If your domain no longer works and cannot be accessed online, there can be several possible reasons for this:

Did you change your Internet service provider or your name servers?

If you changed your Internet service provider or your name servers, please note that our name server reload is carried out at every full hour. Therefore, what matters is the time of day when you carried out the change. Depending on this, your name servers will be updated at the next name server reload. 

Do you perhaps have an unpaid nic.at invoice?

If you do not pay your invoice in due time, the domain will be locked for non-payment after a while. Perhaps you did not receive your nic.at invoice on time because your address or e-mail address changed. If you suspect non-payment, please contact us by e-mail to rechnung@nic.at.

Did your Internet service provider remove the domain from his name server?

If an Internet service provider removes a domain from his name servers, for example because the domain holder is untraceable or does not attend to his contractual obligations, the domain is technically out of service as a result of the removal. This procedure is referred to as zone deletion. In the event of a zone deletion, nic.at contacts the domain holder in writing and gives him four weeks to send new name server data. If the domain holder does not react within this period or is not reachable, the domain can be cancelled and becomes available again for registration. Payment of unpaid domain invoices will be demanded in any case.

Did you cancel your domain "effective immediately"?

You can choose "immediately" or "at the end of the current service period" as cancellation date. From this time on, the domain is locked (cool-down period) and, thus, no longer technically functional. In the WHOIS database, the domain is marked "pending delete". After this technical lock (approx. eight weeks), the domain will be available for a new registration.

Have you received a request to provide proof that your domain holder data is correct and accurate and failed to comply with it by the deadline?

The NISG 2026 obligates domain registries and registrars/ internet service providers to ensure the completeness and accuracy of domain holder data for all domains. Consequently, domain holders will in future be required to cooperate in checking the accuracy and completeness of domain holder data when requested to do so.

There are certain deadlines for submitting the supporting documents: If a domain cannot be successfully verified within 21 days, we will deactivate your domain in the DNS (‘serverHold’). This does not mean that your domain has been revoked or that the domain contract has been terminated, but it does mean that your domain and the associated services (website, email address) are no longer technically accessible. Once this 'serverHold' status has been applied, you have 30 days to correct and complete your domain holder data, if necessary, and/or provide proof to confirm its accuracy. Failure to do so will result in the revocation of the domain; in other words, the termination of the domain contract and deletion of the domain after approximately eight weeks. The domain can then be reallocated on a 'first come, first served' basis. Learn more about NIS2/NISG2026 at www.nic.at/en/nis2