is filled out correctly, a notification will automatically be sent within seconds to your e-mail address. Sometimes a domain is registered and paid for by someone else in the time it takes you to search for availability and fill out the registration form. If that happens, you will receive a notice informing you that the domain is no longer available and requesting you to register a different domain.
8. Can I register for .edu.ph and .gov.ph domains through dotPH?
No. dotPH does not administer the ".gov.ph" or the ".edu.ph" subdomains. You may visit their respective websites at:
- .EDU.PH - http://dns.edu.ph
- .GOV.PH - http://dns.gov.ph
9. What does it mean to have my domain name "parked" on the DotPH server?
It means that you can get your domain name even if you don't have an ISP or Web host for your site. This is important for those who register a domain to protect it against cyber-squatters or unauthorized use. Domains parked on our server can avail of FREE Web Forwarding.
10. What is Webforwarding?
This allows people to find your Website by simply typing in your domain name (ex. http://your-business.ph), even if you are using a free hosting service such as Geocities. Web forwarding comes free with any PH domain (.ph, .com.ph, .net.ph, .org.ph, .mil.ph and .ngo.ph). Your domain must be parked on our server to avail of the Web Forwarding feature.
11. What is the "Park Your Domain with Mail Forwarding" Package?
The package allows you to use your domain as an easy-to-remember e-mail address (ex. first-name@last-name.ph or sales@your-business.ph). Mail sent to this address will be forwarded to your existing mailbox, whether it is a mailbox provided by your ISP or a Web-based mail service such as Yahoo or Hotmail. If you change ISPs or get a different e-mail account, just let us know and we will re-direct your mail to your new mailbox.
12. How do we register for .mil.ph and .ngo.ph domains?
Please send email to helpdesk@dot.ph or contact us at +632-
6372104/05.
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