Domains & the .nz extension
The .nz domain space is administered by the Domain Name Commissioner (DNC) who oversee's the day to day operations and appointments of authorised Registrars.
Registering a domain is akin to buying a license and covers a pre-paid subscribed period. This is usually 1 year but can be up to 10 years. If the domain is not renewed at the end of the subscription period it is released and available for others register. The annual renewal cost ranges from $25 p.a. to $250 p.a. depending on the Registrar.
In New Zealand the most popular domain name extension is .co.nz, with 270,000 names registered, being 86% of all .nz registrations.
Registered domains often sell privately well above the registration cost in what is often referred to as the 'secondary' or 'after' market. This is where an existing holder of a domain name (the registrant) will transfer the ownership to a new registrant upon an agreed price.
