Become a Registrar
Congratulations on choosing to become a CIRA Certified Registrar, one of an exclusive group that offers registration and other services for dot-ca domain names. A CIRA Registrar is an individual or entity that is certified by CIRA to register, transfer, renew or modify dot-ca domain names in the Registry on behalf of applicants and Registrants. The Registrar is entitled to bill the Registrant for these services.
There are over 1 million dot-ca domain names registered-remarkable growth considering that dot-ca domains are reserved exclusively for Canadians.
To be certified as a Registrar, you must meet CIRA's certification requirements. Amongst other matters, you must:
- demonstrate that you are able to meet the Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrars
- pay the required fees
- demonstrate that you can provide the required Registrar services
- be knowledgeable about the Registration Rules and the domain system in general
- respect all CIRA policies, rules, and procedures, and
- sign the CIRA Registrar Agreement
Please note that the determination regarding certification is decided solely by CIRA, at its discretion.
To become a Registrar, and take advantage of this business opportunity:
- Complete the online Expression of Interest form (EOI). When your completed EOI is received, CIRA will courier an application package to you.
- Complete the application package.
- Return the completed application and required fees to CIRA.
CIRA will then process your application. Processing includes an initial interview with the applicant and may include follow-up interviews and documents.
The CIRA certification is valid for one year. To maintain your status as a CIRA Certified Registrar, you must apply for re-certification each year.
Additional information on becoming a Registrar appears in the answers to frequently asked questions below.
For detailed information on becoming a Registrar, it is recommended that you read the relevant documents, including the procedures, policies and certification requirements for Registrars.
Have questions or need additional information? Contact Registrar support.
FAQ: Become a Registrar
The Expression of Interest Form asks for a PGP Public Key. What is that?
A PGP Public Key is an encryption mechanism or code. PGP stands for "Pretty Good Privacy." There are many sources for obtaining this code. Some of the more common ones can be found at:
www.pgpi.org/products/pgp/versions/freeware/ or www.pgp.com.
I am trying to fill out the Expression of Interest Form, but the PGP Public Key does not work. What do I do?
To input your PGP Public Key in your Expression of Interest form, you must export your key into the form rather than copy and paste it. If you continue to have problems after doing this, you should contact your service provider or get a different key.
Do Registrars need to set up their own systems?
Yes, Registrars are responsible for setting up their own systems to manage requests for domain name registrations on behalf of applicants. When you apply for certification as a Registrar, you may be asked to describe these systems as part of the certification process.
When will I be able to start processing registrations as a Registrar?
You will be able to start processing registrations as soon as CIRA has certified you as a Registrar.
How many Registrars can CIRA certify? Is there a limit?
There is no limit to the number of Registrars CIRA can certify.
What is CIRA's role in promoting Registrars?
At the Registrar's request, CIRA will list the Registrar’s name and URL on the Registrars List, which is found at http://ro.cira.ca/re_choose_en and http://ro.cira.ca/re_choose_fr (for French). Registrants use this list to find a CIRA Certified Registrar through which they can register or renew a dot-ca domain name.
To present Registrars fairly, the list is automatically sorted in random order each time it is displayed. Users can then sort the list alphabetically or by province/territory.
For how long is a Registrar’s certification valid?
A Registrar's certification is valid for one year. Before the end of each certification year, the Registrar must submit an Application for Re-certification to CIRA, along with the then-current fee and applicable taxes. The Registrar must apply for re-certification if they plan to continue operating as a CIRA Registrar.
Can a Registrar’s certification be terminated or revoked before the end of a certification year?
Yes. This can happen in two ways:
- The Registrar can ask CIRA to terminate the certification.
- CIRA can revoke or terminate the certification if the Registrar does not comply with the terms and conditions of the CIRA Registrar Agreement and/or CIRA’s policies, rules and procedures.
What fee does the Registrar pay to register or renew a domain name?
CIRA will automatically debit the Registrar Deposit Account when the Registrar submits a registration or renewal request. The amount is $8.50 per domain year plus applicable taxes.
What if there is insufficient fund in the Registrar Deposit Account?
It is the Registrar's responsibility to ensure that their account is sufficiently funded to meet their business needs. If there is insufficient fund in the Registrar Deposit Account at the time of a registration or renewal request, the request will be rejected by CIRA systems.
