Italian Registration Authority

This document describes the procedures for the assignment, modification, suspension and annulment of a domain name on the part of the Registration Authority Italiana (RA).

Where written communication is mentioned here it can also be taken to mean fax, but not e-mail.

1. Terminology and Elements for Registration

1.1 Provider/Maintainer

The provider/maintainer is the individual who has stipulated a contract with the RA for the registration on his/her own behalf or on the behalf of third parties of domain names in the ccTLD "it".

1.2 Letter of Assumption of Responsibility

The letter of assumption of responsibility (AR letter) is the letter with which the domain name requester assumes full civil and penal responsibility for the use of the domain name. In the AR letter, besides the elements specified in article 13.1 of the Naming Rules, and besides the Maintainer identifier, the following data must be declared, according to the format given by the RA:

• for companies:
  1. Chamber of Commerce registration number or Company Registry registration number, when required by law;
  2. VAT number
  3. name and surname of legal representative
  4. public office company address.
• for individual firms:
  1. VAT number.
  2. put NON SOGGETTO DITTA INDIVIDUALE in the Chamber of Commerce fields
• for freelance professionals:
  1. VAT number, where required by law;
  2. The date and number of registration to the relevant Registry, if such Registry exists.
• for public bodies:
  1. the entitlement of the requester to represent the body;
  2. details of the measures whereby the body was constituted, where possible;
  3. the fiscal code or VAT number, where possible;
  4. (for Italian public bodies) if the public body is subject to AIPA rules or not.
• for associations:
  1. constitution date;
  2. date and number of registration where required by law;
  3. name and surname or legal representative;
  4. fiscal code of VAT number where required.
• for individuals:
  1. name and surname;
  2. date and place of birth;
  3. domestic address;
  4. unique identifier (for Italy the fiscal code) and European Union country which issued it.

The AR letter, signed by the requester, must be forwarded directly or via one's provider/maintainer to the RA at the following address:

    Registration Authority Italiana
    Network Information Center
    c/o Istituto IIT del CNR
    Via Giuseppe Moruzzi, 1
    I-56124 Pisa (PI)
    Tel: +39 050 3139811
    Fax: +39 050 542420

The AR letter can also be sent by the requester or his/her provider maintainer by fax.

1.3 Domain name registration form

The domain name registration form contains the information which will be memorised in the Register of Assigned Names (RAN) for public access. The form must be compiled by the provider/maintainer according to the example furnished by the RA and must be sent by the provider/maintainer by e-mail to the RA at the following address:

   domain@nic.it

or in X.400 syntax

   S=domain; P=nic; A=GARR; C=it;

The provider/maintainer is the guarantor of the correctness of the information furnished in the form on behalf of the requester.

The provider/maintainer is entrusted with the task of obtaining, via the RIPE database server (address: auto-dbm@ripe.net), the identifiers (NIC-HDL) of all of the individuals nominated in the registration form. NIC-HDLs obtained with Arin, Internic and Apnic are also considered valid.

1.4 Activation of the Internet or DSA nameserver

In the case of domain name registration in IPS format, or in ISO/ISEC 10021 format with the relative IPS format translation rule, the requester or his/her provider/maintainer must activate at least two authoritative nameservers, one primary and the other secondary, for the new domain name. The following conditions must be satisfied:

• the nameservers specified in the form must be at least two in number and must correspond exactly to those configured for the domain name;
• the IP addresses of the nameservers specified in the form must correspond to those actually used by them in reality;
• the first nameserver specified in the form must be the same as that indicated in the SOA record of the domain name;
• a CNAME must not be associated with the domain name;
• the name of the nameserver specified in the SOA record must not be a CNAME;
• the names of the authoritative nameservers for the domain name must not be CNAMEs;
• at least one MX or A record must exist for the domain name;
• al record MX, eventualmente presente, non deve essere associato un CNAME
• where an MX record is present it must not have an associated CNAME the nameservers, when interrogated, must not furnish the following responses:
  • not responding
  • not reachable
  • not running
  • non-existent domain
  • Host not found
  • server failure
  • Query failed
• If dns2.nic.it or dns3.nic.it appears on the form (a service of secondary nameserver being thus requested), the IP address specified for this nameserver must be exact. Also, in this case:
  • the "refresh period" must not be less than 86400
  • the "retry interval" must not be less than 1800
  • the "expire time" must not be less than 604800
• All the nameservers indicated in the form must be authoritative for the domain name (with the exception of the nameserver where the secondary nameserver service is optionally provided bu the RA, which is automatically configured upon completed registration).

The reference documents for checks (aforementioned) are RFC974, RFC1034 and RFC1912.

Where a domain name in format ITU X.500 is registered, the requester or his/her provider/maintainer must activate at least one Directory System Agent (DSA) for the new domain name.

2. Assignment of a new domain name

2.1 Registration procedure

The registration procedure involves the following steps:

1. Send, by the registrant or by the provider/maintainer, an AR letter to the RA, according to the specifications given in 1.2,
2. Send, by the provider/maintainer, the registration form to the RA, according to the specifications given in 1.3, provided that the primary and secondary nameservers have been configured, as specified in 1.4

All of the forms, the AR letters and the requests forwarded to the RA must be formulated in Italian language.

The registration procedure is considered active from the moment in which the RA receives the AR letter, also potentially via fax, correctly compiled and signed. The order of precedence with which the registration requests are dealt with is based upon the chronological order in which AR letters are received.

Provided that the precedence order is established by the arrival of the AR letter, the RA will retain and consider as valid a form received up to a maximum of 10 days before the corresponding AR letter is received, but it will not process the form until the corresponding AR letter is accepted.

Within 10 working days form the activation of the registration procedure, the provider/maintainer must complete the documentation relative to the registration for the RA. Otherwise, the registration procedure fails, the request is annulled and the provider/maintainer which forwarded the domain name registration request is informed of the failure of the registration procedure.

2.2 Formal and technical registration checks

Once in possession of the AR letter and the Registration Form, the RA begins the formal and technical registration checks indicated below.

If there are syntactical, semantic or technical problems the RA communicates this to the provider/maintainer within 10 working days from the beginning of the said checks, giving the provider/maintainer a period of 10 working days to solve the problems. Where these problems are not resolved within the specified period, the registration request is annulled and the provider/maintainer is informed of the failure of the registration procedure.

2.2.1 Checks on the requested name

The domain name requested is compared to all other domain names within the RAN and with those domains for which registration procedure is active. The registration request is automatically rejected if one of the following conditions is encountered:

• the requested domain name is a duplicate in IPS syntax; or
• the requested domain name is a duplicate in the ISO/IEC 10021 and the value of the ADMD field is different from "0"; or
• the domain name requested is a duplicate in ITU X.500 syntax.

2.2.2 Documentation congruence checks

The RA checks that the AR letter and the Registration Form are congruent, i.e. that:

• the individual given on the form as "admin-c" is the same as the signatory of the AR letter
• ithe provider/maintainer specified in the AR letter is the same as that which forwarded the electronic form.

2.2.3 Registration form checks

The syntactical correctness of the form is checked by the RA (eventually via automatic procedure) which informs the sender via e-mail if the form is correct or whether compilation errors have been made. Where errors have been made, they must be corrected and the form reforwarded until the operation is successful.

Once the syntactic check has been passed, the RA checks that each individual to whom reference is made on the registration form has a "person" entry for his/her identification. This entry must be made in one of the following forms:

• in the registration form, if the individual is new or the data contained in an existing entry is being updated;
• in the RA database, if the registration of the entry relative to the person was compiled previously.

The RA also checks that an e-mail address for the postmaster of the domain name has been inserted (mandatory).

2.2.4 Checks on the correct configuration of the nameservers

The correct configuration of the nameservers, according to the specifications given in article 1.4, is checked by the RA (eventually via automatic procedure) which informs the sender via e-mail if the configuration is correct or whether errors have been made in the configuration of the authoritative nameservers for the requested domain name. The provider/maintainer must verify that this communication has been received. Where errors have been made, they must be corrected and the form reforwarded until the operation is successful.

2.3 Successful conclusion of the registration procedures

If all of the formal and technical checks are passed, the RA ensures that:

• the authoritative delegates for the new domain name are correctly inserted in the relevant nameservers or in the operational tables necessary to the correct use of the same;
• all of the other necessary registration techniques for the operation of services relative to the new domain name are activated.

In particular the e-mail address given in the "postmaster:" field of the registration form must be included in the distribution list

   postmita@nic.it  /  S=postmita; P=nic; A=GARR; C=it;

containing all of the postmasters of domains under the ccTLD.it.

At this point the RA ensures that the new domain name is entered in the RAN and sends the provider/maintainer a confirmation of the completed registration.

2.4 Rejection of the request

The domain name assignment request is rejected where:

• a) a registration procedure for the requested domain name is already active;
• b) the formal and technical checks on the registration documents give a negative outcome and the provider/maintainer fails to furnish the requested corrections within 10 days;
• c) the documentation is not sent within 10 days of the reception of the AR letter;
• d) the provider/maintaner is defaulting with the RA.

The provider/maintainer which forwarded the domain name registration request is informed via e-mail of the failure of the registration procedure.

3. Annulment of an assigned domain name

The procedures for the annulment of a previously assigned domain name are given here.

Such procedures are followed where:

1. the assignee requests that his/her domain name be changed or renounces the domain name;
2. the domain is passed into NO-PROVIDER-MNT;
3. One of the cases laid down in articles 11.2 and 11.3 of the naming rules which determine the annulment of an assigned domain name comes about.11.3

In the first instance the annulment request is presented by the assignee of the domain name; in the second instance it is forwarded by the provider/maintainer; in the third instance the RA proceeds officially.

3.1 Renunciation of change of domain name on the part of the assignee

The assignee of a domain name may renounce it by forwarding a letter expressing this wish to the RA. The request must be accompanied by appropriate documentation proving the legitimacy of the underwriter of the request.

At the end of the eventual period of maintenance of the domain name according to article 11.1 of the naming rules, or immediately, where such a request is absent, the RA removes the authoritative delegates for the domain name from the nameservers or DSA; it cancels all of the other technical registrations necessary to the operation of the relative services and cancels the name from the RAN, informing the relevant provider/maintainer of the completed cancellation of the registration.

3.2 Annulment of a domain name no longer maintained by the provider/maintainer

A domain name status is changed into NO-PROVIDER-MNT in the following cases:

• when the RA receives a writtem coommunication from the provider/maintainer where he/she declares explicitly that he will not maintain that domain any more;
• when a provider/maintainer does not have an active contract with the RA any more.

In the domain name registration contained in the RAN the RA substitutes the value provided in the "mnt-by:" field with NO- PROVIDER-MNT and sends the assignee a letter by registered post informing him/her of the transferral of the domain name into the state of NO-PROVIDER-MNT.

Where three months pass in the absence of further communications from the assignee in relation to the registration in question, the RA the RA removes the authoritative delegates for the domain name from the nameservers or DSA; it cancels all of the other technical registrations necessary to the operation of the relative services and cancels the name from the RAN, informing the relevant provider/maintainer of the completed cancellation of the registration.

3.3 Annulment by the RA

Where annulment of the assignment of a domain name is put into effect officially or following arbitration sentence or decision, the RA removes the authoritative delegates for the domain name from the nameservers or DSA; it cancels all of the other technical registrations necessary to the operation of the relative services and cancels the name from the RAN, informing the relevant provider/maintainer of the completed cancellation of the registration.

The RA also informs the assignee of the name removed and informs the provider/maintainer of the completed official removal of the domain name, specifying the reasons behind the annulment and enclosing all relevant documentation.

4. Suspension of an assigned domain name

The procedures for the suspension of a domain name are given here.

The suspension procedure of a domain name is put into effect where:

1. order of suspension on the part of judicial authorities or arbitration body (for which see article 15.5 of the naming rules) is issued;
2. suspension request is made on the part of the assignee according to the substance of article 12.2 of the naming rules;
3. when the conditions given in the naming rules art. 12.3 are fulfiled.

In the first instance the suspension request must be made to the RA by whomsoever is legally occupied with the matter or by the arbitration body. In the latter case the suspension request is presented via written communication from the assignee of the domain name.

In both cases he RA removes the authoritative delegates for the domain name from the nameservers or DSA; it cancels all of the other technical registrations necessary to the operation of the relative services. The RA also adds the field 'SOSPESO/SUSPENDED' to the RAN registration.

4.1 Reactivation of a suspended domain name

To reactivate a suspended domain name the RA ensures the reinsertion of the authoritative delegates of the domain name in the nameservers or DSA and the reinsertion of all of the other technical registrations necessary for the operation of relative services. The RA must also carry out the technical checks on the correct configuration of the nameservers or DSA, as set down for the activation of a new domain name. The RA also removes the field "SOSPESO/SUSPENDED" from the RAN registration.

At the end of the procedure the RA informs the assignee of the domain name and his/her provider/maintainer of the reactivation of the domain name.

5. Modification of a domain name registration

The procedures for the modification of a domain name registration are given here. "Modification" is taken to mean the variation of some of the information contained in the registration, though the domain name values in the syntaxes IPS, ISO/IEC 10021 or ITU X.500 and the subject using the domain name remain unvaried.

In the instance of the modification of the domain name or of the assignee, the cancellation of the previous domain name and the registration of a new domain name according to the procedures described in articles 2 and 3 must be put into effect.

5.1 Simple modification of the registration

Where the modification does not lead to a change of provider/maintainer, the procedures described in articles 2.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.3, 2.2.4, 2.3 and 2.4 are applied. A new AR letter is only necessary where it is intended to vary the admin-c of the domain.

5.2 Change of provider/maintainer

The assignee of the domain name sends written declaration to the RA of the change of maintainer/provider. This declaration must be signed by the individual given as admin-c in the registration form or by an individual with the power of legal representative of the subject using the domain name; the declaration must contain indications of the past and future provider/maintainer.

The RA modifies the RAN registration of the domain name by inserting the value CHANGING-MNT in the "mnt-by" field; this identifies those domain names in the process of changing provider/maintainer.

The RA, via e-mail, informs each provider/maintainer involved in the operation of the beginning of the procedure to change provider/maintainer. The RA also invites the new provider/maintainer to send the new registration form for the domain name in question, updating all data, by e-mail.

.At this point the check procedures described in articles 2.2.2, 2.2.3 e 2.2.4. are followed. In addition, the RA checks that the previous provider/maintainer has removed the previous delegates. If this is not put into effect BY THE PREVIOUS provider/maintainer then it will therewith be prevented from registering further domain names.

5.2.1 Modification of the delegation

If all of the checks are passed, the RA ensures that the authoritative delegates for the domain name are correctly inserted into the nameservers or DSA and that all of the operation tables necessary o the correct use of the domain name are modified along with the other technical registrations necessary for the operation of services relative to the domain name.

The RA forwards a communication via e-mail to both of the provider/maintainers concerned regarding the completed change of delegation. The RA also requests the previous provider/maintainer to remove the delegates from the precious authoritative nameservers. It is thus the task of the previous provider/maintainer to remove the delegates from the previous authoritative nameservers of the domain, managed directly or indirectly, and to send confirmation of this to the RA. If this is not put into effect BY THE PREVIOUS provider/maintainer then it will therewith be prevented from registering further domain names.

5.3 Rejection of the request

If eventual technical problems are not resolved by the new provider/maintainer of the assignee of the domain name within 10 working days from the notification of such problems on the part of the RA, the modification request is annulled and the requester is informed of the failure of the procedure to change provider/maintainer. The domain in thus reassigned to the previous provider/maintainer.

6. Change of a domain name assignee

6.1. Transfer upon agreement of the parties

In the event of a domain name transfer upon agreement of the parties, the transferee has to send to the Registration Authority a written statement signed jointly by the transferor and the transferee, and at the same time a new letter AR.

When the RA receives the electronic form from the maintainer of the transferee, the Registration Authority carries on the assignation of the domain name according to art. 9 of the naming rules.

In case of irregularities within the letter or the electronic form, the RA informs the provider/maintainer of the transferee and suspends the assignation of that domain name until everything has been sorted out.

The transfer action shall in any case be concluded within 10 days from the activation of transfer procedure or from the last irregularities in the AR letter or in the electronic form signalled to the provider/maintainer of the transferor. If the action is not completed within the period given above, the transfer is cancelled, and the domain name is assigned again to the transferor.

6.2 Transfer of a domain name at the end of a reassignment procedure

At the end of a reassignment procedure, the new assignee of a domain name has to send to the Registration Authority the letter of assumption of responsibility for the assigned domain name and the related electronic form through his/her provider/maintainer. After having received this documentation, the RA carries on the assignation of the domain name according to art. 9 of the naming rules.

The transfer action shall in any case be concluded within 30 days from the notification by the procedure adminitstrato to the RA of the domain name riassegnement decision. If the action is not completed within the period given above, the transfer is cancelled, and the domain name can be assigned by the RA to anybody requesting it.

6.3 Universal or specific "mortis causa"  successions.

In the event of a universal "mortis causa" succession, the assignee has to send to the Registration Authority his/her identification data, as well as the death certificate of the former assignee and a statement proving that the assignee is her/his sole heir.

In the event of a specific "mortis causa" succession, the assignee has to send to the Registration Authority his/her identification data, as well as the death certificate of the former assignee and a copy of the disposition through which he/she succeeded the deceased on the domain name title.

Furthermore, the "mortis causa" heir has to send to the Registration Authority a new AR letter and a new electronic form with his/her data through his/her provider/maintainer. Once the RA has received the above mentioned documentation, it carries on the modification of the domain name registration according to art. 9 of the naming rules.

The transfer action shall in any case be concluded within 10 days from the activation of transfer procedure or from the last irregularities in the AR letter or in the electronic form signalled to the provider/maintainer of the heir. If the action is not completed within the period given above, the transfer is cancelled, and the domain name is cancelled.

6.4 Company or company branch transfer

In the event of a company or company branch transfer, the Registration Authority carries on the modification of a domain name assignee when it receives a joint statement signed by the transferor and the transferee, that contains the identification data of the transferee and, in case of a company or entrepreneurs as for art. 2195 of the Italian civil code, the data concerning the act and its registration.

Furthermore, the transferee has to send to the Registration Authority a new AR letter and a new electronic form with his/her data through his/her provider/maintainer. Once the RA has received the above mentioned documentation, it carries on the modification of the domain name registration according to art. 9 of the naming rules.

The transfer action shall in any case be concluded within 10 days from the activation of transfer procedure or from the last irregularities in the AR letter or in the electronic form signalled to the provider/maintainer of the transferor. If the action is not completed within the period given above, the transfer is cancelled, and the domain name is assigned again to the transferor.

6.5 Company transformation, Company merging or Incorporation

In case of company transformation, merging or incorporation, the RA shall receive from the requesting company an adequate declaration and a new AR letter from the company legal representative.

Furthermore, the requesting party shall send to the RA through its provider/maintainer a new electronic form containing its data.

Once the RA has received the above mentioned documentation, it carries on the modification of the domain name registration according to art. 9 of the naming rules.

The transfer action shall in any case be concluded within 10 working days from the activation of transfer procedure or from the last irregularities in the AR letter or in the electronic form signalled to the provider/maintainer of the new assignee. If the action is not completed within the period given above, the transfer is cancelled, and the domain name is restored in its previous state.

7. Checkable documentation

At any time the RA may request the following documents:

• original of the letter of assumption of responsibility, where a copy of the same has been sent or was sent by fax;
• for private companies, chamber's survey and/or certificate of registration with the Chamber of Commerce in process as requested by law, and a copy of the document of VAT number attribution;
• for individual firms, a copy of the document of VAT number attribution;
• for freelance professionals, a copy of the document of VAT number attribution where required by law and certificate of registration with a professional register if existing;
• for public bodies, document attesting to the title of the requester to represent the body (also via self-certification), copy of the administrative measure with which the body was instituted (if possible), copy of the document of VAT number attribution or fiscal code;
• for associations, the constitutional act and/or statute;
• for individuals, a copy of the identity document and a copy of the document with unique identifier (for Italy the fiscal code).

Where this includes documentation in foreign languages, an official translation in Italian must be appended.

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