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Domain Names:ICANN email verification FAQ

Last Updated:Jun 02, 2026

Answers common questions about ICANN-required email verification for domain names, including policy requirements, verification steps, and troubleshooting.

Category

Question

Policy overview

Verification operations

Troubleshooting

Policy overview

What does ICANN require for registrant email addresses?

ICANN requires:

  • All domain name registration information, including WHOIS data, must be accurate and complete.

  • The registrant's email address must be valid and able to receive emails.

Alibaba Cloud enforces these requirements through email verification, as specified in the ICANN WHOIS ACCURACY PROGRAM SPECIFICATION.

How does Alibaba Cloud enforce ICANN's policies?

The following operations require a verified email address or a registrant profile with a verified email address:

  • Acquire domain names:

    • Register domain names

    • Transfer domain names to Alibaba Cloud.

    • Trade domain names.

  • Manage domain names:

    • Update registrant, administrative contact, technical contact, or billing contact information for a domain name.

    • Batch update information for multiple domain names.

Verification operations

How do I verify an email address?

  1. Go to the Email Verification page in the Domain Names console and enter the email address to verify.

  2. Submit the verification request.

  3. Log in to the email account and find the verification email.

  4. Click the verification link in the email to complete the process.

For more details, see Verify a registrant's email address.

Note

If the link does not open from the email client, copy and paste it into a browser.

How long does email verification take?

  • Verification completes instantly when you click the link in the email.

  • The verification link expires after 3 days. If expired, submit a new request.

My domain name is locked as clientHold. How do I resolve it?

  • Cause: The registrant's email address is not verified.

  • Solution: Verify the email address. The system automatically removes the clientHold status and unlocks the domain name.

Once an email address is verified, will it need to be verified again?

Case

Re-verification required

Regular use after verification

No

Reuse after deletion from the verified list

Yes

Note

Email verification is account-specific. The same email address can be verified under multiple Alibaba Cloud accounts.

Are there limits on email verification?

  • Total limit: None.

  • Daily limit: 500 email addresses per Alibaba Cloud account.

Why do I see verified email addresses that I did not submit for verification?

The system automatically adds email addresses from the following sources to your verified list:

  • Your Alibaba Cloud account email address.

  • Email addresses verified during a domain name transfer-in.

  • Email addresses verified through the console for individual domain names.

Troubleshooting

What do I do if I do not receive a verification email?

Step 1: Perform basic checks

  • Verify that the email address is spelled correctly.

  • Confirm that the email account can send and receive emails.

Step 2: Troubleshoot email delivery issues

Possible cause

Solution

The email account blocks certain senders.

Remove block rules or add Alibaba Cloud to your allowlist.

The verification email was filtered as spam.

Check your spam or junk folder.

The email provider categorized the verification email as a system notification.

Check all folders in your mailbox.

Step 3: Resubmit a verification request

If none of the preceding solutions work, resubmit the verification request.