The Rules of Domain Names of the Kingdom of Bahrain

Chapter One – General Provisions

Definitions

The following words and expression shall have the meanings assigned thereto hereunder, unless the context otherwise requires:

The Authority: The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA).

Domain Name of the Kingdom of Bahrain: The top level of the global Domain Name System (DNS) designated to the Kingdom of Bahrain on internet, composed of two letters (.bh) according to the International Organization for Standardization’s ISO 1-3166 standard (International Standard for country codes and codes for their subdivisions), or the word “Bahrain” corresponding to the mentioned letters in Arabic.

Domain Names: Domain names from levels 2 and 3, which are being registered within Domain name of Kingdom of Bahrain.

Level-2 Domain Name: A Domain name consists of a singular acronym according to the Country code top-level domain (ccTLD); e.g. domainname.bh or the equivalent thereof in Arabic.

Level-3 Domain Name: A Domain name consists of a dual acronym according to Country code top-level domain (ccTLD); e.g. domainname.com.bh or the equivalent thereof in Arabic.

Registration Applicant: Any natural or juristic entity who applies for the registration of a Domain Name under the provisions of these rules.

Domain Name Owner: Any natural or juristic entity for whose benefit a Domain Name has been registered under the provisions of this resolution.

Registration of Domain Name: A license the TRA issues to the registration applicant, which grants the applicant the exclusive right to use a specific domain name within a specific time stipulated in these rules.

The Fees: The fees stipulated in the Resolution No. (11) of 2018, on organizing the registration and utilization of domains for Levels Two and Three, within the framework of domain’s name of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Unique Domain Names: A domain that has certain characteristics, on which the unique domain name Registration Fees table applies.

Renewal: The re-registration of the domain name after the expiry thereof.

Accredited Registrar System: A system that allows the Authority to select specified bodies to carry out on its behalf the technical operations related to receiving Registration Applications of Domain Names and to give Domain Names to the Registration Applicants.

Domain Name Registrar: is an organization or commercial entity that sells domain names and manages the services needs of domain name registrants.

Cancellation: Submitting an application through the accredited registrar system to cancel the domain name. The effect resulting from cancelling the domain name shall be deleting it from the registration system.

Registrant Transfer: An amendment to the Registry Database to transfer the domain name from one of a registration owner to the other.

Agreement of Domain Name Owner: An agreement between the accredited domain name registrar and the domain name owner that includes the terms and conditions for using the domain name, in accordance with these rules.

Accreditation Agreement: An agreement concluded between the accredited registrar and the Authority that includes the conditions and controls the agreement of domain name owner shall satisfy, according to which the accredited registrar may provide certain services in accordance with these rules.

The Resolution: The Resolution No. (11) of 2018, on organizing the registration and utilization of domains for Levels Two and Three, within the framework of domain’s name of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Registration Application: The electronic application form for the registration of the domain name submitted to the accredited registrar.

Registry System of Domain Name: A technical system that assists in the process of managing and registering the domain names. It includes any or all servers, switches, routers, firewalls, the associated equipment thereof, and the programs installed on such equipment used in the registration, storage, and maintenance of the Registry Database.

Registration Fees: A non-refundable fee paid by the accredited registrar when registering a domain name on behalf of the applicant.

Label (labels): ASCII compliant encoding for a valid string of IDNA that always begins with “xn-“. IDNA is the technical protocol used internationally to handle the domain name containing non-ASCII characters in DNS.

ASCII: Standard Code for Information Interchange. It is a coding system based on the English alphabet.

Internationalized Domain Name: A domain name that contains characters other than the 26 letters of the Latin alphabet “a-z”, numbers (0-9), and the signs ().

ICANN: The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.

Unicode: A commonly used single encoding system that provides a unique number for each character across a wide range of languages and scripts. The Unicode supports more than one million code points written in as a “U” followed by a plus sign and the unique number in a hexadecimal string.

Reserved Domain Names: A domain name that is not available for registration, in accordance with the provisions of the articles of Chapter Four of these rules.

WHOIS Database: A protocol to search for certain domain name-related information, including the name and contact information of the accredited registrar, domain name owner, and domain name servers.

Standard Proceedings for Resolving Domain Name Registration Disputes: The amended proceedings in the Kingdom of Bahrain to settle the disputes related to domain name registration processes (such as the electronic violation), allowing urgent administrative proceedings to be taken by the trademark rights owner by submitting a complaint to an accredited judge, such as: WIPO.

Valid Domain Names: Registered domain names that are valid prior to the effective date of the Resolution provisions.

Registration Phase of Domain Names: The period of registering the domain name related to the registered trademarks to register a domain name identical to the trademark name.

Seniority Phase: The registration phase that gives the current owners of domain names within the domain name (.bh) the priority to register the domain name corresponding to it under the domain name (.bahrain).

Registry Database: The data held by the TRA to register, store, and maintain the details of the available, registered, and Valid Domain Names (other than the intellectual property information, non-public or commercial property, or information and property of the TRA of sensitive nature) used by the TRA to establish and maintain the domain name registry system or provide services.

Transferor Registrar: The accredited registrar transferring the domain name, based on a request by the domain name owner.

Transferee Registrar: The accredited registrar, to whom the domain name is transferred, based on a request by the domain name owner.

Transferring the Domain Names: The procedures for transferring multiple domain names at the same time from a registrar to a new accredited registrar, in case the registrar loses the accreditation. The TRA may make the necessary arrangements to transfer a large part of the domain names to the new accredited registrar, provided the new registrar pays the transfer fees.

Chapter Two – Rules for Registering Domain Names

Submitting Applications for Domain Names Registration

A – Without prejudice to any conditions or procedures that are applicable during the initial phases of launching Domain Names stipulated in Chapter Six of these rules, or any other plan announced by the Authority, any person may apply to obtain a Domain Name available for registration within the Domain name of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

B – The accredited registrars shall submit the Application for Registration and the collection of fees unless the Authority decides otherwise. The procedures in this regard shall be published on the Authority’s website.

C – The Registration Applicant shall conclude an Agreement of Domain Name Owner with the accredited registrar before the applicant submits the Registration Application to the Authority. The accredited registrar shall verify that the application is compliant with the requirements of the provisions of these rules before submitting the application to the Registry System of Domain Names.

D – Registering identical or similar Domain Names, which satisfy the conditions stipulated in these rules, shall be made on first come first served basis for the applications submitted through the Registry System of Domain Names., without any prejudice or preference.

Multiple Domain Names Registration

The Registration Applicant may require the registration of more than one Domain Name, provided the application procedures are followed for each Domain Name separately.

Domain Name Registry Lock

The Registration Applicant or the Domain Name Owner may benefit from the registry Lock service to provide additional protection for the Domain Name against unauthorized transfers, updates, and deletions. This may be done by submitting an application to the accredited registrar and paying the prescribed fees.

Validity Periods of Domain Name Registration

The Domain Name may be registered, renewed, or re-registered for a period ranging from one to five years, after paying the prescribed fees under the Resolution.

Reviewing of Domain Name Registration Applications

A – Second-Level Domain Names shall be registered upon paying the prescribed fees by the Registration Applicant.

B – Registration Applications for Third-Level Domain Names shall be submitted according to these Rules. The Registration Application shall be decided upon and the Registration Applicant shall be notified electronically within a period not exceeding seven (7) days from the date of receiving the application through the Registry System of Domain Names.

C – The decision to reject the Registration Application of Third-Level Domain Name shall be reasoned. The paid fees shall be non-refundable.

Reviewing of the Applications for Domain Name Renewal and Re-Registration of a Cancelled Domain Name

A – The procedures, conditions, and fees of Domain Name registration shall apply to applications for Domain Name Renewal and re-registration of a canceled Domain Name.

B – The Domain Name Owner may renew the Domain Name within forty-five (45) days from the expiry of the registration period, provided that it meets the registration requirements. The Domain Name shall remain active until the end of this period.

C – In the event that the Domain Name is not renewed within the time period specified in section (B) of this Article, the Domain Name shall be de-activated. The Domain Name Owner may submit, within a period of thirty (30) days, an application to retrieve the Domain Name to the accredited registrar and pay the Registration Fees and retrieval fees stipulated in the Resolution, provided the Registration Application meets the registration requirements.

D – In case of the Domain Name is not retrieved within the time periods stipulated in Section (C) of this Article, the Domain Name shall be deleted after five (5) days from the expiration of this period. The Domain Name shall be made available to Registration Applicants for registration.

Periodic Review of Registered Domain Names

A – The Authority may, ex proprio motu or based on a complaint, review the Domain Names periodically or randomly to verify that the Domain Name Owner has fulfilled the provisions of these rules and the conditions of the Domain Name Owner Agreement through all the phases of the Domain Name launch.

B – In case the Authority finds, during the review process, that the Domain Name Owner does not comply with these rules, the Authority may take the necessary measures in this regard, including suspending the Domain Name registration. The Authority shall electronically notify the registrar and the Domain Name Owner of the measures taken in this regard.

Chapter Three – Domain Name Requirements, Levels, and Zones

Requirements of Domain Name

Section One
Domain name requirements

A – Any Domain Name requested to be registered shall satisfy the following requirements:

1. Not to prejudice any intellectual property right of any person, whether natural or juristic entity.
2. Not to violate the Law, public morals or public order, and not to be used for illegal purposes.
3. Not to offend the name of any country, city, celebrity, family, or famous trademarks.
4. It shall not involve any of the following:
   1. Anything that would compromise the national security or military secrets or infringe on the dignity and prestige of the Kingdom of Bahrain in any way.
   2. Anything that would harm the national interests.
   3. Anything that would create any form of discrimination among members of the community.
   4. Anything that would incite terrorism, violence, or crime, or threaten public safety and security.
   5. Anything that would spread rumors, disturb and destabilize the community and public opinion.
   6. Anything that would offend or harm the reputation of others or infringe on their legal rights and interests.
5. Any other requirements approved by the Authority, in light of whatever may be issued by the ICANN.

B – The Authority may ban the Domain Names violating the requirements stipulated in this Article.

Requirements for Domain Name Registration of the Kingdom of Bahrain (.bh)

The following requirements shall be satisfied to register a Domain Name of the Kingdom of Bahrain (.bh):

A – The Domain Name shall not be less than one field and not more than sixty-three fields.

B – The Domain Name shall contain only letters (A to Z), numbers (0 to 9), the sign (-), or a combination of letters, numbers and the sign (-), to be in line with the Internationalized Domain Name.

C – The Domain Name shall not contain the sign (-) in the third or fourth position, unless it corresponds to an Internationalized Domain Name in ASCII encoding.

D – The Domain Name shall not start or end with the sign (-).

E – The Domain Name shall not be a reserved name.

F – The Domain Name shall not contain any spaces.

Requirements for domain name registration of the Kingdom of Bahrain (.bahrain)

The following requirements shall be satisfied to register a domain name of the Kingdom of Bahrain (.البحرين):

A – The Domain Name shall comply with the Unicode in accordance with the permitted characters stipulated in Appendix (A) attached herein.

B – The Domain Name shall not be less than one field.

C – The Domain Name shall not start with a number.

D – The Domain Name shall be in Arabic only.

E – The Domain Name shall not contain the sign (-) in the third and fourth positions.

F – The Domain Name shall not contain any spaces.

G – The Domain Name shall satisfy the rules of the Arabic Domain Name variants, stipulated in Appendix (A) attached herein.

H – The Domain Name shall not be a reserved name.

Section Two
Domain Name Levels

Third-Level Domain Name

Registration Applicants, who meet the registration requirements stipulated in this section may register Third-Level Domain Names in the following Zones and for the purposes set forth below:

Third-Level	The purpose of registering the domain name
com.bh	Businesses
net.bh	Telecommunications and IT services providers
org.bh	Authorities, organizations, clubs or charities
edu.bh	Educational institutions
biz.bh	Businesses
info.bh	Information provision services
cc.bh	Businesses
.med.bh	Medical services
.name.bh	Natural person
me.bh	Natural person

Compliance with Registration Requirements of Third-Level Domain Name

A – The registration of Third-Level Domain Names within shall fulfill the requirements stipulated herein.

B – The Domain Name Owner shall ensure fulfilling the requirements throughout the registration period. The Authority may take the following measures in case the Domain Name Owner does not fulfill these requirements:

1. In case of the Authority determines that the Domain Name Owner has not fulfilled the registration requirements, an email shall be sent to the Domain Name Owner requiring the owner to provide evidence of compliance with the registration requirements within a period of thirty (30) days. The Authority has the right to contact the accredited registrar electronically to obtain the information related to the submitted application.
2. In case of the Authority determines that the documents submitted by the Domain Name Owner during the period stipulated in Clause (1) are insufficient, the Domain Name Owner shall be granted another period of thirty (30) days to complete the documents.
3. In case of the above-mentioned period is expired and the Domain Name Owner has not completed the required documents, the Authority may take the necessary measures, including the Cancellation of the Domain Name.
4. The Authority may suspend the Domain Name registration directly, if the Authority deems it necessary.

Registration Requirements for Third-Level Domain name within under the category “.com.bh”

A – Domain Names may be registered under the Third-Level category “.com.bh” for businesses, provided the name or the business activity is related to the required Domain Name.

B – The Registration Applicant shall submit one of the following documents at the time of submitting the application:

1. A valid commercial registration certificate.
2. A certificate of registration of a trademark or intellectual or industrial property.

Registration Requirements for Third-Level Domain name under the category “.cc.bh”

A – Domain Names may be registered under the Third-Level category “cc.bh” for businesses registered in the Kingdom of Bahrain, provided the name or the business is related to the required domain name.

B – The Registration Applicant shall submit one of the following documents at the time of submitting the application:

1. A valid commercial registration certificate issued by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
2. A certificate of registration of a trademark or intellectual or industrial property in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Registration Requirements for Third-Level Domain name under the category “.org.bh”

A – Domain Names may be registered under the Third-Level category “.org.bh.” for organizations, authorities, societies, institutions, clubs and any other similar organizations, provided that the required Domain Name is related to the entity name.

B – The Registration Applicant shall submit a copy of the registration certificate, incorporation resolutions or any other proof of the aforementioned from the competent authorities, in accordance with the applicable procedures in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Registration Requirements for Third-Level Domain name under the category “.edu.bh”

A – Domain Names may be registered under the Third-Level category “.edu.bh” for licensed educational institutions in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

B – The Registration Applicant shall submit one of the following documents at the time of submitting the application:

1. A copy of the license issued by the Ministry of Education in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
2. A letter issued by the Ministry of Education in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Registration Requirements for Third-Level Domain name under the category “.net.bh”

Domain Names may be registered under the Third-Level category “.net.bh” for telecommunications and information technology service providers registered in the Kingdom of Bahrain, provided that the name or the business activity is relevant to the required Domain Name. The Registration Applicant shall submit a valid commercial registration certificate at the time of submitting the application.

Registration Requirements for Third-Level Domain name under the category “.med.bh”

Domain Names may be registered under the Third-Level category “med.bh” for licensed medical services in the Kingdom of Bahrain, provided that the required Domain Name is relevant to the name of the entity or the services provided. The Registration Applicant shall submit a copy of the license issued by the competent authority in the Kingdom of Bahrain at the time of submitting the application.

Registration Requirements for Third-Level Domain name under the category “.info.bh”

Domain Names may be registered under the Third-Level category “.info.bh” for information provision services in the Kingdom of Bahrain, provided that the required Domain Name is relevant to the name of the entity or services provided. The Registration Applicant shall provide a proof of licensing by the competent authorities to provide information services at the time of submitting the application.

Registration Requirements for Third-Level Domain name under the category “.biz.bh”

A – Domain Names may be registered under the Third-Level category “.biz.bh.” for businesses, provided the name or the business activity is relevant to the required domain name.

B – The Registration Applicant shall submit one of the following documents at the time of submitting the application:

1. A valid commercial registration certificate.
2. A certificate of registration of a trademark or intellectual or industrial property.

Registration Requirements for Third-Level Domain name under the category “.name.bh” and “.me.bh”

A – Domain Names may be registered under the Third-Level category “me.bh.” and “name.bh” for natural persons, i.e. the citizens or residents of the Kingdom of Bahrain, provided that the required Domain Name is relevant to the name of the Registration Applicant.

B – The Registration Applicant shall submit one of the following documents at the time of submitting the application:

1. A Bahraini passport.
2. A Bahraini ID card.

Chapter Four – Reserved Domain Names

Registration Applications of Reserved Domain Name

A – Domain Names that are reserved as per these rules can be registered via a submission of a written reasoned application to the Authority. The Authority shall consider and decide on the application within a period not exceeding thirty (30) days from the date of submitting the application. In case of the application is reject, the Authority should issue a reasoned decision.

Chapter Five – Rules for Using Domain Names

Obligations of Domain Name Owner

A – The Domain Name Owner shall abide by all the provisions stipulated in these rules and the relevant laws and regulations.

B – The Domain Name Owner shall not misuse the Domain Name in a manner violating the laws of the Kingdom of Bahrain, the provisions of these rules and the Domain Name Owner Agreement.

C – The Domain Name Owner shall submit and update all the data and information related to the Domain Name in accordance with the provisions of these rules.

D – The Domain Name Owner shall implement any instructions issued by the Authority.

Abuse Complaints

A – Any person may submit a complaint about any abuse of the Domain Name of the Kingdom of Bahrain, by sending a complaint to the email: abuse@domains.bh.

B – The TRA may, ex proprio motu, start the investigation procedures regarding the abuse of the Domain Name during the processes of monitoring and checking, or, based on a submitted complaint, act appropriately. For this purpose, the Authority may suspend the registration of the Domain Name subject of the complaint.

Chapter Six – Launching Domain Names of the Kingdom of Bahrain

Phases of Launching Domain Names of the Kingdom of Bahrain

A – The Domain Name of the Kingdom of Bahrain shall be launched according to the following phases:

1. The phase of Migrating Legacy Domain Names and operational preparations.
2. The Sunrise phase which is related to the registration of domain names related to the registered trademarks.
3. The Grandfathering phase.
4. The Landrush phase which is related to the registration of domain names of companies registered in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
5. The General Availability phase.

B – The TRA may amend the phases of launching domain names of the Kingdom of Bahrain, determine their periods, and announce them on the website thereof.

Phase of Migrating Legacy Domain Names and Operational Readiness

A – The entity responsible for managing Domain Names may, within a period not exceeding thirty (30) days from the date of issuance of these rules, submit an application for accreditation thereof in accordance with these rules. In case the aforementioned entity decides not to obtain an accreditation from the Authority, the Authority shall transfer the Legacy Domain Names to another accredited registrar.

B – The Authority may grant the entity responsible for managing the domain name a period of not less than thirty (30) days from the date of approval thereof as an accredited registrar in order to take all the necessary measures to shift from issuing monthly invoices to annual registration.

C – After the expiry of the aforementioned period, the Authority shall issue an invoice to the entity responsible for managing Domain Names to collect the annual Registration Fees of all registered Legacy Domain Names or the fees of the multiple, transferred, and not cancelled registration periods at the end of the transitional billing period.

D – The entity in charge, after the accreditation, shall notify all valid Domain Name Owners to reconcile their status according to the provisions of these rules and the Agreement of Domain Name Owner, within a period not exceeding one year from the date of notification. If the valid Domain Name Owner fails to reconcile the status thereof during the aforementioned period, the registration of the owner of valid Domain Name shall be suspended, in accordance with the provisions of these rules.

The Sunrise phase which is related to the registration of domain names related

A – The phase of registering domain names related to registered trademarks shall start after the end of the phase of the Valid Domain Names forwarding and operational readiness. The duration of this phase shall not be less ninety (90) days. The aforementioned period includes a notice period of no less than thirty (30) days, during which the Authority shall notify the trademark owners of launching the phase of registering domain names related to registered trademarks, and a registration period of no less than sixty (60) days, during which the domain names related to registered trademarks shall be registered.

B – The Sunrise phase may overlap with the Grandfathering Phase, stipulated in these rules.

General rules for the Sunrise phase

A – The registered trademark owners may submit, during the Sunrise phase, an application to register .bh Domain Name, provided the Registration application fulfils the following requirements:

1. The domain name shall fulfill the requirements stipulated in Chapter Three of these rules.
2. The Domain Name required to be registered shall be identical to the trademark.
3. The Registration Applicant shall submit all documents that the Authority may require.
4. The Registration Applicant shall pay the Fees stipulated in the Resolution.

B – If the trademark owner does not apply to register the Domain Name identical to the trademark thereof during this phase, the Domain Name shall be available for registration during the public availability phase, subject to the provisions of these rules.

C – The Authority may appoint trademark agents during this phase to verify that the Registration Applications meet the requirements stipulated in these rules.

D – The Registration of Domain Names related to registered trademarks applications shall be submitted during this phase in accordance with the procedures and periods announced on the Authority’s website.

E – The proceedings for settling disputes related to the Registration of Domain Names related to registered trademarks shall be applied, in accordance with the Resolution issued by the Minister responsible for Telecommunications Sector.

Grandfathering Phase

A – The phase of registering Domain Names shall extend for a period of no less than ninety (90) days from the date of announcing the start of the Grandfathering Phase, during which Domain Name Registration Applications may be submitted.

B – The owners of Valid Domain Names under the (.bh) domain name shall be given the priority to register Domain Name (.البحرين).

C- Bahraini companies holding Valid Domain Names (.bh) shall be given the priority to register the domain name (.البحرين).

Landrush Phase

A – The Landrush phase shall extend for a period of no less than sixty (60) days from the date of announcing the start of this phase, through which the Domain Name Registration Applications may be submitted.

B – Companies and institutions registered in the Kingdom of Bahrain and natural persons, i.e. citizens or residents of the Kingdom of Bahrain, shall be given during this phase the priority to register Domain Names before the General availability phase.

C – The Registration Applicant at this phase shall submit a proof the registration requirements stipulated in these rules have been fulfilled and provide any information that the Authority may require.

The General Availability Phase

The General availability phase starts from the date of announcement by the Authority. This phase aims to make Domain Name registration available locally and internationally, in accordance with the provisions of these rules.

Premium Domain Names

A – The Authority allows the registration of Premium Domain Names, according to the procedures stipulated in this Article.

B – The fees of Premium Domain Names do not apply to Legacy Domain Names at the phase of Migration and operational preparation, unless the Domain Name is canceled in accordance with these rules.

C- The Registration Fees of Premium Domain Names shall be collected only once when registering the Domain Name. The Renewal fees stipulated in the Resolution shall apply.

D – The categories of Premium Domain Names shall be defined as follows:

1. Category one: Domain Names of one letter or one number (English letters and numbers from 0 to 9).
2. Category two: Domain Names of two letters, two numbers, or a letter and a number (English letters and numbers from 0 to 9).
3. Category three: Domain Names consisting of three letters, three numbers, or a combination of letters and numbers, so that the domain name does not exceed three fields (English letters and numbers from 0 to 9).
4. Category four: Arabic domain names consisting of one Arabic letter.

Chapter Seven – Data of Domain Name Registration Applications

Data to be Available in Applications for Domain Name Registration

A – The Registration Applicant shall provide the following contact information clearly and accurately to the accredited registrar, when submitting a domain name Registration Application:

1. If the Registration Applicant is a natural person, the contact details shall be of the person itself.
2. If the Registration Applicant is a legal person, the contact details may be a job title, or a person authorized by the company
3. The full name of the company or institution, if the Domain Name Owner is a juristic entity.
4. The full contact details of the Domain Name Owner, including email address and phone number.
5. The full address of the Domain Name Owner.

B – If any changes happen to the information stipulated in this Article, the Domain Name Owner shall notify the Authority and the accredited registrar of such changes within ten (10) days.

C – The accredited registrar shall provide all the data required by the Authority, stipulated in Appendix (B) attached herein, in order to complete the registration process of the Domain Name through the Domain Names Registry System.

Chapter Eight – Cases, Conditions, and Procedures for Registrant Transfer

Transferring domain names

A – With the exception of Domain Names subject of a dispute or a suspension or Cancellation decision, the Domain Name Owner may transfer the Domain Name, provided that the transferee of the Domain Name fulfils all the registration requirements stipulated in these rules.

B – The transferee of the Domain Name shall update the contact information related to the transferee Domain Name, to ensure that the contact information is correct, accurate, and up-to-date.

Submitting Registrant Transfer Application

A – To complete the transfer process, the accredited registrar shall receive the following documents:

1. A written application for the transferring of the Domain Name, signed by the contact of the owner of the transferred Domain Name, including the reason for the transfer.
2. A written declaration signed by the transferee of the Domain Name or the authorized representative thereof, using the form provided by the Authority and published on the Authority’s website.
3. All the documents that prove the fulfillment of the registration requirements, if any.

B – The accredited registrar shall keep the documents of the transfer process for a period of no less than ten (10) years and notify the concerned parties.

Registrant Transfer of Second-Level Domain Name

A – In case a second level Domain Name is transferred, the transferee shall complete the registration procedures stipulated in these rules.

B – The owner of transferred Domain Name may not receive a compensation from the accredited registrar for the unused period of Domain Name registration. The owner of the transferred domain name shall be the beneficiary of the remaining part of the registration period of the Domain Name.

Registrant Transfer of Third-Level Domain Name

The Third Level Domain Names may not be assigned unless the transferee fulfills the registration requirements stipulated in Chapter Three of these rules.

Chapter Nine – Domain Name Registrar Transfer

Process of Submitting Application for Domain Name Registrar Transfer

A – The process of Transferring the Domain Name from one accredited registrar to another shall be done by submitting a written application by the Domain Name Owner to the Transferee Registrar. The application shall include the verification code related to the Domain Name and the subject of the Transferee Registrar, using the form provided by the Authority. The application may be submitted via mail, fax, email, or online form.

B – The Transferee Registrar, after receiving the transfer application, shall send a verification letter to the transfer applicant or to the Domain Name Owner on WHOIS Database in the Registry System of Domain Names, if the application is submitted on behalf of the applicant. This in order to confirm the receipt of the transfer application according to the form provided by the Authority. The verification letter may be sent via mail, fax, or e-mail. In case the Domain Name Owner’s data cannot be obtained from WHOIS Database, the Transferrer Registrar may send the verification letter to the Transferor Registrar.

C – After receiving the verification letter from the Transferee Registrar, the Domain Name Owner shall take the following measures to complete the transfer process:

1. Confirm to the Transferee Registrar in writing the transfer application via mail, fax, or e-mail.
2. Provide the registration data stipulated in these rules to the Transferee Registrar.
3. Conclude a new registration agreement with the Transferee Registrar regarding the remaining period of the Domain Name registration or for an additional period, in case the transfer application is accompanied by a Renewal application.

D – The Transferee Registrar shall verify the authenticity and accuracy of all the documents related to the transfer application. If there is any doubt about the authenticity and accuracy of the documents or the identity of the transfer applicant, the Transferee Registrar shall suspend the transfer procedures and notify the Authority accordingly to obtain the necessary instructions.

Cases of Rejecting a Domain Name Transfer Application by the Transferor Registrar

The Transferor Registrar shall reject the transfer application in the following cases:

A – If there is evidence of fraud.

B – The failure to pay the fees of Domain Name subject of the transfer.

C – If the Domain Name Owner rejects the process of Domain Name transfer, after receiving the verification letter, according to these rules.

D – If the application for Domain Name transfer is submitted within sixty (60) days from the date of the Domain Name registration or from the date of completing the transfer or Assignment process.

E – If the sixty-day (60) period from the date of the last Domain Name transfer process has not elapsed, unless the Domain Name has been returned to the Transferor Registrar, based on an agreement between the registrars or an award resulting from the dispute settlement process.

F – If there is an existing dispute related to the domain name, subject of the transfer, or an existing lawsuit in the court.

G – If an award by a competent court is issued or an award under the dispute settlement procedures to reject the transfer application.

Fees of Domain Name Registrar Transfer

Neither the Transferor Registrar nor the Transferee Registrar may charge any fees to the process of Domain Name transfer.

Obligations of Accredited Registrars during Transfer Process

A – The accredited registrars shall keep all the documents related to the transfer application for a period of no less than ten (10) years.

B – The accredited registrars shall provide a private email address to communicate with other accredited registrars and the Authority, regarding the transfer applications and procedures. The email shall be managed by a person qualified to receive and respond to problems related to the transfer process.

C – The accredited registrars shall take all necessary measures to respond to the message received on the email address within a period not exceeding seven (7) days.

Appendices

Appendix (A) – IDN’s Rules and Table of the Arabic language

IDN table of the Arabic letters
Table identity: Arabic
Table type: Text
Version: 1-1
Publication date: 14-1-2014
Reference URL: https://www.centralnic.com

Clarification of the rules:

1. Arabic is a right-to-left language. The IDN Labels that consist of letters in this table may not begin with a number (i.e. letters U+002DU+0039 and U+0660 U+0669)
2. The Arabic Labels may not contain European numbers and Arabic-Indian numbers, which means that the text may not be a mixture of both.
3. The diacritics are not allowed.
4. Using a hyphen instead of a space is not allowed between words.
5. The numbers may not be placed in the IDN at the beginning or the end of the Arabic IDN domain. The numbers, however, may appear in the middle of the IDN domain in Arabic.
6. IDN similarities are only allowed for the same registrar to place the similarities that lead to confusion.
7. The Bahrain registry may reject the IDN similarities to avoid confusion.

Hyphen or minus (U+002D # -)

Number zero (U+0030 # 0)

Number one (U+0031 # 1)

Number two (U+0032 # 2)

Number three (U+0033 # 3)

Number four (U+0034 # 4)

Number five (U+0035 # 5)

Number six (U+0036 # 6)

Number seven (U+0037 # 7)

Number eight (U+0038 # 8)

Number nine (U+0039 # 9)

The Arabic letter hamzah (ء) U+0621 #

The Arabic letter alif maddah (آ) U+0622 #

The Arabic letter alif with upper hamzah (أ) U+0623 #

The Arabic letter wãw hamzah (ؤ) U+0624 #

The Arabic letter alif with lower hamzah (إ) U+0625 #

The Arabic letter yã’ hamzah (ئ) U+0626 #

The Arabic letter alif (ا) U+0627 #

The Arabic letter bã’ (ب) U+0628 #

The Arabic letter tã’ marbutah (ة) U+0629 #

The Arabic letter tã’ (ت) U+062A #

The Arabic letter thã’ (ث) U+062B #

The Arabic letter jim (ج) U+062C #

The Arabic letter hã’ ((ح U+062D #

The Arabic letter khã’ ((خ U+062E #

The Arabic letter dãl ((د U+062F #

The Arabic letter dhãl ((ذ U+0630 #

The Arabic letter rã’ ((ر U+0631 #

The Arabic letter zãy ((ز U+0632 #

The Arabic letter sĭn ((س U+0633 #

The Arabic letter shĭn ((ش U+0634 #

The Arabic letter ṣād (ص) U+0635 #

The Arabic letter ḍād (ض) U+0636 #

The Arabic letter ṭāʾ (ط) U+0637 #

The Arabic letter ẓāʾ (ظ) U+0638 #

The Arabic letter ʿayn (ع) U+0639 #

The Arabic letter ghayn (غ) U+063A #

The Arabic letter fāʾ (ف) U+0641 #

The Arabic letter qāf (ق) U+0642 #

The Arabic letter kāf (ك) U+0643 #

The Arabic letter lām (ل) U+0644 #

The Arabic letter mīm (م) U+0645 #

The Arabic letter nūn (ن) U+0646 #

The Arabic letter hāʾ (ه) U+0647 #

The Arabic letter wāw (و) U+0648 #

The Arabic letter ʾalif maqsūrah (ى) U+0649 #

The Arabic letter yāʾ (ي) U+064A #

Appendix (B) – Registry Database Information

1. The technical information about the DNS servers of the domain name:
   1. The date of listing the domain name in the Registry Database.
   2. The date of the last modification to the domain name.
   3. The date of the domain name expiry.
   4. The domain name status.
   5. The registrar’s private contact details.
   6. The name of the domain name owner.
   7. The actual address and/ or the alternate address of the domain name owner.
   8. The email, phone numbers, or address of the domain name owner.
   1. The country, city, or address of the owner of domain name registration.
2. The collected data shall include the following fields:
   1. Domain name:
   2. Domain ID:
   3. WHOIS server:
   4. Reference URL:
   5. Update date:
   6. Creation date:
   7. Registration expiration date:
   8. Sponsoring registrar responsible for managing a specific domain name:
   1. Domain status:
   10. Domain name owner ID:
   11. Domain name owner name:
   50. Domain name owner organization:
   1000. Domain name owner street:
   14. Domain name owner city:
   15. Domain name owner country:
   16. Domain name owner postal code:
   17. Domain name owner phone number:
   18. Domain name owner extension number:
   19. Domain name owner email:
   20. Server name:
   21. Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC):