Domain transfers

This section covers the most common domain transfer related questions and provides instructions on transferring a domain between Registrars.

When you are transferring a .st domain registration from one registrar to another, there are specific steps you will need to take to prepare your domain. Below are the details to prepare your domain for transfer with your current registrar and then submit the transfer request with gaining Registrar (where domain is transferred in).

Domain dispute

During domain registration registrants agree to be bound by the current policy of the Domain Council of Sao Tome and Principe.

* Registrants agree that the conflicting parties in a domain name dispute must bear all costs of the matter – including the cost from the ST Domain Name Registry and / or the Domain Name Council of Sao Tome and Principe. Registrants must also bear any other costs related to that dispute. There is a standard fee of 1000 euro from the complaining party, to get the dispute tested.

* In the event of a trade mark conflict we look at the context in which the argued “trade mark” is used together with a domain name. We look at the actual content of the web-site. Example: A website that criticize for example a Telco for bad Internet connections and support – and also contains genuine real editorial material, may under certain conditions bear the same domain name as the criticized company and / or TM (trademark).

* If the registered domain name only is used in a context where it commercially exploits the TM for own profit, or just passively holds the domain name out of pure speculation – it will immediately be terminated. * Domain Mark is protected by local presence: If there is a local connection to Sao Tome and Principe in a registered domain name – it will be strongly protected. Such domains are companies or individuals with a present or registered business in Sao Tome and Principe.

Domain life cycle

ST Domain passing 5 stages during its life:

  1. General availability
  2. Registration period
  3. Renew grace period
  4. Redemption period
  5. Termination/End of life

Domain statuses

Status: ok
This is the normal status value for an object that has no pending operations or prohibitions. This value is set and removed by ST Registry as other status values are added or removed.

Status: inactive
Delegation information has not been associated with the object. This is the default status when a domain object is first created and there are no associated host objects for the DNS delegation. This status can also be set by the server when all host-object/name servers associations are removed.

Status: clientDeleteProhibited serverDeleteProhibited
Requests to delete object will be rejected

Status: clientHold serverHold
DNS delegation information WILL NOT be published for the object.

Status: clientRenewProhibited serverRenewProhibited
Requests to renew domain will be rejected.

Status: clientTransferProhibited serverTransferProhibited
Requests to transfer the object will be rejected.

Status: clientUpdateProhibited serverUpdateProhibited
Requests to update the object (other than to remove this status) will be rejected.

Status: pendingCreate pendingDelete pendingRenew pendingTransfer pendingUpdate
A transform command has been processed for the object, but the action has not been completed by ST Registry.

Status: addPeriod renewPeriod transferPeriod
Those statuses indicate that domain is currently in grace period(s) which is provided after initial registration and/or domain renewal (expire date prolongation) and/or successful transfer of a domain name from one registrar to another. Domain will be held in those statuses for 5 days from a moment when they was assigned. If Registrar will terminate domain within such grace period – he will get full refund for corresponding operation which has initiated such status.

Status: redemptionPeriod
This status code indicates that your registrar has asked registry to delete domain or that domain has expired. Domain will be held in this status for a 30 days. After then, it will be updated with the pendingDelete status for 5 calendar days after which time domain is purged from the registry database and becomes available for anyone to register on a first come, first served basis.