What is Registrar Data Escrow (RDE)?

Registrar Data Escrow (RDE) is an ICANN mandated process that registrars must follow to store a copy of the customer’s whois information with a third party. Smaller registrars will deposit the information weekly (larger registrars in higher frequencies) on the server of the RDE provider in an encrypted format. Should your registrar go out of business, this would be the information passed on to the new registrar who takes over the domains and your clients. Going forward, registrars offering whois privacy services will be obliged to deposit the underlying whois information (without privacy) with the escrow provider.

ICANN had initially selected Iron Mountain as a Registrar Data Escrow provider. As of March 2018, DENIC e.G. also offers Registrar Data Escrow services through DENIC Services GmbH & Co. KG, a sister company of the German registry. If the registrar uses Iron Mountain or DENIC, there are no additional charges to be paid as ICANN is paying for their fees. Some registrar system providers might, however, charge fees to enable the deposit service on their end. Registrars are also able to choose from other approved providers but will have to pay those directly.

Does your Hosted Registrar Provider Charge you more to comply with ICANN requirements?

We’ve received word that some technology providers for hosted registrar systems are charging their clients (who are often on long term contracts) up to $7,000 in order to comply with ICANN requirements, such as the Registrar Data Escrow (RDE) .

While we feel that all mandated services should be part of a standard solution, there may be a cheaper work-around available to at least smaller size registrars trying to avoid those additional charges: They may pull the information through the API of their solution provider and then deposit the information directly with Iron Mountain. Another option of course would be to check your contract and see if the term commitment you made does still apply when new charges are added to the offering.