SGNIC
Singapore Network Information
Centre (SGNIC) Pte Ltd
Go

VerifiedID@SG

General

What is VerifiedID@SG?

VerifiedID@SG aims to mitigate the use of fake identity information associated with a ‘.sg’ domain name registration, so as to minimise domain name abuse and enhance the trust of .sg websites. VerifiedID@SG requires the administrative contact of a ‘.sg’ domain name to verify the identity and contact information of the registrant.

How does VerifiedID@SG work?

All new .sg domain names need to undergo verification using Singpass/Corppass. The administrative contact of a ‘.sg’ domain name needs to verify the identity and contact information of the registrant via these steps:

(a) Login to Singpass as Individual (sample screen shot) or Business User (sample screen shot); and

(b) Click on the “Verify Identity” button to verify the registrant’s identity and contact information upon confirming that the details are accurate. (sample screen shot)

The administrative contact will be given a grace period of 21 calendar days from the date of registration to perform this verification. If this timeline is not met, SGNIC will suspend the domain name.

Registrants who are unable to arrange for individuals/organisations who possess a Singpass/Corppass account to act as an administrative contact can appoint an organisation with a valid “SGNICID” instead. For details, see the answer for the question “Can I appoint an organisation without a Corppass account or individual without a Singpass account as the administrative contact?”.

Which domain names are subject to VerifiedID@SG?
Domain names registered from 2 May 2013 onwards will be subject to the scheme*. Domain names registered before 2 May 2013 will be subject to the scheme* once the identity or contact information of the registrant is changed.

If SGNIC has doubts over the registrant’s authenticity of any domain name that is not subject to the scheme, SGNIC may require the administrative contact to verify the identity of the registrant.

* Being subject to the scheme requires the administrative contact to perform a first verification for the name; and subsequent verification(s) as and when there is change in the identity or contact information of the registrant, or a change in identity of the administrative contact of the domain name.
How do I know if my domain name is subject to VerifiedID@SG or if it has been verified?

You can do a WHOIS search on the domain name via https://www.sgnic.sg. If the domain name does not have a ‘VerifiedID@SG-Mandatory” status, it means that the domain name is not subject to VerifiedID@SG.

Domain names that are verified will have a status of “VerifiedID@SG-OK”.
Domain names that are pending verification will show a status of ‘VerifiedID@SG-Pending”.

If the registrant is an individual with a Singpass account or an organisation with a Corppass account, can the registrant verify his own identity instead of requiring another entity to verify?

Yes, the registrant can do so. In this case, the registrant will also need to be listed as the administrative contact for the domain name.

What is the responsibility and accountability of an administrative contact?

An administrative contact will need to exercise due diligence to check the identity and contact information of the registrant and confirm that the information is true and accurate. If a domain name is found to be abused for undesirable activities (e.g. fraud) and the identity or contact information of the registrant is incorrect, the administrative contact may be asked to assist SGNIC or any other relevant authority in investigations.

What do I need to do when I apply for a new ‘.sg’ domain name?

When you apply for a new domain name, you will need to provide details of an individual-type administrative contact that has a valid Singapore NRIC or FIN, or an organisation-type administrative contact that has a valid Unique Entity Number (UEN). 

The administrative contact must, within 21 calendar days from the date of registration, complete the verification process via the VerifiedID@SG & RegistryLock Portal at https://verifiedid.sgnic.sg.
How long will the verification process take?

The verification process should take less than 5 minutes and entails the following steps:

(1) Login to Singpass as Individual (sample screen shot) or Business User (sample screen shot); and

(2) Click on a button to verify the registrant’s identity and contact information upon confirming that the details are accurate. (sample screen shot)

What happens if the administrative contact does not perform verification for a ‘.sg’ domain name?

Newly Registered .sg Domain Name

If a newly registered domain name is not verified by the administrative contact within 21 calendar days of registration, the domain name will be suspended (i.e. its website and emails will cease to function). To prevent the domain names from being suspended, anyone can seek a temporary extension of the verification due date by 7 days via this link. The due date can only be extended once. The domain name will also not be renewable until the administrative contact completes the verification process.

Existing Domain Names

Existing domain names will need to go through the verification process once the identity or contact information of the registrant is changed (for names registered before 2 May 2013) OR when there is a change in the identity or contact information of the registrant, or a change in the identity or contact information of the registrant, or a change in the identity of the administrative contact (for names registered after 2 May 2013). The domain name will not be renewable until the administrative contact completes the verification process.
How can I find out more about Singpass and Corppass?

To find out more about and learn about Singpass, visit the Singpass page <here>.

To find out more and learn about Corppass, visit the Corppass “Find Out More” page <here>.

Should you require further support on Corppass, please visit the Corppass “FAQ” page <here>.

To learn more about Corppass functionalities and how to use them, you may view Corppass step-by-step guides and video guides <here>.

Can I appoint an organisation without a Corppass account or individual without a Singpass account as the administrative contact?

All registrants should appoint a local administrative contact with a Singpass account or Corppass account. However, under special exceptions listed below, you may ask your administrative contact to apply for a “SGNICID”. Entities that may apply for SGNICID are:

  • A local organisation (without a Corpass account) in the business of registering and managing domain names (e.g., registrars, resellers, law firms, etc.) and is managing a sizable number of .sg domain names (to be determined by SGNIC on a case-by-case basis) at the point of application;
  • A foreign organisation or foreign individual (without a Singpass account or Corppass account) who is unable to appoint a local administrative contact with a Singpass account or Corppass account; or
  • An entity that, in SGNIC's sole discretion, would require a SGNICID.

Note that all the entities above must have a local presence and valid Singapore postal address in order to be appointed as an administrative contact for .sg domain names.

How do I apply for an SGNICID?

SGNICID is issued under exceptional circumstances (please see question on “Can I appoint an organisation without a Corppass account or individual without a Singpass account as the administrative contact?”, for the pre-requisites).

The SGNICID will be issued after SGNIC has verified the true identity of the applicant. To apply for an SGNICID, the applicant will have to submit the completed form (https://verifiedid.sgnic.sg/sgnicid_app.pdf) with the necessary supporting documents via email to [email protected] for pre-screening and approval. SGNIC will then make an appointment with the applicant to conduct further clarifications/verifications.
My domain name has undergone the verification process. What should I do when I change the registrant or administrative contact of the domain name in the future?

Whenever there is a change of the identity or contact information of the registrant or a change of the identity of the administrative contact, the administrative contact needs to perform the verification. If the name is not verified, the domain name cannot be renewed. A check on SGNIC WHOIS for the domain name will show that the verification of the domain name is pending (“VerifiedID@SG-Pending”), and cannot be renewed (“Server Renew Prohibited”).

What is considered a ‘change of identity’ that will require the domain name to be verified again?

A. For a contact (registrant or administrative contact) that has specified an identification number (e.g. UEN, NRIC, etc.), a change of identity occurs when there is a change of the identification number. If there is a change of the “name” but not the identification number, the system will not flag it as a ‘change of identity’. This is to cut down the need for identity re-verification by the administrative contact. For example, if a registrant “Joe Pte Ltd” with Unique Entity Number (UEN) 53001111W has changed its name to “Joe (Singapore) Pte Ltd” but the UEN stays the same as 5300111W, it will not be considered as a ‘change of identity’ and the administrative contact need not perform a re-verification.

B. For a contact (registrant or administrative contact) that has not specified an identification number, a change of identity occurs when there is a change of the organisation name (for organisation-type contact) or first/last name (for individual-type contact) or when an identification number is provided. For example, if a registrant “Peter Goh” with no identification number provided updates to his information with NRIC “8012345A” or change his name to “Peter Goh B C”, it will be detected as a change of identity.

What is considered a ‘change of contact information’?
A change of contact information occurs when there is a change of the registrant’s address, postal code, telephone number, fax number or email address.
As the administrative contact, can I choose to stop receiving daily reminders to perform verification for a domain name that has not been verified?

You can login to VerifiedID@SG & RegistryLock Portal, click on the domain name, click "Stop Daily Reminder Email" button at the bottom of the domain details page and click on the "Confirm" button.

What if I am not the administrative contact even though records show that I am?

You can login to VerifiedID@SG & RegistryLock Portal, click on the domain name, click "Stop Daily Reminder Email" button at the bottom of the domain details page, put a tick on the box which states "(optional) I am NOT the Administrative Contact of this domain name..." and click on the "Confirm" button.

The system will stop sending the daily notification email to you and also notify the domain name registrant and sponsoring registrar to take appropriate actions.