Conflicted domain names policy review
InternetNZ is consulting on whether it’s time to change how the conflicted .nz domain names are managed.
Since 2014, InternetNZ and the Domain Name Commission have been working to resolve the domain names in the conflicted names set. In 2024, we will survey domain name holders involved between May and August about how the conflicted .nz domain names are managed. We'll then review the policy using feedback from the survey respondents.
What is a conflicted domain name?
In 2014, .nz opened domain name registration directly at the ‘.nz.’ level.
This meant you could register jobloggs.nz without needing to have ‘net’ or ‘org’, as in jobloggs.net.nz or jobloggs.org.nz.
As a result of opening registrations, some .nz domain names became conflicted. A conflicted domain name is a .nz domain name that is available but cannot be registered until resolved.
Example of a conflicted name:
If jobloggs.net.nz was registered to Joseph Bloggs and jobloggs.org.nz was registered to Joanna Bloggs, then jobloggs.nz became a conflicted domain name. That means jobloggs.nz can’t be registered until the issue of who has the right to register it has been resolved.
The process so far and what’s coming up
| Date | Action taken |
| 2014 |
You can register a domain name without needing to include 15,759 domain names were identified as ‘conflicted domain names’ and put on hold, giving the domain name holders in the conflict sets preferential rights to reserve or register their interests in the conflicted name. |
| March 2015 |
Preferential rights period concludes (parties were required to reserve or register the domain name before this date). If only one domain name holder was involved, they could register the domain name. If two or more domain name holders were involved, each party could register their preference for the conflicted name. |
| March 2017 |
Reserved domain names that were not registered, were released for registration. |
| October 2017 |
Eligible parties that had not lodged their preference were removed from the conflict set. |
| July 2020 |
In 2020, a review of the .nz rules was commissioned by InternetNZ. The .nz advisory review panel sought the community’s views in an Options Paper, including asking about the future management of conflicted domain names. |
| March 2022 |
The Domain Name Commission sent out over 2,200 invitations as part of the Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) pilot offering free mediation and e-negotiation to resolve conflicted domain names that had two parties involved. |
| November 2022 | ODR pilot concludes. |
| March 2023 |
In the 2022-2023 reporting year, the remaining conflicted domain names dropped by 11% from 1,623 to 1,440. You can read more about the project. |
| March 2024 |
1,340 domain names remain in the conflict names set where two or more parties haven’t been able to agree who can register the domain name. |
| Apr–Aug 2024 |
InternetNZ is consulting with the remaining domain name holders in the conflict sets. Surveys will be sent out on Tuesday 4 June, Monday 1 July, and Monday 5 August. If you no longer interested in obtaining the shorter domain name, take a look at the info page on how to change your preference. |
A little about the numbers
With many parties having taken steps to agree the rights to the conflicted domain name, the number of conflicts is now tiny compared to the initial number.
- 15,759 — the number of conflicted names at the start of the process.
- About 1,340 — the remaining number of conflicted names in March 2024.
- The most common ‘clash’ is between a single .co.nz and a single .net.nz — making up around 40% of the remaining conflicts.
- There can be more than two domain name holders with preferences lodged for some conflicts, making it less likely that an agreement will ever be reached.
- There are three or more preferences lodged for a large number of the remaining conflicted names — about 17.5 percent of the total remaining conflict sets.
- The highest number of domain names in a contest is a conflict seven ways. The holders of .ac.nz, .co.nz, .geek.nz, .gen.nz, .maori.nz, .org.nz, .school.nz all are interested in obtaining the shorter name.
In total, there are 16 distinct spaces within .nz domain name space:
Stay up-to-date
If you want to hear more about our progress with the review, you can keep an eye on our monthly newsletter dotNews and here on this webpage.
If there is a change that affects you as a result of the review, we’ll let you know via email. All other queries can be directed to dotnzreview@internetnz.net.nz