What is a registrar hold?
A registrar hold is a status on a domain's registration that takes it out of the DNS.
Last read from the sources at the foot of this page.
What does registrar hold mean?
This status code tells your domain's registry to not activate your domain in the DNS and as a consequence, it will not resolve.
It shows in the registry's public record as clientHold, set by the registrar, or serverHold, set by the registry. ICANN describes clientHold as uncommon, usually set during legal disputes, for non-payment or when a domain is about to be deleted.
For a look-alike, a hold is the outcome most abuse reports aim for. A registrar that accepts a report about a domain used for fraud may place it on hold, which stops the look-alike's mail at once while the registration runs out.
A hold is not a removal. The name can come back if the hold is lifted. It returns to the market only when the registration ends and is deleted, which is why a held look-alike is still worth watching.
Where does it show up in a reading?
In a LeakTrace reading it is read under “Look-alike names”: names made from yours, each asked whether it is registered and set up for mail.
In a LeakTrace reading it is read under “Your domain's registration”: its registry record: the expiry date and the lock that refuses a move to another registrar.
On the paid pages a look-alike case placed on hold is listed with that status and its date. The firm's own registration is read for its lock.
Which pages use this term?
Where does this come from?
- ICANN, EPP Status Codes: What Do They Mean, and Why Should I Know?icann.orgRead 1 November 2026
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