The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (or ICANN for short), recently introduced some new requirements relating to how domain renewals should be handled by domain registrars. Some domain registrars have implemented changes in response to these ICANN requirements. For example eNom announced that in an effort to ensure their sub-resellers meet the new requirements, they would start sending out domain renewal notices on behalf of their resellers.
However, as you might expect, many companies wish to continue sending their own custom branded and personalised domain expiry notices, and eNom will allow you to do that, providing you can prove you can meet the requirements set out by ICANN.
As of today, any web hosting provider using WHMCS with eNom can do just that as WHMCS 5.3.12 includes the necessary tools and functionality to ensure you comply. eNom is the first registrar integrated with WHMCS to benefit from this new functionality in our product. We look forward to working with other registrars who offer similar functionality in the near future.
WHMCS has always allowed you to send domain expiry warning notices, however only prior to the expiry date. One of the new requirements from ICANN is that if a domain expires, the registrar must send at least one post expiry notice within 5 days of the expiry date. In 5.3.12, it is now possible to configure any of the reminders to be sent either before or after expiry as shown below.
Another new ICANN requirement was that it is no longer sufficient to just send the expiry notice to a domain's registered account holder, but rather it must go to the email address listed under the registrant contact of the whois record. WHMCS will now also perform this for eNom domains, sending it to both the account holder and the registrant contact (if they differ).
Lastly, ICANN now requires sufficient logging of the domain renewal notices so that an audit trail can be provided for regulatory compliance. With that being said, in WHMCS 5.3.12 we've introduced a new dedicated logging system for domain renewal notices which will keep a log of all renewal notices that are sent, along with the date and recipients, and provide an easy way to view and export that information upon request via a new report.
To get this new functionality, simply upgrade to WHMCS 5.3.12 today.
More information on configuring and using this new feature can be found in the Domain Renewal Notices Documentation.
For more information on the changes eNom is making and the opt-out process once you have upgraded to 5.3.12, please visit https://www.enom.com/news/867/domain-renewal-changes-starting-february-1-2015.html
Even if you don't wish to opt-out and configure your WHMCS installation to send the renewal notices to your customers, do make sure to set the "Renewal URL" inside your eNom Reseller Renewal Account Settings or eNom won’t be able to direct users to your WHMCS install for the renewal in the notices that they send on your behalf.
For more specific details on the ICANN requirements, please visit https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/errp-2013-02-28-en
