Contact verification

Certain registries require domain holders to verify their identity. When a registry flags one of your contacts for verification, OpusDNS detects the requirement, notifies you, and provides API endpoints to submit the required attestations before the registry-imposed deadlines.

This guide explains what contact verification is, when it applies, and what the key concepts are. For step-by-step instructions, see the Attestation workflow.

How verification works

1. A registry (e.g., DENIC for .de domains) determines that a contact's identity needs to be verified.
2. OpusDNS receives the verification requirement and flags all affected domains and contacts.
3. You receive an email notification and a VERIFICATION event with details about the affected contacts and domains.
4. You submit attestations via the API to prove the contact's identity claims.
5. Once all claims are verified, the registry clears the deadlines and OpusDNS removes the verification flags automatically.

Claims

Claims represent what the registry needs verified about a contact:

Claim	Description
NAME	The contact's first and last name.
ADDRESS	The contact's postal address.
EMAIL	The contact's email address.
PHONE	The contact's phone number.
LEGAL_ENTITY	The organization or company name.

Verification methods

How the identity claim is proven:

Method	Description
AUTH	Authentication-based verification.
VDIG	Video identification (online ID check).
ELECTRONIC_DOCUMENT	Electronic or digital document verification.
PHYSICAL_DOCUMENT	Physical document verification (scanned or photographed).
BVR	Postal verification via registered letter.
PVR	Postal verification via standard mail.
DATA	Data-based verification (cross-referencing authoritative databases).
REACHABILITY	Reachability check (e.g., confirming email or phone access).

Verification proofs

The specific type of evidence used:

Proof	Description
IDCARD	National identity card.
PASSPORT	Passport.
POPULATION_REGISTER	Population or civil register extract.
RESIDENCE_PERMIT	Residence permit.
PROOF_OF_ARRIVAL	Proof of arrival / registration confirmation.
DRIVERS_LICENCE	Driver's licence.
COMPANY_REGISTER	Commercial register extract.
COMPANY_STATEMENT	Company statement or declaration.
BANK_ACCOUNT	Bank account verification.
ONLINE_PAYMENT_ACCOUNT	Online payment account verification.
UTILITY_ACCOUNT	Utility provider account.
BANK_STATEMENT	Bank statement.
TAX_STATEMENT	Tax statement.
WRITTEN_ATTESTATION	Written attestation or declaration.
DIGITAL_ATTESTATION	Digital attestation.
POSTAL_VER_TRANSACTION_LOG	Postal verification transaction log.
EMAIL_VER_TRANSACTION_LOG	Email verification transaction log.
ADDRESS_DATABASE	Address database verification.

Common attestation examples

Use case	Method	Proof
Verify name with a passport	PHYSICAL_DOCUMENT	PASSPORT
Verify name with an ID card	PHYSICAL_DOCUMENT	IDCARD
Verify address with a utility bill	DATA	UTILITY_ACCOUNT
Verify email via confirmation link	REACHABILITY	EMAIL_VER_TRANSACTION_LOG
Verify company via commercial register	DATA	COMPANY_REGISTER
Verify identity via video call	VDIG	IDCARD or PASSPORT

Verification states

Each claim on a contact has a verification state:

State	Meaning
UNVERIFIED	Claim has not been verified. Attestation is required.
IN_PROGRESS	Attestation submitted, awaiting confirmation from the registry.
VERIFIED	Claim successfully verified. No action needed.
EXPIRED	Previous verification has expired. Re-attestation is required.

Deadlines

Verification deadlines are set by the registry. Missing them has real consequences for your domains:

Deadline type	What happens
dedelegation	The domain's DNS delegation is removed — it stops resolving. This is reversible once verification is completed.
deletion	The domain is permanently deleted from the registry. This cannot be undone.

Deadlines follow a predictable sequence:

1. Notification — you are informed that verification is required.
2. De-delegation — if not resolved, DNS is removed and the domain goes offline.
3. Deletion — the domain is permanently removed from the registry.

Notifications

When verification is required, OpusDNS sends an email notification to your organization with details about the affected contacts and domains.

You can configure where these notifications are sent in your organization settings:

Setting	Description
Verification notification email	A specific email address to receive verification notifications.
Enable/disable notifications	Toggle verification email notifications on or off.

If no specific email is configured, notifications are sent to your organization's admin users.

Next steps

• Attestation workflow — respond to registry-initiated verification requests step by step
• Initialize verification — proactively register and verify contacts before a registry requires it
• Events — monitor verification events
• Tags — filter domains and contacts by status tags

Related API reference

• GET /v1/contacts/{contact_id}/verifications
• POST /v1/contacts/{contact_id}/verifications/attest
• GET /v1/contacts
• GET /v1/domains/{domain_reference}
• GET /v1/domains
• GET /v1/events