What is the difference of Nominet Members and Nominet Registrars?

[Helmuts]

What is the difference between Nominet Members and Nominet Registrars? What are the practical differences between these two roles in the real world? I'm trying to understand the differences between them better. Thank you.

And, a question for members and registrars: why did you choose one role over the other?

 

[Paullas]

ChatGPT said

Nominet Members and Nominet Registrars play distinct roles within the UK domain registry system. Here's a breakdown of the key differences:

1. Nominet Members:​

• Membership Status: Nominet Members are individuals or organizations that have chosen to become part of Nominet, the registry responsible for managing UK domain names (like .uk).
• Role: Members participate in the governance of Nominet, including voting in elections for board members and other decisions that shape the direction of the organization.
• Fees: Members pay an annual membership fee to Nominet, and in return, they often receive discounted domain registration rates.
• Involvement: Nominet membership grants rights like attending member events, voting on resolutions, and contributing to policy decisions. Members do not necessarily act as domain registrars but can offer additional input into the direction of domain management.
• Discounts and Benefits: Members may receive certain perks like reduced pricing on domain registrations compared to non-members.

2. Nominet Registrars:​

• Role: Nominet Registrars are companies or organizations authorized to register and manage .uk domains on behalf of their clients. They act as intermediaries between Nominet and domain buyers.
• Accreditation: Registrars must be accredited by Nominet and follow specific rules and guidelines for managing domains. They handle the technical and administrative aspects of domain registration, renewal, and transfers.
• No Voting Rights: Unlike Nominet Members, Registrars do not have voting rights in Nominet's governance unless they are also members.
• Business Focus: Their primary focus is on providing domain registration services and related technical support for individuals and businesses.
• Fees: Registrars typically pay a wholesale rate to Nominet for domains and then set their own prices when selling domain names to customers.

Summary:​

• Nominet Members are involved in the governance and decision-making processes of Nominet and can benefit from membership perks like discounts on domain registrations.
• Nominet Registrars are service providers that register and manage .uk domains on behalf of customers but don't have governance roles unless they are also Nominet Members.

 

[Helmuts]

ChatGPT said

Nominet Members and Nominet Registrars play distinct roles within the UK domain registry system. Here's a breakdown of the key differences:

1. Nominet Members:​

• Membership Status: Nominet Members are individuals or organizations that have chosen to become part of Nominet, the registry responsible for managing UK domain names (like .uk).
• Role: Members participate in the governance of Nominet, including voting in elections for board members and other decisions that shape the direction of the organization.
• Fees: Members pay an annual membership fee to Nominet, and in return, they often receive discounted domain registration rates.
• Involvement: Nominet membership grants rights like attending member events, voting on resolutions, and contributing to policy decisions. Members do not necessarily act as domain registrars but can offer additional input into the direction of domain management.
• Discounts and Benefits: Members may receive certain perks like reduced pricing on domain registrations compared to non-members.

2. Nominet Registrars:​

• Role: Nominet Registrars are companies or organizations authorized to register and manage .uk domains on behalf of their clients. They act as intermediaries between Nominet and domain buyers.
• Accreditation: Registrars must be accredited by Nominet and follow specific rules and guidelines for managing domains. They handle the technical and administrative aspects of domain registration, renewal, and transfers.
• No Voting Rights: Unlike Nominet Members, Registrars do not have voting rights in Nominet's governance unless they are also members.
• Business Focus: Their primary focus is on providing domain registration services and related technical support for individuals and businesses.
• Fees: Registrars typically pay a wholesale rate to Nominet for domains and then set their own prices when selling domain names to customers.

Summary:​

• Nominet Members are involved in the governance and decision-making processes of Nominet and can benefit from membership perks like discounts on domain registrations.
• Nominet Registrars are service providers that register and manage .uk domains on behalf of customers but don't have governance roles unless they are also Nominet Members.

Thank you, yes, I did read this as well.. and tried getting through this.. though it is still unclear to me.

Let us say: @Kieren (I hope you don't mind mentioning me) > Kieren is a Registrar, though does not provide services nor register domains for any customers apart from himself. And still = a Registrar.

Next, are all Registrars that have a Nominet tag > Nominet members?

Ok, you become a Registrar through the application process. How do you become a member?

What are the difference in fees?

Does a member who is also a Registrar pay 2 different fees?

Are Nominet members mostly UK companies, organizations and individuals? If yes - how global companies manage to be members here? Isn't enough for them to be Registrars?

Why Newcastle upon Tyne City Council, Powys County Council and 31 other UK councils are Nominet members?

I am considering to apply for Nominet tag (for the business needs) and find all this seriously confusing..

Tx

 

[Helmuts]

love this one http://www.alex.org.uk/nominet/nominet-tag.html

 

[Helmuts]

Thank you, yes, I did read this as well.. and tried getting through this.. though it is still unclear to me.

Let us say: @Kieren (I hope you don't mind mentioning me) > Kieren is a Registrar, though does not provide services nor register domains for any customers apart from himself. And still = a Registrar.

Next, are all Registrars that have a Nominet tag > Nominet members?

Ok, you become a Registrar through the application process. How do you become a member?

What are the difference in fees?

Does a member who is also a Registrar pay 2 different fees?

Are Nominet members mostly UK companies, organizations and individuals? If yes - how global companies manage to be members here? Isn't enough for them to be Registrars?

Why Newcastle upon Tyne City Council, Powys County Council and 31 other UK councils are Nominet members?

I am considering to apply for Nominet tag (for the business needs) and find all this seriously confusing..

Tx

@Whois-Search Good morning Andrew, you are probably one of the most knowledgeable UK guys who does understand the Nominet "kitchen" really well. How would you explain this? Thank you.

 

[alex]

Member is a statutory status. Nominet is a company limited by guarantee - it has no shareholders, just members.

In contrast, Registrar is a contractual relationship. You happen to have to be a member to enter that contract.

 

[Whois-Search]

Yes “Nominet UK” with no Limited on the end has a special company status:

Company type
Private Limited Company by guarantee without share capital use of 'Limited' exemption

See: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/03203859

That means it has no shareholders only members. Each member who joins the company is effectively a shareholder or owner of the company. The liability of the members is limited to £10 see clauses 7-8 of the memorandum of association.

Membership fees

To join the company it costs £400 + VAT (joining fee)

Annual subscription fee £100 + VAT

Note: on joining you need to pay both.

The membership year runs from 1st August to 31st July. If you join after 1st February, your first year’s subscription charge will be reduced to £50 (plus VAT).

Every year on 1st August you pay £100 + VAT to stay as a member.

Those costs should be in a by-law of the company articles. However at the moment there isn’t one in place and only a draft subscription fee by-law (hence the court case you may have heard about).

Members of the company vote using weighted voting rights. Which you need a degree in mathematics to understand but put simply the more domains you have the bigger your vote will be (capped at 3% of votes cast).

Members vote to:

• Elect four non-executive directors
• Approve four appointed directors
• Elect the UKRAC councillors
• Approve the accounts & auditors
• Approved AGM resolutions at (75% - 90%)

Members also get most importantly:

• A discount on registrations from £80 for 2 years down to £3.90 per year.
• A Christmas party and member lunch (if you’re lucky)

See: current pricing.

These are the main reason(s) people become a member. However some people (around 10%) are generally interested in corporate governance.

Oh and all those universities as members… in the early days Dr Willie Black was from a university background and asked them all to join (giving Nominet credibility). You may well find members with no domains only the equal vote share.

Nominet registrars (tag holder)

A registrar is an account on Nominet’s EPP platform with a tag (effectively a username):

https://registrars.nominet.uk/uk-namespace/registrar-agreement/list-of-registrars/

There are far more tags than members (at the moment you can have 3-4 tags).

There are three tag types:

- Accredited Channel Partner
- Channel Partner
- Self-Managed

See: https://registrars.nominet.uk/uk-namespace/registrar-agreement/selecting-tag-type/

Depending which one of those you pick means you will have different compliance level commitments to put on your website (hence the amusing page by Alex Bligh).

Every registrar is subject to the registrar agreement here:

https://registrars.nominet.uk/uk-namespace/registrar-agreement/

You can actually become a registrar without being a member:

https://registrars.nominet.uk/uk-namespace/managing-account/application-process/

However you will be paying £80 for 2 years.

Therefore it is better to become a member first and get the £3.90 + VAT discount.

Why do non-members pay £80 ? Well that goes back to before Nominet was founded when the .uk naming committee used to charge that much for two years.

 

[alex]

You can actually become a registrar without being a member:

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Helmuts]

Yes “Nominet UK” with no Limited on the end has a special company status:

Company type
Private Limited Company by guarantee without share capital use of 'Limited' exemption

See: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/03203859

That means it has no shareholders only members. Each member who joins the company is effectively a shareholder or owner of the company. The liability of the members is limited to £10 see clauses 7-8 of the memorandum of association.

Membership fees

To join the company it costs £400 + VAT (joining fee)

Annual subscription fee £100 + VAT

Note: on joining you need to pay both.

The membership year runs from 1st August to 31st July. If you join after 1st February, your first year’s subscription charge will be reduced to £50 (plus VAT).

Every year on 1st August you pay £100 + VAT to stay as a member.

Those costs should be in a by-law of the company articles. However at the moment there isn’t one in place and only a draft subscription fee by-law (hence the court case you may have heard about).

Members of the company vote using weighted voting rights.

Which you need a degree in mathematics to understand but put simply the more domains you have the bigger your vote will be (capped at 3% of votes cast).

Members vote to:

• Elect four non-executive directors
• Approve four appointed directors
• Elect the UKRAC councillors
• Approve the accounts & auditors
• Approved AGM resolutions at (75% - 90%)

Members also get most importantly:

• A discount on registrations from £80 for 2 years down to £3.90 per year.
• A Christmas party and member lunch (if you’re lucky)

See: current pricing.

These are the main reason(s) people become a member. However some people (around 10%) are generally interested in corporate governance.

Oh and all those universities as members… in the early days Dr Willie Black was from a university background and asked them all to join (giving Nominet credibility). You may well find members with no domains only the equal vote share.

Nominet registrars (tag holder)

A registrar is effectively an account on Nominet’s EPP platform with a tag (effectively a username):

https://registrars.nominet.uk/uk-namespace/registrar-agreement/list-of-registrars/

There are far more tags than members (at the moment you can have 3-4 tags).

There are three tag types:

- Accredited Channel Partner
- Channel Partner
- Self-Managed

See: https://registrars.nominet.uk/uk-namespace/registrar-agreement/selecting-tag-type/

Depending which one of those you pick means you will have different compliance level commitments to put on your website (hence the amusing page by Alex Bligh).

Every registrar is subject to the registrar agreement here:

https://registrars.nominet.uk/uk-namespace/registrar-agreement/

You can actually become a registrar without being a member:

https://registrars.nominet.uk/uk-namespace/managing-account/application-process/

However you will be paying £80 for 2 years.

Therefore it is better to become a member first and get the £3.90 + VAT discount.

Why do non-members pay £80 ? Well that goes back to before Nominet was founded when the .uk naming committee used to charge that much for two years.

Thank you. Excellent breakdown. Now it all makes sense much better!