Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

General Questions

  1. What is a domain name?
  2. Are there any advantages in getting a .PH domain?
  3. Do I need a domain name?
  4. How do I choose the right domain?
  5. Why a .PH domain?
  6. Do .PH Domains give me an advantage in Search Engine Optimization?
  7. Why can’t I transfer my domain?
  8. How do I cancel or close my dotPH account?

  1. 1. What is a domain name?

    The wiktionary definition of "domain name" would be "a unique, case-insensitive, name, consisting of a string made up of alphanumeric characters and dashes separated by periods, that the Domain Name System maps to IP numbers and other information."

    Well, that's not exactly helpful, is it? Just think of it this way: it's your address on the internet. This is the name you or your business will be known on the world wide web. It must be a unique name to set it apart from all other domain names on the web, so that those who want to find you don't get connected to someone else by mistake. Domain names are also called "domains" for short.


  1. 2. Are there any advantages in getting a .PH domain?

    Sure, at first glance a .PH domain looks just like any other domain name out there. But choosing .PH will give you an edge over the .coms in the world:

    • You can get the domain you want.
    • Be easily remembered:.PH makes it easier for you to get a short and memorable domain name, you will make it easier for your customers to visit your website.
    • Be easily found: local search engines will prioritize your website and you'll rank higher.

  1. 3. Do I need a domain name?

    If you're planning to put up a website, a domain name is a must. There simply is no other way you can easily point your visitors to your site. Without it, all you're going to have is an IP address and nobody wants to remember a bunch of numbers when going to your site. You need an easy-to-remember domain name.

    Even if you don't have a website up yet, it is a good idea to register your domain to avoid someone else getting and using the name that you want.

    Having your own domain also lets you have a personalized email address, such as your-name@your-domain.ph. A personalized email address is easier to remember and more professional.


  1. 4. How do I choose the right domain?

    On the internet, shorter is better. How are you going to expect your visitors to remember a domain if it's 20 characters long? A shorter domain has better recall. Longer domain names are more difficult to type - this may result in less people visiting your site.

    Aside from getting a short domain, these guidelines may also help:

    • Drop numbers, hyphens, or anything else that can distract people from remembering your domain.
    • The domain name should indicate your website/business/something about you. Many domain names follow the basic format of "yourname.ph" or "businessname.com.ph".
    • At the very least, the domain name should reflect the product, service or point-of-view offered - by your website (ex. aquariums.com.ph or anarchist.ph).

    Learn more about choosing the right domain name.

  1. 5. Why a .PH domain?

    Because getting the domain you want is easier with .PH.

    There are already eighty million .com domains out there so if you want a short and easy-to-remember .com domain, chances are they're all taken. You'll end up with a long and convoluted .com domain that will not only look bad, but will also cost you traffic.

    With a .PH domain, you can get the domain that fits you.


  1. 6. Do .PH Domains give me an advantage in Search Engine Optimization?

    If your market is the Philippines, getting a .PH domain name will give you an edge.

    Search engines prioritize local websites in localized searches. One way for them to figure out that you have a local website is through the domain name. That means searches made on Google will give websites with.ph domains a higher priority and your site will show up higher on the search results.


  1. 7. Why can’t I transfer my domain?

    Transfer may not be allowed if:

    • Your domains’ status is client Transfer Prohibited or client Update Prohibited.
    • Your domain is expired.

  1. 8. How do I cancel or close my dotPH account?

    Please email helpdesk@dot.ph to request for account deactivation/deletion. Please use the email address used to create your account for this request.

    NOTE: Once your dotPH account is deactivated or deleted, it cannot be reactivated again, and you will not have access to it anymore.

    It is also not possible to close your account with active services. Before requesting for deletion, please ensure and note that:

    • Active domains should be deleted, moved to another dotPH account or transferred out to another registrar.
    • Domains listed on the Marketplace should be unlisted.
    • All active subscriptions will be canceled without a refund and all information will be lost without an option to have it restored.

    Note that, we may retain personally identifiable information, if necessary, in order to resolve disputes, enforce agreements, or legal or contractual record keeping obligations. By creating a dotPH account, purchasing Services and using our support services you acknowledge and agree to these terms of retention.




Domain Registration Questions

  1. Can my domain be made up of any of the characters on my keyboard?
  2. How do I find out who registered the domain name I wanted?
  3. Why can't I register .edu.ph and .gov.ph domains on your website?
  4. Someone is cyber-squatting on my domain name. How do I get it back?
  5. Can I register a Domain Name without having a website?
  6. Do .PH Domains give me an advantage in Search Engine Optimization?
  7. What if the name I want is not available?

  1. 1. Can my domain be made up of any of the characters on my keyboard?

    Not quite. A .PH domain name:

    • must have at least 3 characters and not more than 63 characters. We suggest keeping it at 20 characters or less so it's easy to remember and so all mail programs can handle it.
    • may not begin or end with a dash, though a dash can be used in the middle of the domain name (like jrs-express.ph)
    • must be made up of alphanumeric characters (a to z, 0 to 9). You can't have spaces, punctuation marks (except dashes) and any other characters in a PH domain name.
    • can't be made up of purely numbers (like 1234567.ph). Use your imagination and throw some letters in there.

  1. 2. How do I find out who registered the domain name I wanted?

    It's on the WHOIS. If the domain has Private Registration, then the information is kept private and you need to contact us to see if the information can be released.


  1. 3. Why can't I register .edu.ph and .gov.ph domains on your website?

    dotPH does not administer the ".gov.ph" or the ".edu.ph" subdomains. You may visit their respective websites at:

    • For .EDU.PH registration, click here
    • For .GOV.PH registration, click here



  1. 4. Someone is cyber-squatting on my domain name. How do I get it back?

    On the internet, shorter is better. How are you going to expect your visitors to remember a domain if it's 20 characters long? A shorter domain has better recall. Longer domain names are more difficult to type - this may result in less people visiting your site.

    If you think you have a better right to that domain name than the current owner, you can:

    • Take legal action, a long and often costly process.
    • Contact the current owner and see if he's willing to sell it to you. You can contact our Helpdesk for assistance.
    • File a dispute with one of our accredited Dispute Resolution Providers, which is faster and less costly than going to court. Please see Policies and Agreements for details or contact our helpdesk@dot.ph for assistance on how to file. Keep in mind that dotPH does not involve itself in domain disputes, leaving the matter to be resolved by the independent Dispute Resolution Provider.

  1. 5. Can I register a Domain Name without having a Web site?

    Sure. Even without a website, you can use your domain name as an email address. It's more professional than using a free Yahoo or Hotmail address.

    More importantly, registering your brand as a domain name protects you from cyber-squatters and other people who want to make money off your hard work.

    Domain Names can be registered and "parked" on our server until you are ready to launch your website.

    Click here to see if the domain name you want is available.


  1. 6. Do .PH Domains give me an advantage in Search Engine Optimization?

    If your market is the Philippines, getting a .PH domain name will give you an edge.

    Search engines prioritize local websites in localized searches. One way for them to figure out that you have a local website is through the domain name. That means searches made on Google will give websites with.ph domains a higher priority and your site will show up higher on the search results.


  1. 7. What if the name I want is not available?

    You can try searching for a different name or a variation of the name you desire. Remember that the domain name you get should be an accurate reflection of your business or brand. And the shorter it is, the easier it is for people to remember.

    Contact our helpdesk@dot.ph for assistance.

Domain Modification Questions

  1. I want to log-in to the Domain Manager, but I don't know my password since someone else (my ISP, Web hosting company, web designer etc.) manages my account. What can I do?
  2. The employee who registered our domain has left the company. All the contact info is in his name so we can't log-in.
  3. What if I have multiple email addresses and I can't recall which one I used to register my domain?
  4. I want to transfer my domain to another Registrar but my current Registrar won't allow it. What do I do?
  5. Can I modify the domain name itself?
  6. I sold my domain and want to transfer ownership to the buyer. How much do I have to pay?
  7. How do I make modifications to my domain?
  8. How long does it take for changes to my domain name to go into effect?

  1. 1. I want to log-in to the Domain Manager, but I don't know my password since someone else (my ISP, Web hosting company, web designer etc.) manages my account. What can I do?

    Go to the Log In page and click 'Forgot your Password?' link. The system will send the password to the login account for the domain name.

    If it's not your e-mail address that's listed in our database, you'll need to contact the person who manages your account.

    Once the password has been successfully changed, you can then login using the new password and access the Domain Manager.

    And if that doesn't work, contact our helpdesk@dot.ph for assistance.


  1. 2. The employee who registered our domain has left the company. All the contact info is in his name so we can't log-in.

    If you have access to his email account, just log into Log In page and click the 'Forgot your Password?' link. The password reset link will be sent to the login account on record.

    Or contact our helpdesk@dot.ph for assistance. We can help you update the contact info, but you'll need to provide documentation that the company is the rightful owner of the domain name and that you are empowered to act on the company's behalf.


  1. 3. What if I have multiple email addresses and I can't recall which one I used to register my domain?

    Contact our helpdesk@dot.ph for assistance.


  1. 4. I want to transfer my domain to another Registrar but my current Registrar won't allow it. What do I do?

    Registrars can't prevent you from transferring to another Registrar for any reason. If you've requested a transfer but your current Registrar is not acting on it, just let us know and we'll help you out.


  1. 5. Can I modify the domain name itself?

    NO, definitely NOT. You can change nameserver and contact information and even change the domain owner, but NOT the domain name itself.


  1. 6. I sold my domain and want to transfer ownership to the buyer. How much do I have to pay?

    We're glad you made money off your domain. There is no charge for transferring ownership of the domain to someone else.

    Download and complete the Registrant Contact Change Form. Please refer to the instructions on the form.

    DOC Format | PDF Format


  1. 7. How do I make modifications to my domain?

    The easiest way is to use our online Domain Manager. You may login here.

    To modify Registrant Contact, download and complete the Registrant Contact Change Form.

    DOC Format | PDF Format

    To modify Email Address, download and complete the Email Address Change Form.

    DOC Format | PDF Format

    You can also contact our helpdesk@dot.ph and we'll be glad to help you out.


  1. 8. How long does it take for changes to my domain name to go into effect?

    It takes at least 8 hours to propagate the changes to name servers around the world. You should always allow a minimum of 24 hours for name server changes to fully take effect. Contact information changes are reflected immediately.

Payment Questions

  1. Help! My domain expired and I need to renew it right away!
  2. How do I pay for all the stuff I bought?
  3. I have paid for my domain, why is my website still inaccessible?
  4. How much does a PH domain cost?
  5. What other services can I get with my domain?
  6. I already sent the money. When do I get my domain?
  7. Do I have to pay a fee to modify my domain?

  1. 1. Help! My domain expired and I need to renew it right away!

    For fast and easy renewal, click on the RENEW Domain button at www.dot.ph and renew the domain without even logging in.


  1. 2. How do I pay for all the stuff I bought?

    Pay using a credit card and get your domain right away. After you've selected the domain you want, simply follow the instructions on our secure payment page. Otherwise, select the option to pay by cash or check.


  1. 3. I have paid for my domain, why is my website still inaccessible?

    It takes from 8-24 hours to propagate the domain. If it's been longer than perhaps your webhosting company hasn't configured the name servers properly. Have them contact us so we can work it out.


  1. 4. How much does a PH domain cost?

    1-year registration/renewal = US$ 48.00
    2-year registration/renewal = US$ 90.00
    5-year registration/renewal = US$ 225.00
    10-year registration/renewal = US$ 450.00

    Each domain comes with FREE Web Forwarding


  1. 5. What other services can I get with my domain?

    dotPH offers many services that will make your domain more useful:

    Private registration keeps your personal information safe by removing it from publicly available WHOIS. Only US$10 a year.

    Webhosting – What you need to have an internet presence, dotPH webhosting is up to 3X faster than other local companies.


  1. 6. I already sent the money. When do I get my domain?

    The domain will be registered in your name within 24 hours of our receipt of payment. If you want to get the domain immediately and make sure nobody beats you to it, pay using a credit card.


  1. 7. Do I have to pay a fee to modify my domain?

    No. All domain modifications are free.

Talk to a receptionist!