Procedures Governing Reserved Names Under Saudi Domain Names 

This document establishes procedures for creating a list of reserved names under Saudi domain names, and a mechanism for managing the list.

Procedures Governing Reserved Names Under Saudi Domain Names

Version 2.0 Date 8/3/1441 H (5/11/2019)

1. Scope of procedures

This document establishes procedures for creating a list of reserved names under Saudi domain names, and a mechanism for managing this list.

2. Definitions

The terms and expressions defined in the Telecommunication Act, its bylaws and the Regulations for Saudi Domain Name Registration shall have the same meaning in this document. In addition, the words and expressions set hereunder in this document shall have the meanings assigned below:

  • Domain name: a word or phrase used to access Internet services, rather than the numerical address.
  • Reserved name: a word or phrase that is prohibited to be used in Saudi domain names, according to the criteria set in these procedures.
  • The List: a list of reserved names prepared under these procedures.

3. List of Reserved names

3/1 SaudiNIC establishes The List and updates it as needed.

3/2 Reserved names fall into the following categories:

  1. Geographical: such as names of cities, governorates, regions and countries.
  2. Absolute numbers and letters: This includes any one letter or any group of 5 digits or less.
  3. Confusing: words or terms that include critical text such as (وزارة, ministry), (سعودي, Saudi), or (bank, بنك) etc.
  4. Religious: It includes names of religions and sects, sacred places, names and attributes of Allah and the names of the prophets and apostles
  5. Inappropriate: It includes words and terms that present an attack on the religion, homeland, or other persons, or they offend public decency.
  6. Special for domain name registration services: It includes words and terms that are reserved under the international standards related to domain name registration service, such as names related to the use of the SaudiNIC or its tasks or services.
  7. Other: This includes words and terms that are not in any of the previous classifications, such as names of celebrities, tribes, and public figures.

3/3 In case the domain name to be registered includes a reserved name, SaudiNIC will study the request considering the reason for the inclusion of the reserved name in The List and make the appropriate decision.

3/4 In the event that a new reserved name is added to The List and there is a registered domain name containing the reserved name, SaudiNIC will consider the status of the registered name taking into account the reason for the inclusion of the reserved name in The List, and make the appropriate decision.

3/5 In case of requesting to add, delete, or use a reserved name from The List, this should be done through the appropriate service request.

3/6 Approving the use of a reserved name is considered as an exceptional without prejudice to its existence in the List.

3/7 SaudiNIC will study the requests related to the reserved list and take the appropriate decisions according to the approved procedures. This is subject to the fact that in the case of approving an exceptional use of a reserved name, it must be ensured that it will not cause confusion with any name of public interest or infringement.

3/8 The applicant may submit an objection to SaudiNIC’s decision pertaining the request to add, delete, or exceptional use a reserved name from The List. It will be processed according to CST regulations and procedures including the regulations and rules for Saudi Domain Names.