Actors of the .hu domain registration
The key players are: the domain applicant or rgistrant, the registrar who is serving him, ISzT Nonprofit Kft. called also Registry, and the Council of Hungarian Internet Providers (ISzT) who is responsible for the .hu ccTLD (country code Top Level Domain) regulation.
The domain applicant or registrant
When a person (natural or legal) starts the domain application process, we call it a ‘domain applicant’. Once the domain is registered, the applicant becomes ‘registrant’. Someone says that he is the “owner” of the domain, but in fact it is not someone who acquires ownership of the domain name, but the right to use it. For the right of use it is indispensable a domain maintenance cotract between the registrant and a registrar.
The Registry
We call Registry the central registry of .hu domains, its official name is ISZT Nonprofit Kft. Registry registers and keep de records of domain names, and operates the Hungarian central name servers. Granting the domain applicant the right of use of a domain is called delegation.
You are currently browsing the pages of the Registry, but the Registry is not in direct contact with domain applicants or registrants. The registrants are in contact with the registrars.
The registrars
Registrars are service providers authorized by the Registry to contract with domain applicants and registrants for domain registration and maintenance. They have the necessary services and infrastructure, e.g. customer service (either online or physical). They provide the background services needed to maintain domains, invoice, and often provide additional services to their customers. If you want to register a domain, feel free to contact any registrar.
The regulation of .hu ccTLD
The association called Council of Hungarian Internet Providers (ISzT) is the organization that performs the regulatory tasks of the .hu ccTLD on the basis of a contract concluded with ICANN. The subsidiary of the association is ISzT Nonprofit Kft., called also: Registry. The association transferred the rights to register and kepp the recods of public domains under .hu to the Registry. However, the regulation is still the right and duty of the association. The association is governed by the Board, while its highest decision-making body is the general assembly.
The structure and operation of the association can be found on its website, but we outline here the essential elements of the regulation.
The association has established the Snydicate of Registrars (SR), which is the committee of the association in charge with the preparation of the decisions related to domain regulation. Any registrar can be a member of the SR, ie. a registrar who is not a member of the association!
The board of the Snydicate of Registrars consists of the chairman and two vice-chairmen. The proposed resolutions are submitted by the president of the SR to the Board of the association. If a resolution does not require an amendment to the Domain Registration Policy, the Board may proclaim it in agreement with the Registry. If a resolution requires an amendment to the Domain Registration Policy, the Board shall submit the proposal to the general assembly of the association.