.IN Domain Policies

.IN is the country code TLD for India; however, India has made its name space available to any interested registrants, regardless of residency.

As well as .IN, the following third level domains are also available:

• .CO.IN
• .FIRM.IN
• .ORG.IN
• .IND.IN
• .NET.IN
• .GEN.IN

Registration details

Registration details can be found in the TLD reference chart. 

Renewals

.IN domains can be renewed prior to their expiry date for one to ten years.

We hold a .IN domain for 40 days after the expiry date. On the 40th day it is deleted from our system and enters into the Redemption Grace Period with the registry.

The Redemption Grace Period lasts for 30 days after which the registry deletes the domain and makes it available to the general public.

Transfers

Note: Domain names cannot be transferred within the first 60 days after they are created or within 60 days of a previous transfer.

To transfer a domain name to OpenSRS

In the Order Management section, enter the domain name in the Transfer a domain field, and then click Transfer. The Transfers for .in page appears.

Complete the Transfer Form.

Once theTransfer Form is complete, click Submit.

When the transfer request is submitted, an email is sent to the Admin Email Contact, and they have five days to approve or reject the request. When approving the transfer, they are required to enter their Transfer Authorization Code. The Transfer Authorization Code or 'Authcode' can be obtained from the current registrar for the domain.

If the transfer request is not approved or rejected by the losing registrar within the five day period, the registry automatically approves the transfer request.

When the transfer process is complete, the expiration date is extended one year from the original expiration date, and a charge is applied that is equal to the cost of a one year registration.

.IN TLD Contact Data Changes - March 2026

Important changes are coming to .IN domain registrations regarding contact data handling and identification requirements. While all new fields are currently optional, we strongly recommend preparing your systems now as these requirements are expected to become mandatory in the future.

What's Changing

1. Simplified Contact Structure

Starting March 24, 2026, contact data handling will be streamlined:

• We will collect the Registrant contact
• Admin, Tech, and Billing contacts are optional
• If Admin, Tech, and Billing contacts are not provided, they will automatically populate with Registrant details
• If you provide separate Admin/Tech/Billing contacts via API, they will be accepted but ignored and overwritten with Registrant details
• In the Reseller Control Panel (RCP), only the Registrant contact will be visible

What This Means:

• For API users:
  You can continue submitting all 4 contacts in your API calls without changing your integration immediately. We'll accept the data but use only the Registrant contact.
• For RCP users:
  You'll only see and manage the Registrant contact. Admin, Tech, and Billing contacts will not be displayed.
• Recommendation:
  Simplify your workflows by collecting only Registrant contact to avoid confusion and unnecessary data collection.

2. Registrant Type Field (New)

A new Registrant Type field is being introduced with two possible values:

• Individual - For private individuals
• Organization - For companies and organizations

Current Status: Optional
Future Status: Will become mandatory

Why It Matters:
This field determines which Aadhaar and PAN requirements apply to the registration (see below).

3. Aadhaar & PAN Fields (New)

Two new identification fields are being added:

• Aadhaar Number - 12-digit identification number issued to Indian residents
• PAN Number - 10-character alphanumeric Permanent Account Number (tax identifier)

Current Status: Optional
Future Status: Expected to become mandatory for Indian private individuals

Aadhaar & PAN Requirements by Registrant Type

For Indian Individuals (Registrant Type: Individual)

Important: If you provide either Aadhaar or PAN, you must provide both.

• If Aadhaar is provided → PAN is required
• If PAN is provided → Aadhaar is required
• If neither is provided → Both remain optional (for now)

For All Other Registrant Types

Both Aadhaar and PAN are fully optional for:

• Indian Organizations (Registrant Type: Organization)
• Foreign Individuals (Registrant Type: Individual, non-Indian)
• Foreign Organizations (Registrant Type: Organization, non-Indian)

You may provide:

• Aadhaar only
• PAN only
• Both Aadhaar and PAN
• Neither

Why Prepare Now?

Although these fields are optional today, we strongly recommend taking action now:

1. Registry May Audit Data

Even during the optional phase, the registry may begin auditing registration data. Having complete information helps ensure compliance.

2. Avoid Retroactive Updates

When fields become mandatory, you'll need to update existing registrations. Collecting data now prevents this additional work later.

3. Smoother Customer Experience

Implementing these changes early allows you to refine your processes before they become required.

Implementation Checklist

System Updates Required

• Add Registrant Type field to registration forms (values: Individual or Organization)
• Add Aadhaar Number field (12-digit numeric, optional)
• Add PAN Number field (10-character alphanumeric, optional)
• Implement validation logic: For Indian individuals, if one ID is provided, require both
• Optional: Update contact collection to focus on Registrant only (API will accept all 4 contacts but only use Registrant)
• For RCP integrations: Update UI to show only Registrant contact

Process Updates Recommended

• Update customer-facing documentation and help articles
• Train support staff on new requirements
• Create customer communications about data collection
• Plan for collecting Aadhaar/PAN from Indian individual customers
• Prepare for future mandatory compliance

Testing Period

From February 24

A testing environment will be available for one month before the changes go live. We strongly encourage you to:

• Test all registration workflows
• Verify validation logic for Indian individuals
• Confirm contact data is handled correctly
• Test both API and RCP interfaces
• Identify any integration issues

Our support team is available throughout the testing period to assist with technical questions and troubleshooting.

Global Availability - No Changes

Important Clarification:
.IN domains remain fully open to global registrations. There are no eligibility restrictions, and customers worldwide can continue registering .IN domains without limitations.

Previous discussions about potential eligibility restrictions have been resolved - .IN will continue to be available to all customers globally.

Quick Reference Table

Frequently Asked Questions

Do these changes apply to existing .IN domains?

It is not mandatory to provide Aadhaar and PAN numbers for existing domains at this time. However, if you submit a trade request (registrant change), you will have the option to provide these fields during the transfer process. While optional now, these fields are expected to become mandatory in the future.

Important: The registry is auditing both new and existing domain registrations. We strongly recommend keeping registrant data as accurate and complete as possible, and providing Aadhaar and PAN information where applicable, especially for Indian individual registrants.

What happens if I don't collect Aadhaar/PAN data during the optional phase?

Registrations will process normally. However, you may need to collect this data retroactively when the fields become mandatory, which creates additional work for both you and your customers.

Can I still send all 4 contacts (Registrant, Admin, Tech, Billing) via API?

Yes, you can continue sending all 4 contacts in your API calls. We will accept the data to maintain backward compatibility, but only the Registrant contact will be used. Admin, Tech, and Billing contacts will be automatically overwritten with Registrant details.

Note: In the Reseller Control Panel (RCP), only the Registrant contact will be visible.

Can international customers still register .IN domains?

Yes! .IN domains remain fully available to customers worldwide with no eligibility restrictions.

When will these fields become mandatory?

The specific timeline has not been announced yet. We will notify all resellers as soon as we receive this information from the registry.

What does "the registry may audit registration data" mean?

The registry reserves the right to review domain registration data for compliance, even during the optional phase. Domains with incomplete or inaccurate data may be subject to additional scrutiny.

Do I need to update my API integration?

You can continue using your existing API integration - we'll accept all 4 contacts for backward compatibility. However, we recommend updating to send only Registrant contact along with the new Registrant Type, Aadhaar, and PAN fields to align with the new structure.

What validation should I implement for Aadhaar and PAN numbers?

Aadhaar: 12-digit numeric value
PAN: 10-character alphanumeric value (format: 5 letters, 4 digits, 1 letter)
Conditional validation: For Indian individuals only - if either field is provided, both must be provided

Timeline Summary

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