Status tags
Status tags are system-managed labels that OpusDNS assigns automatically based on the state of a domain. Unlike user tags, you cannot create, modify, or remove status tags through the API — they are controlled entirely by the system and reflect conditions that may require your attention.
How status tags work
When a domain enters a state that requires action or awareness, OpusDNS assigns the corresponding status tag automatically via a background process. Once the condition is resolved, the tag is removed. No API calls are needed on your part to manage these tags.
Available status tags
| Tag type | Label | Description |
|---|---|---|
VERIFICATION_REQUIRED |
VERIFICATION REQUIRED | The domain requires identity verification from the registrant. Assigned when a registry mandates holder verification and removed once verification is completed. |
CREATE_REQUESTED |
CREATE REQUESTED | The registration was accepted but the domain does not exist at the registry yet, because it is waiting on an out-of-band step — the signed applicant declaration for a .no registration, for example. The domain cannot be updated while this tag is set. Removed once the registry create succeeds. |
INBOUND_TRANSFER_PENDING |
INBOUND TRANSFER PENDING | A transfer of the domain into your account is in progress at the registry. |
OUTBOUND_TRANSFER_PENDING |
OUTBOUND TRANSFER PENDING | A transfer of the domain away from your account is pending. Removed when the transfer completes or is rejected. |
EXTERNAL |
EXTERNAL | The domain is mirrored from a connected external registrar rather than sponsored by OpusDNS. See Read-only domains. |
IMPORT_REQUESTED |
IMPORT REQUESTED | The domain was bulk-imported and is awaiting its initial registry synchronization. |
IMPORT_PENDING |
IMPORT PENDING | The initial registry synchronization for an imported domain has been queued and is awaiting execution. |
DNSSEC_PENDING |
DNSSEC PENDING | The zone is signed, but the registry has not yet accepted the DS record and the submission is being retried. See Domain DNSSEC. |
Additional status tag types may be introduced over time. Your integration should handle unknown tag_type values gracefully.
Status tag response format
When you request include=tags on a domain endpoint, each domain includes a
status_tags array alongside the user tags array:
{
"domain_id": "domain_01h45ytscbebyvny4gc8cr8ma2",
"name": "example.com",
"tags": [],
"status_tags": [
{
"tag_type": "VERIFICATION_REQUIRED",
"label": "VERIFICATION REQUIRED",
"color": "color-1"
}
]
}
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
tag_type |
string |
The status tag type identifier (e.g. VERIFICATION_REQUIRED). Use this for programmatic checks. |
label |
string |
Human-readable display label. |
description |
string |
Optional description of the status condition. |
color |
string |
Display color for UI rendering. Colors are intentionally generic (e.g. color-1) so that API consumers can map them to values that fit their own branding. |
Include status tags in responses
Status tags are returned together with user tags when you add include=tags
to a domain request:
curl "$OPUSDNS_API_BASE/v1/domains?include=tags" \
--header "X-Api-Key: $OPUSDNS_API_KEY"
This works on both the domain list and single-domain endpoints:
curl "$OPUSDNS_API_BASE/v1/domains/example.com?include=tags" \
--header "X-Api-Key: $OPUSDNS_API_KEY"
Filter domains by status tags
Use the status_tags parameter to find domains with specific status
conditions:
curl "$OPUSDNS_API_BASE/v1/domains?status_tags=VERIFICATION_REQUIRED&include=tags" \
--header "X-Api-Key: $OPUSDNS_API_KEY"
Filter mode
When filtering by multiple status tags, control the matching behavior with
status_tag_mode:
| Mode | Behavior |
|---|---|
match_any |
Domain matches if it has at least one of the specified status tags. This is the default. |
match_all |
Domain matches only if it has all of the specified status tags. |
match_none |
Domain matches only if it has none of the specified status tags. Domains carrying no status tags at all are included. |
curl "$OPUSDNS_API_BASE/v1/domains?status_tags=VERIFICATION_REQUIRED&status_tag_mode=match_all&include=tags" \
--header "X-Api-Key: $OPUSDNS_API_KEY"
Status tags vs. registry statuses
Status tags and registry statuses serve different purposes:
| Status tags | Registry statuses | |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Assigned by OpusDNS based on internal processes | Set by the domain registry (e.g. Verisign, EURid) |
| Purpose | Indicate conditions that may need your attention | Control what operations are allowed on the domain |
| Management | Automatic — no API calls needed | Can be managed via PATCH /v1/domains/{domain_reference} |
| Examples | VERIFICATION_REQUIRED |
clientTransferProhibited, ok, pendingTransfer |
Both are visible in the domain response but in separate fields:
status_tags for OpusDNS status tags and registry_statuses for EPP status
codes.
Related guides
- User tags — create and manage your own tags
- The domain object — full domain response reference
- Manage a domain — update domain configuration
