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DOMAINS

ICANN verification emails: why you must click them

IN SHORT

ICANN requires every registrar to verify a domain registrant's email within 15 days of registration, transfer, or an email change. Flashcloud sends the confirmation link; if you don't click it in time, ICANN's rules require the domain to be suspended until you do.

If you registered or transferred a domain recently and got an email asking you to verify your contact information, click it. ICANN requires every registrar to confirm the registrant's email address, and if you don't confirm within 15 days, ICANN's rules require the domain to be suspended. Not throttled, not warned again: suspended. The site and any email on that domain stop resolving until you verify.

This isn't a Flashcloud policy we chose. It's a mandatory ICANN requirement (the 2013 WHOIS Accuracy Program Specification) that applies to every registrar and every gTLD (.com, .net, .org, and most others). We send the email, but we can't waive the deadline or skip the check.

When you'll get this email

ICANN verification triggers on:

  • Registering a new domain.
  • Transferring a domain in from another registrar.
  • Changing the registrant contact's email address on an existing domain.

The email comes from our registrar system, not a personal Flashcloud address, and it will reference the domain name and ask you to click a confirmation link. That's it: one click, no form to fill out, no login required.

Why it lands in spam

Automated registrar emails get filtered more often than they should. If you don't see it in your inbox within a few minutes of registering or transferring:

  • Check your spam or junk folder.
  • Check any promotions or automated-mail tabs if you use Gmail's tabbed inbox.
  • Search for the domain name directly rather than scanning by sender, since filters sometimes rewrite the From address.
  • If you use email forwarding or a catch-all rule, confirm the message actually reached the mailbox you check, not one that silently discards unrecognized senders.

If it's genuinely not there, the most common cause is a stale or mistyped contact email on the domain, which is worth fixing regardless of this specific email.

Keeping your contact email current

The email ICANN verification goes to is whatever address is on file as the registrant contact. If that address is old, wrong, or belongs to someone who no longer has access, you'll never see the verification request, and the domain will suspend without warning. You can review and update your contact information any time, before it becomes a problem, from domain contacts in the portal. Go to Domains, click the domain, open the Contacts subpage, and check the registrant card. If you're not sure the address is current, update it now rather than waiting for the next verification cycle to expose the problem.

If the domain already got suspended

A suspension for failed verification isn't the same as expiration or a policy violation. Once you complete verification, ICANN requires the suspension to lift and the domain resumes resolving normally. There's no penalty fee and you don't lose the registration, but there's real downtime for however long the domain sat unverified: no website, no email on that domain, until it's confirmed.

When to contact support

If you can't find the verification message after checking spam and confirming your contact email is current, or if a domain has already been suspended and you need the link resent, open a support ticket. Include the domain name and let us know you're missing the ICANN verification email; we can resend it and confirm the registrant address on file is correct. This is account-sensitive, so an agent may ask for your Support PIN before making any change to contact details.

Common questions

What happens if I don't verify my domain email in time?

ICANN requires the domain to be suspended, no warning beyond the original notice. The site and any email on that domain stop resolving until you complete verification.

Why can't I find the ICANN verification email?

It usually lands in spam or a promotions tab, since automated registrar emails get filtered more than they should. Search for the domain name directly rather than scanning by sender, since filters sometimes rewrite the From address.

Will I get this email every time I make a domain change?

Verification triggers on registering a new domain, transferring one in, or changing the registrant contact's email address. It does not trigger on every change, just those three.

How do I fix a domain that's already suspended for failed verification?

Complete verification and ICANN requires the suspension to lift, with no penalty fee and no loss of the registration. If you can't find the link, open a support ticket with the domain name and we'll resend it.

How do I make sure I don't miss the verification email next time?

Check that your registrant contact email is current before it becomes a problem. Go to Domains, click the domain, open the Contacts subpage, and check the registrant card.

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