Hostinger domain registrar accreditation explained

Domain registrar accreditation is formal approval from ICANN or a country’s domain registry that binds a registrar to rules for registering domains and serving domain owners. Accredited registrars work directly with each registry under a signed agreement, while non-accredited providers, called resellers, register domains through an accredited registrar instead. Hostinger holds direct registry accreditation for country code domains including .de, .eu, .fr, and .lt, and registers generic domains such as .com through HOSTINGER operations, UAB, an ICANN-accredited registrar. Accreditation matters to domain owners because it sets enforceable rules for contact verification, transfers, renewal reminders, data protection, and dispute handling.

What domain registrar accreditation means

Domain registrar accreditation is a formal agreement that authorizes a company to register and manage domain names directly with a top-level domain (TLD) registry. A registry is the organization that operates the central database for one TLD, for example, Verisign for .com or the Kaunas University of Technology for .lt.

An accredited domain registrar has two responsibilities. First, it submits registrations, renewals, transfers, and contact detail changes to the registry on behalf of domain owners. Second, it follows the policies of the accrediting body, which can audit the registrar and withdraw its accreditation.

Who grants domain registrar accreditation

The accrediting body depends on the type of TLD. There are two types of accreditation:

• ICANN accreditation covers generic top-level domains (gTLDs), such as .com, .net, and .org. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is the governing body that oversees how gTLD registries and registrars work together. ICANN accredits registrars through the Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA), which sets the rules registrars must follow when serving domain owners.
• ccTLD registry accreditation covers country code top-level domains (ccTLDs), the two-letter domain endings assigned to a country or territory, such as .de for Germany or .lt for Lithuania. Each country’s registry sets its own accreditation rules, because ICANN does not accredit registrars for ccTLDs.

ICANN accreditation alone does not let a registrar register every gTLD directly. A registrar also needs a Registry-Registrar Agreement (RRA) with each gTLD registry, for example, with Verisign to register .com domains.

An ICANN-accredited registrar is not automatically accredited for any ccTLD. A registrar needs a separate agreement with each ccTLD registry to register that ccTLD directly.

Hostinger’s direct ccTLD registry accreditation

Hostinger’s direct ccTLD registry accreditation means Hostinger holds its own agreement with a country’s domain registry. For these ccTLDs, Hostinger registers your domain with the registry itself, without a third-party registrar in between.

Hostinger is directly accredited by the registries of the following ccTLDs:

Identity Digital operates the technical backend for the .ac, .ai, .io, .me, and .sh registries.

Each ccTLD keeps its own registration requirements, even when Hostinger is directly accredited. Review the domain registration requirements at Hostinger before registering a ccTLD.

Hostinger’s ICANN registrar accreditation

Hostinger registers gTLDs through HOSTINGER operations, UAB, an ICANN-accredited registrar. ICANN-accredited registrars are listed publicly on ICANN’s website, so you can confirm Hostinger’s registrar status independently. Hostinger’s Registrar information page lists the registrar office of HOSTINGER operations, UAB in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Because HOSTINGER operations, UAB holds ICANN accreditation, domains such as .com, .net, and .org registered at Hostinger follow ICANN policies. For example, Hostinger sends a verification email to the domain owner’s contact address after registration, as ICANN requires. Learn more in How to verify domain registrant’s contact details at Hostinger.

A domain is temporarily suspended if the domain owner does not complete ICANN verification in time. To restore it, follow How to fix a domain suspended due to pending ICANN verification at Hostinger.

Why domain registrar accreditation matters for domain owners

Domain registrar accreditation matters because it binds a registrar to rules that protect domain owners. For gTLDs, ICANN’s rules for accredited registrars cover five areas:

• Contact verification: the registrar verifies the domain owner’s contact details, so the registrar can reach the owner about the domain.
• Transfers: the registrar follows ICANN’s transfer policy, so domain owners can move a domain to another registrar.
• Renewal reminders: the registrar sends reminders before a domain expires, so the domain owner has time to renew it.
• Data escrow: the registrar deposits registration data with an approved escrow agent, so domain records survive if the registrar stops operating.
• Dispute handling: the registrar follows ICANN’s dispute resolution policy when someone challenges who has the right to a domain name.

An accredited registrar that breaks these rules can lose its accreditation. For ccTLDs, each registry’s own accreditation agreement sets the rules for its domains.

Accredited vs non-accredited domain registrars

An accredited domain registrar works directly with the registry, while a non-accredited reseller passes every request through an accredited registrar. Both can sell the same domain, but the chain of responsibility differs:

• Accredited registrar: holds its own agreement with each registry, plus ICANN accreditation for gTLDs, and is directly accountable for following their rules.
• Reseller: holds an agreement with an accredited registrar, which remains the registrar of record for the domain.

Domains registered through a reseller are still valid domains. The registrar of record listed in WHOIS is the accredited registrar behind the reseller, not the reseller itself.

The registrar of record manages a domain, while the registrant is the person or organization the domain is registered to. Learn how domain ownership works at Hostinger in Are domain names purchased at Hostinger registered to your own name?

Check which registrar manages your domain

A WHOIS or Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP) lookup shows the registrar of record for any domain. To check it:

1. Open a WHOIS or RDAP lookup tool, such as the Hostinger WHOIS Lookup.
2. Enter your domain name, for example, domain.tld.
3. Find the Registrar field in the results.

The same WHOIS record also shows the domain’s status, explained in How to check a domain status on WHOIS at Hostinger.

Registering your domain through an accredited registrar means your domain is managed under the rules of ICANN or the ccTLD’s registry. With Hostinger, those rules cover your gTLDs and every ccTLD Hostinger is directly accredited for.

Hostinger domain registrar accreditation FAQ

Is a domain registered through a reseller less secure?

A domain registered through a reseller is still held by an accredited registrar of record. The difference is that the reseller adds another party between you and the registrar, which can make support and transfers less direct.

Does Hostinger’s accreditation change ccTLD registration requirements?

Hostinger’s accreditation does not change ccTLD registration requirements. Each ccTLD registry sets its own rules, such as residency or document requirements, and these apply at every registrar.

Which domain extensions is Hostinger accredited for?

Hostinger holds ICANN accreditation for gTLDs through HOSTINGER operations, UAB. Hostinger also holds direct registry accreditation for ccTLDs including .ai, .br, .de, .eu, .fr, .id, .io, and .lt.

Additional resources

• ICANN list of accredited registrars