.GOV.UK
The Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO), acting on behalf of the Minister for the Cabinet Office and as part of the Crown, has rights over the ‘.gov.uk’ domain and subdomains. CDDO is the .gov.uk domain Critical Domain Holder.
The latest version of the Terms for Registration of a .gov.uk domain name can be viewed at latest .gov.uk domain registration terms"
Updated 12 February 2024
Role and responsibilities of CDDO as the Critical Domain Holder
The parties agree to and accept the role of the Critical Domain Holder as set out below in respect of the protection of .gov.uk domains and subdomains.
1. The Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO), acting on behalf of the Minister for the Cabinet Office and as part of the Crown, has rights over the ‘.gov.uk’ domain and subdomains. CDDO is the .gov.uk domain Critical Domain Holder.
2. The Critical Domain Holder does not need to be party to this agreement.
3. The Critical Domain Holder has appointed the .gov.uk Registry Operator.
4. The Critical Domain Holder permits the .gov.uk Registry Operator to enter into Registry Registrar Agreements.
5. The Critical Domain Holder is the only authority that may verify the identity of the Registrant.
6. The Critical Domain Holder approves a .gov.uk domain name for use by the Registrant.
7. The Critical Domain Holder is responsible for setting and maintaining the domain registration and management rules, which are defined in the Apply for your .gov.uk domain name guidance on GOV.UK.
8. The Critical Domain Holder acts as an escalation point and ultimate decision maker in the event of a dispute regarding the management or control of a .gov.uk domain name.
9. The Critical Domain Holder may, at its sole discretion, direct the Registry Operator, Registrar, Registrant or sub-Registrant to take action, including urgent action, to protect a .gov.uk domain name, at any time. Such action may include to suspend, withdraw or transfer a .gov.uk domain name:
9.1. if the Registrant or sub-Registrant persistently or seriously violates the domain registration and management rules, which are defined in the Apply for your .gov.uk domain name guidance on GOV.UK,
9.2. if the Registrant or sub-Registrant persistently fails to respond to communications from the Registrar, Registry Operator or Critical Domain Holder,
9.3. to resolve disputes which concern the Registrant or sub-Registrant’s registered .gov.uk domain name,
9.4. if the continued Registration of the Registrant’s .gov.uk domain name poses an immediate critical security threat to the Registrant’s services or other public sector services,
9.5. if the Registrar persistently fails to meet the Criteria to be a .gov.uk Approved Registrar,
9.6. if the Registrar is no longer a .gov.uk Approved Registrar as defined by the criteria,
9.7. if there is any event that might lead to your organisation ceasing trading, such as a voluntary winding up, a bankruptcy, or an insolvency event as defined in section 123 of the Insolvency Act 1986,
9.8. if required by the law.
10. The Critical Domain Holder is an independent data controller in its own right for personal contact data contained within the Registry Data. The Registry Data means any data, including but not limited to DNS resource records, public-key material for DNSSEC and personal contact data, in each case held by the Registry Operator:
10.1. for use in its Registry Services,
10.2. or for use by the Registry Operator in performance of its roles and obligations to the Critical Domain Holder, Registrar and/or Registrant,
10.3. or for use by the Registrar in performance of its roles and obligations to the Critical Domain Holder, Registry Operator and/or Registrant.
11. The Critical Domain Holder and its suppliers are authorised to undertake monitoring of all .gov.uk domains and subdomains as described on the Domain Management team page. The purpose of monitoring is to test for the secure configuration of domains and associated digital services and alert the relevant service owners when problems are found.
The monitoring undertaken by the Critical Domain Holder, and/or its suppliers, may, on some rare occasions, temporarily impair the function of the domain and associated digital services. In those circumstances, the Critical Domain Holder will work with the Registrar, Registrant, and/or Sub-Registrant to overcome the temporary impairment as soon as is reasonably practicable. The Critical Domain Holder and its suppliers are authorised to undertake monitoring of all .gov.uk domains, and subdomains, regardless as to this risk of impairment.
In undertaking monitoring, the Critical Domain Holder, and/or its suppliers, may process personal data. The processing of personal data is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the Critical Domain Holder, and/or its suppliers as a data controller. Details associated with a domain will be retained for as long as the domain is registered and in use. If details change to another person the Critical Domain Holder, and/or its suppliers, will remove the old contact within 6 months.
Role and responsibilities of the Registry Operator
The parties agree to and accept the role of the Registry Operator as set out below in respect of the protection of .gov.uk domains and subdomains.
12. The Registry Operator means the administrative and technical operator of the policies, processes and systems required to manage and operate the .gov.uk domains and subdomains. The Registry Operator is the only operator for gov.uk domains and subdomains, as appointed by the Critical Domain Holder.
13. The Registry Operator must only accept .gov.uk domain registrations from .gov.uk Approved Registrars. The Registrar Operator must not accept .gov.uk domain registrations from any reseller or any other entity.
14. The Registry Operator must use reasonable endeavours to verify that organisations that wish to be .gov.uk Registrars meet the Criteria to be a .gov.uk Approved Registrar.
15. The Registry Operator has a Registry Registrar Agreement with all .gov.uk Approved Registrars.
16. The Registry Operator must ensure that all Registrars have Registrant Agreements in place that reference this GOV.UK page and include these terms as updated from time to time and published on the aforementioned page.
17. All normal communications that the Registry Operator has with a Registrant must be through a Registrar. The exceptions to this are:
17.1. if a Registrar is not supporting their Registrant in accordance with the Criteria to be a .gov.uk Approved Registrar or
17.2. if the Registrant itself is not accepting such support.
In these exceptional cases the Registry Operator may contact a Registrant directly to help the Registrant meet the domain registration and management rules, which are defined in the Apply for your .gov.uk domain name guidance. The Registry Operator must always copy the relevant Registrar in on communications with a Registrant in these cases.
18. The Registry Operator must maintain a published list of .gov.uk Approved Registrars.
19. The Registry Operator operates a fair marketplace for .gov.uk Approved Registrars. If the Registry Operator itself chooses to be a .gov.uk Approved Registrar, it must not grant itself more favourable terms or treatment than other .gov.uk Approved Registrars. The Registry Operator must not favour any .gov.uk Approved Registrar over any other.
20. The Registry Operator must not unreasonably refuse to sign a Registry Registrar Agreement with a .gov.uk Approved Registrar.
21. The Registry Operator must use reasonable endeavours to help .gov.uk Approved Registrars continue to meet the Criteria to be a .gov.uk Approved Registrar.
22. The Registry Operator must notify the Critical Domain Holder before removing the status of .gov.uk Approved Registrar or terminating a Registry Registrar Agreement with a .gov.uk Approved Registrar.
23. The Registry Operator is an independent data controller in its own right for personal contact data contained within the Registry Data. As a data controller, the Registry Operator will be responsible for ensuring agreements to cover the sharing and processing of personal data with other parties, such as the Registrars, are in place. The Registry Data means any data, including but not limited to DNS resource records, public-key material for DNSSEC and personal contact data, in each case held by the Registry Operator:
23.1. for use in its Registry Services,
23.2. or for use by the Registry Operator in performance of its roles and obligations to the Critical Domain Holder, Registrar and/or Registrant,
23.3. or for use by the Registrar in performance of its roles and obligations to the Critical Domain Holder, Registry Operator and/or Registrant.
Role and responsibilities of the Registrar
The parties agree to and accept the role of the Registrar as set out below in respect of the protection of .gov.uk domains and subdomains.
24. The Registrar must meet the Criteria to be a .gov.uk Approved Registrar at all times.
25. The Registrar must only provide .gov.uk domains directly to the Registrants that they have Registrant Agreements with. The Registrar must not provide .gov.uk domains via any reseller.
26. The Registrar must maintain a list of all Registrants that have delegated lower-level subdomains out to sub-Registrants.
27. The Registrar must ensure that if a Registrant transfers a domain name:
27.1. the new Registrant is eligible to have the domain,
27.2. any new Registrar is a .gov.uk Approved Registrar,
27.3. all parties follow the Transfer your domain name guidance.
28. The Registrar agrees that any persistent failures, as defined and/or determined by the Registry Operator, and confirmed at the sole discretion of the Critical Domain Holder, to meet the Criteria to be a .gov.uk Approved Registrar, will result in:
28.1. the Registrar no longer being a .gov.uk Approved Registrar,
28.2. the Registrar, in consultation with the Registrant, to transfer the management of its .gov.uk domain names to an alternative .gov.uk Approved Registrar,
The Registrar must at its own cost and expense, provide all such support, assistance and cooperation and execute or procure the execution of all such documents as the Critical Domain Holder or the Registry Operator may from time to time require for the purpose of giving full effect to this provision.
29. The Registrar is an independent data controller in its own right for personal contact data contained within the Registry Data. The Registry Data means any data, including but not limited to DNS resource records, public-key material for DNSSEC and personal contact data, in each case held by the Registry Operator:
29.1. for use in its Registry Services,
29.2. or for use by the Registry Operator in performance of its roles and obligations to the Critical Domain Holder, Registrar and/or Registrant,
29.3. or for use by the Registrar in performance of its roles and obligations to the Critical Domain Holder, Registry Operator and/or Registrant.
Role and responsibilities of the Registrant
The parties agree to and accept the role of the Registrant as set out below in respect of the protection of .gov.uk domains and subdomains.
30. The Registrant is an entity which has registered a .gov.uk domain name in the .gov.uk Registry.
31. The Registrant must remain in legal control of their .gov.uk domain name at all times. This includes not reselling or passing control of their .gov.uk domain name to a non-public sector organisation.
32. The Registrant must get approval from The Critical Domain Holder prior to transferring their .gov.uk domain to any other organisation.
33. The Registrant must protect its .gov.uk domain name by following the domain registration and management rules, which are defined in the Apply for your .gov.uk domain name guidance on GOV.UK that apply to them, found here:
Get permission to apply for a .gov.uk domain name
Identify a registrant for your .gov.uk domain name
Choose your .gov.uk domain name
Get started with your .gov.uk domain name
Creating and managing .gov.uk subdomains.
Keeping your domain name secure
Renew your domain name
Make changes to your .gov.uk domain name
How to stop using your domain name
What to do if your domain is compromised
34. The Registrant has the right to move its .gov.uk domain name from the Registrar to any other Registrar at any time and for any reason. The Registrant is not entitled to a refund for any remaining term of the registration.
35. The Registrant accepts that if their Registrar is no longer a .gov.uk Approved Registrar, then the Registrant must move its .gov.uk domains to a .gov.uk Approved Registrar.
36. If the Registrant has delegated lower-level subdomains out to a sub-Registrant, the Registrant:
36.1. must tell its Registrar,
36.2. must help the sub-Registrant meet the domain registration and management rules, which are defined in the Apply for your .gov.uk domain name guidance on GOV.UK that apply to them,
36.3. is a data controller of the personal data that the sub-Registrant has shared with it.
37. The Registrant is an independent data controller in its own right for personal contact data contained within the Registry Data. The Registry Data means any data, including but not limited to DNS resource records, public-key material for DNSSEC and personal contact data, in each case held by the Registry Operator:
37.1. for use in its Registry Services,
37.2. or for use by the Registry Operator in performance of its roles and obligations to the Critical Domain Holder, Registrar and/or Registrant,
37.3. or for use by the Registrar in performance of its roles and obligations to the Critical Domain Holder, Registry Operator and/or Registrant.
38. The Registrant agrees that the Critical Domain Holder and its suppliers are authorised to undertake monitoring of all .gov.uk domains and subdomains as described on the Domain Management team page. The purpose of monitoring is to test for the secure configuration of domains and associated digital services and alert the relevant service owners when problems are found.
The Registrant consents to the Critical Domain Holder and/or its suppliers processing personal data, specifically collecting DNS records and WHOIS records where they are available, to:
provide support; protect the domain names in the public sector
reduce the risk of attack to associated services such as email, web, and digital services
ensure the governance and accessibility of web services
The Registrant consents to the retention of personal data by the Critical Domain Holder and/or its suppliers.
Role and responsibilities of the sub-Registrant
The parties agree to and accept the role of the sub-Registrant as set out below in respect of the protection of .gov.uk domains and subdomains.
39. The sub-Registrant is an entity which has been given a lower-level domain from a .gov.uk Registrant. The sub-Registrant is not the same organisation as the Registrant.
40. The sub-Registrant must protect its .gov.uk domain name by following the domain registration and management rules, which are defined in the Apply for your .gov.uk domain name guidance on GOV.UK that apply to them, found here:
How you are accountable for protecting your .gov.uk domain
Creating and managing .gov.uk subdomains
Keeping your domain name secure
How to stop using your domain name
What to do if your domain is compromised
41. The sub-Registrant is a data controller of the personal data it shares with the Registrant.
42. The sub-Registrant agrees that the Critical Domain Holder and its suppliers are is authorised to undertake monitoring of all .gov.uk domains and subdomains as described on the Domain Management team page. The purpose of monitoring is to test for the secure configuration of domains and associated digital services and alert the relevant service owners when problems are found.
The Sub-registrant consents to the Critical Domain Holder and/or its suppliers processing personal data, specifically collecting DNS records and WHOIS records where they are available to:
provide support; protect the domain names in the
public sector; and to reduce the risk of attack to associated services such as email, web, and digital services
ensure the governance and accessibility of web services
The Sub-registrant consents to the retention of personal data by the Critical Domain Holder and/or its suppliers.
