ICANN policies with respect of CCTLD domain locks

Question

I had a chat with a representative of a large registrar about migrating a .nz domain and 60 day registrar locks - and I'm pretty sure i've been incorrectly advised, but I can't work out where the responsibility/lines are drawn.

My understanding is that CCTLD's (in the case of NZ the DNC) set their own policies about managing CCTLD's, that in the case of ".nz" domains transfers are pretty much instance [ ie no waiting period ], and that registrars need to provide the UDAI/Auth Code on request of an authorized person. I also understand that there is nothing preventing a registrant from updating contact details and immediately transferring the domain - which is different to policy for .com domains.

The registrar maintains that there is an ICANN rule "wherein a domain is locked for 60 days" after a change - even on .NZ domains. I think this is incorrect, and indeed a breach of NZ policy. Who is correct?

(The problem with the particular domain has been solved, but it does not actually answer my question, as it seems that the registrar I was transferring from has been bought out by the registrar I was transferring to - so the fact that I was able to push through this change is not concrete evidence I am correct, although I the ability to generate a UDAI and the registrars automatic check that it was OK to transfer the domain somewhat implies the registrar is incorrect)

Answer 1

ICANN regulates only gTLDs. ccTLD registries are not under contract with ICANN.

See https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/faqs-2014-01-21-en

Two letter domains, such as .uk, .de and .jp (for example), are called country code top-level domains (ccTLDs) and correspond to a country, territory, or other geographic location. The rules and policies for registering ccTLDs vary significantly and a number of ccTLDs are reserved for use by citizens of the corresponding country.

Some ICANN-accredited registrars provide registration services in the ccTLDs, however, ICANN does not accredit registrars or set registration policies for ccTLDs. For details about ccTLD registration policies, you should contact the designated country code manager.

Some ccTLDs can decide by themselves to apply parts of ICANN system, like UDRP, or the 60 days rule around transfers, but this is totally voluntarily and only a decision of the relevant registry, not something they are forced to do by ICANN. Hence there is some "uniformity" happening in the ecosystem anyway. But ICANN can't force ccTLD registries to implement anything.

Any serious registrar knows that but as a registrar typically works in gTLDs and ccTLDs, it is often simpler for it to try to also apply same rules everywhere.

For your specific case, if you have issues with a specific registrar of .NZ domains, your first step should be to contact the registry and get clarifications from them directly. In theory the page at https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/nz.html should tell you who to contact in respect to .NZ names.