10/03/2025
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10/03/2025
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KUWAIT CITY, Mar 10: The Communications and Information Technology Registry has drafted a list of violations and corresponding penalties for accredited domain name service registrars. This draft has been opened for public consultation to establish regulatory rules under the law that created the Commission. The aim is to enhance integrity, security, and the protection of registrants' rights. Violations are categorized into three levels, with fines ranging from 50 to 2,000 dinars.
Severe Impact Violations (Fines: 1,000–2,000 dinars)
The most severe violations include actions that cause significant harm to domain name service users. These include:
1. Failing to implement adequate security measures, thereby threatening the safety of record owners, domain names, and the registry system.
2. Malfunctions in the registration process through the accredited registrar’s portal (e.g., payment issues, portal downtime, etc.) if the issue persists for more than two business days, preventing communication or interaction with the domain name File Management System (FMS) for domain registration or document uploads. These violations carry a fine of 1,000 dinars.
Additionally, severe violations include:
1. Unauthorized use of a registrar’s personal data without consent during the domain registration process, violating privacy rights.
2. Relying on forged or fabricated documents for domain name registration or renewal. These violations incur a fine of 2,000 dinars.
Medium Impact Violations (Fines: 100–200 dinars)
Medium-impact violations pertain to domain name-related issues, such as:
1. Registering domain names that violate Kuwait’s ccTLD Registration Regulations or the Authority’s policies.
2. Registering domain names that are identical or highly similar to a global or local trademark, causing confusion or ambiguity for users or beneficiaries.
3. Intentionally or negligently deleting, suspending, or failing to renew customers’ domain names.
4. Transferring a domain name without the registrant’s permission. These violations carry a fine of 200 dinars.
Other medium-impact violations include:
1. Failing to pay financial dues owed to the Authority for three months, which incurs a fine of 100 dinars.
2. Violations related to registrants or required documents, such as:
- Not notifying customers of impending domain name expiration via reminder notifications.
- Missing or incomplete documentation during registration or renewal.
- Discrepancies between the civil ID holder and the authorized signatories listed in the documents.
- Uploading expired documents. These violations carry a fine of 150 dinars.
Limited Impact Violations (Fines: 50–75 dinars)
Limited-impact violations include:
1. Neglecting to update contact details, leading to communication issues and potential disruptions in domain management, with a fine of 50 dinars.
2. Providing incorrect or misleading information in the WHOIS database, a requirement for domain name registration, with a fine of 75 dinars.
3. Collecting fees from registrants without completing the registration or renewal process, with a fine of 75 dinars.
4. Contacting customers of competing registrars to encourage domain name transfers, with a fine of 75 dinars.
5. Forcing customers to subscribe to additional services during domain registration or renewal, with a fine of 50 dinars.
This structured framework aims to ensure accountability, transparency, and the protection of stakeholders in the domain name registration process. Public feedback is encouraged to refine the draft before its final implementation.
