Conflicted domain names policy review
Since 2014, InternetNZ and the Domain Name Commission have been working to resolve the domain names in the conflicted names set. In June and July 2024, we surveyed domain name holders about how the conflicted .nz domain names are managed. In November 2024, InternetNZ undertook a public consultation on a proposal to release most of the conflicted domain names, after first running a process of allocation where the .nz Principles warranted that approach.
Outcome of the review
InternetNZ has now concluded the review. The decision has been taken to:
- Retire the process of allowing agreements to be made as to who should register a conflicted domain name, including ending the lodging of preference changes at 12pm on Tuesday, 1 July 2025.
- Continue to block the remaining conflicted domain names from registration.
- Confirm and continue the ability for InternetNZ to release conflicted domain names in the future when only one remaining conflicted domain name remains in a conflict set.
This approach was agreed at the InternetNZ Council meeting of InternetNZ on 14 February 2025.
What this means for conflicted domain name holders
Conflicted domain names holders are not required to do anything in response to this policy change.
However, if conflict holders would like to register the shorter domain name, they have four months to use the existing process and agree with the other party/parties who should register the shorter domain name. The party/parties withdrawing from the conflict will need to register a change of preference before 12pm on Tuesday, 1 July 2025.
Note: This process has a strict cut-off date of 12pm on Tuesday, 1 July 2025. It is advised that conflict holders make a change well in advance of this date. They need access to the registrant email address’ emails to authorise a preference change.
Visit the Domain Name Commission’s website for more information on the resolution process.
Will the conflicted domain name ever become available?
InternetNZ will release conflicted domain names where there is only one domain name left in the conflict set. The person holding the final domain name in the conflict set will be notified and given the opportunity to register the conflicted domain name before it is released for general registration.
Note: If you hold a preference in a conflict set, ensure that your domain name contact details are up to date so that you don’t miss a notification.
Visit the consultation webpage for more information about the review process.
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. |
| June–July 2024 |
InternetNZ surveyed the remaining domain name holders in the conflict sets. |
| November 2024 |
Public consultation on change proposal.
|
| February 2025 |
Review outcome decision. |
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 1,280 — the remaining number of conflicted names in January 2025.
- 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