[In case of any discrepancy between this translation and the original Chinese text, the Chinese text shall govern. Terms in this translation expressed in the singular should be construed as also including the plural, and vice versa. ]
- Approved by the 26th Domain Name Committee Meeting, Apr 4, 2003
- Revised by the 40th Domain Name Committee Meeting, May 20, 2005
- Revised by the 65th Domain Name Committee Meeting, Aug 25, 2009
- Revised by the 71st Domain Name Committee Meeting, Aug 31, 2010
- Revised by the 90th Domain Name Committee Meeting, Oct 30, 2013
- Revised by the 106th Domain Name Committee Meeting, Apr 19, 2018
- Revised by the 109th Domain Name Committee Meeting, May 24, 2019
- Revised by the 110th Domain Name Committee Meeting, Nov 29, 2019
- Revised by the 111th Domain Name Committee Meeting, Aug 27, 2020
- Revised by the 114th Domain Name Committee Meeting, Nov 17, 2021
Article 1
These Guidelines are prescribed in accordance with Article 7 of the “Regulations Supervising Internet Protocol Address and Top-Level Domain Name Registration Services” (hereinafter referred to as the “Regulations”) promulgated by the governmental authorities.
Article 2
As used in these Guidelines, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
1.“Registry” means Taiwan Network Information Center (hereinafter referred to as “TWNIC”).
2.“Registrar” means the organization which is a legal entity commissioned by TWNIC to manage the domain name registration business.
3.“Administration of domain name registrations” means services provided by TWNIC, authorized by the governmental authorities and approved by the international authorities to take charge in the administration of registrations for “.tw,”“.台灣” or“.台湾” top level domain, to maintain the normal operation of the domain name system and to provide other services relating to administration of domain name registrations (hereinafter referred to as the “Services”).
4.“Customer” means any person who applies or registers for the Services.
Article 3
All Services shall be provided in a manner complying with the provisions of these Guidelines, unless otherwise provided in the Telecommunications Management Act, the Regulations and other related laws and regulations.
Article 4
Without the prior written consent of TWNIC, Customer shall not charge registration or similar fees for domain name registration or breach any of the provision hereof.
Article 5
The domain names provided in the Services includes the following types:
1.Generic Domain Name: refer to a third level domain name registered under specific generic second level domain.
2.Second Level Domain Name: refer to a domain name registered directly under .tw or. 台灣.
3.Other domain names as examined and released by the Domain Name Committee of TWNIC.
Article 6
The domain name registration service in the Services shall include the application, renewal, transfer, cancel of the domain name and related services.
Upon applying for a domain name, Customer shall fill out the “Domain Name Registration Agreement” online in accordance with the application conditions and the regulations pertaining to the Services announced by TWNIC. The same shall apply when a domain name is renewed or transferred.
The information filled out by Customer in the preceding paragraph shall be true, complete, and accurate, and any alteration of such information shall be corrected forthwith. TWNIC may request the Customer to submit documentations for review if necessary.
Article 7
TWNIC may commission Registrars to undertake the Services.
In no case shall TWNIC be responsible for the conducts of Registrars that go beyond the scope of the commissions, and Registrar shall bear full responsibility for any matter that is irrelevant to domain name registration business.
Article 8
TWNIC and Registrar shall have no responsibility in verifying the information provided by the Customer. The Customer shall be solely responsible for any dispute or legal consequence due to its failure to provide correct information.
Article 9
TWNIC shall have the right to collect, process, and use, in a manner complying with the Personal Information Protection Act and other related laws and regulations, the information provided by the Customer or any information arising from the Customer interacting or communicating with TWNIC or Registrar.
TWNIC may, at the request of Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, prescribe related rules and include the Customer’s information as filled out in the application form into the WHOIS database .
Article 10
The service for providing a new domain name registration shall follow the “first come, first serve” principle.
TWNIC shall have the right to establish technical restrictions to characters applicable to categories of domain name, the rules for the preserved domain names and other restrictions to domain name registrations.
TWNIC or Registrars shall not dismiss a domain name application, unless the domain name as applied for registration is against any one of the above-mentioned restrictions or preservations.
Article 11
TWNIC shall set the Fee Schedule for the Services in the application, renewal, transfer, termination, etc., of domain names.
The Fee Schedule in the preceding paragraph shall be set up on a break-even basis and determined by the Service Rate Committee consisted of experts, scholars, etc.
TWNIC shall announce the effective date on TWNIC’s website after all required procedures are completed.
Article 12
The Customer who wishes to apply for the Services provided by a Registrar shall comply with all the conditions as provided in the “Domain Name Registration Agreement” and pay all the related fees in accordance with the items to be charged and the Fee Schedule as announced by the Registrars.
The Fee Schedule of a Registrar in the preceding paragraph shall not be set higher than that of TWNIC.
Article 13
Except as otherwise provided by laws or these Guidelines, no Customer shall request TWNIC or the Registrar to refund any fees.
Article 14
The Customer shall have the right to use a domain name during the term of its registration, and the term shall commence on the day TWNIC or the Registrar confirms that the Customer completes the related procedure of registration and payment, and TWNIC has logged the domain name on the domain name database.
Article 15
TWNIC or the Registrar will via email notify the Customer of paying the renewal fees at least 90 days prior to the end of the registration period.
The renewal registration period shall be renewed from the date next to the end of initial registration period for additional one (1) year if the Customer has paid the renewal fees prior to the end of the initial registration period.
TWNIC will cease to provide the service and resolution of domain name for thirty (30) days, if the Customer fails to pay renewal fees by the end of the registration period.
If the Customer pays the renewal fees within thirty (30) days mentioned in the preceding paragraph, TWNIC will restore the normal use of the domain name. The renewal registration period will be commenced on the next date of the end of initial registration period.
The domain name will be released for registration if the Customer fails to pay the renewal fees by the thirty (30) days mentioned in the paragraph 3 of this Section.
Article 16
TWNIC shall maintain the normal operation of the systems and the equipment relating to the Services and maintain the normal use of the Customer’s domain name. However, TWNIC gives no warranty, express or implied, to the communication quality of the network system.
Article 17
If, during the term of the Services, an interruption or a failure of the Services lasts for more than 24 hours continuously due to reasons attributable to TWNIC, the registration period of the domain name will be automatically extended while the interruption or failure time be announced on TWNIC’s website.
The said extension in the preceding paragraph shall be calculated on the interruption or failure time announced on TWNIC’ website. Interruption or failure time exceeding every 24 hours extends a day, no extension if less than 4 hours, and exceeding 4 hours but not exceeding 24 hours extends a day.
Article 18
If, during the registration period of the Services, an interruption or a failure of the Services lasts for more than 48 hours continuously due to reasons of Force Majeure (including act of God, turmoil, interruption of telecommunications service provided by the providers etc.), the registration period of the domain name will be automatically extended while the interruption or failure time be announced on TWNIC’s website.
The said extension in the preceding paragraph shall be calculated on the interruption or failure time announced on the website of TWNIC. Interruption or failure time exceeding every 24 hours extends a day, no extension if less than 4 hours, and exceeding 4 hours but not exceeding 24 hours extends a day.
Article 19
In case TWNIC discontinuing the Services for certain reasons, it shall, report to competent authority for recordation and place an announcement on its website and in the national newspapers three (3) months prior to its discontinuation.
The announcement in the preceding paragraph shall specify that what the discontinuation date is, whether any third party is willing to take over the Services, and the Customer may opt to terminate its domain name in advance and request for refund.
The Customer shall request for a refund through the contact information for refund provided by TWNIC within three (3) months from the announcing of such announcement if no one is willing to take over the Services. The prepaid shall be refunded on a pro rata basis by TWNIC or the Registrar. No liability shall attach to TWNIC in respect of the late request for refund.
Article 20
In case TWNIC discontinuing the Services for certain reasons, it shall try its best to support the third party who is willing to take over the Services, so as to keep the Services running continuously. However, TWNIC shall have no legal responsibility for the conducts of such third party. A Customer shall determine, at its own risk, whether to terminate the agreement between TWNIC and it or to continuously use the services taken over and provided by the third party.
Article 21
In case TWNIC discontinuing the Services for certain reasons and specifying that any third party is willing to take over the Services in such announcement, the Customer who fails to terminate its domain name pursuant to Article 19 shall be deemed to agree that TWNIC assigns its rights and obligations between TWNIC and it to the third party, who is willing to take over the Services, to which Customer shall raise no objections.
Article 22
Any disputes resulting from, relating to or in any manner connected with the Services shall be dealt with pursuant to “TWNIC Regulation for Consumer Dispute of the Domain Name Registration Services”.
Article 23
Any data related to the Services shall be subject to the data as stored in the computer system of TWNIC.
The Customer shall apply for revision, if there is any change of its information, to avoid the damage to its rights and interests.
Article 24
When applying for or renewal of a domain name, or when correcting the registration information of a domain name, the Customer shall make the following declaration:
1.The Customer agrees that all contents as made in the application form and the information for registration are all complete and correct.
2.To the best knowledge of the Customer, the domain name to be registered or as registered does not infringe a third party’s rights and interests.
3.The Customer shall not register or use the domain name for improper purposes.
4.The Customer shall not register or use the domain name in a manner that maliciously breaches the related laws and regulations.
The Customer shall bear the responsibility solely for any breach of the declaration he/she/it makes in the preceding paragraph.
Article 25
Any disputes arising from the registration of domain names of the Customer and raised by a third party shall be dealt with pursuant to “Taiwan Network Information Center Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy”, the “Rules for the Taiwan Network Information Center Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy”, and other related regulations (hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Domain Name Dispute Resolution Mechanism”) declared by TWNIC.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the right of the Customer or the third party to commence a lawsuit in court pertaining to such domain name shall not be prejudiced.
Article 26
TWNIC shall in accordance with the Domain Name Dispute Resolution Mechanism and following the panel’s decision to transfer or delete a domain name.
The Customer may pursuant to the Domain Name Dispute Resolution Mechanism file a lawsuit against the complainant and notify TWNIC of suspending the implementation of the decision made by the panel. However, the Customer shall not bring any lawsuits against TWNIC.
Article 27
Unless otherwise provided by the Domain Name Dispute Resolution Mechanism, the Customer shall have the right to transfer or terminate its domain name.
Article 28
In the transfer or termination of a domain name, the Customer shall submit the documents that are sufficient to prove its identity and the required information announced by TWNIC to TWNIC or the Registrar.
Article 29
TWNIC shall have the right to terminate the domain name registration, when the Customer deceases and no successors are found or when the Customer’s legal personality is lost.
If the Customer deceases and his/her successors need to transfer that domain name, the procedure shall apply mutatis mutandis to the Section 28.
Article 30
TWNIC shall have the right to terminate the domain name or take any reasonable measures as the Customer breaches any of these Guidelines, the “Domain Name Registration Agreement” or other related regulations.
Article 31
For matters that are not specified in these Guidelines, the related guidelines, regulations of TWNIC and related laws and regulations shall apply.
Article 32
These Guidelines shall come into effect subject to the approval of the Domain Name Committee of TWNIC and reporting to the Competent Authority for recordation. Same shall apply to revisions thereof.
*In case of any discrepancy between this translation and the original Chinese text, the Chinese text shall govern. Terms in this translation expressed in the singular should be construed as also including the plural and vice versa.