Decree 314/2025, of 3-9-2025, amending article 20 of the “.ad” domain name registration regulation.

(non-binding translation)

Explanatory memorandum

With the approval of Decree 114/2024, of 20 March 2024, which entered into force on 22 May of the same year, a new regulatory framework was established to manage domain names under the “.ad” country code. This Regulation regulates the accreditation of registrars and sets the requirements for operating within the Andorran domain system, adapting to the needs of a growing digital economy and the demands for security, trust and transparency.

With the aim of continuing to strengthen this model and to progressively open it to new actors, article 20 of the Regulation is partially modified to update the accreditation criteria for registrars and give access to accredited actors who, with the previous wording of the article, were excluded. The objective is also to ensure that all entities that wish to operate in this environment do so with full technical, legal and organizational guarantees. These guarantees are also understood to be compatible with certain justified adaptations, designed to facilitate access for professional actors who meet minimum requirements such as, for example, professional membership. Finally, a transitional provision is incorporated, to give commercial companies a longer period to become accredited as registrars.

This adjustment responds to the need to align the domain registration system with international standards and to preserve the good reputation of the “.ad” domain, while ensuring orderly and balanced access to this strategic digital resource for the country.

At the proposal of the Minister of Public Service and Digital Transformation, in the session of September 3, 2025, the Government approves this Decree with the following content:

Article 1. Amendment of Article 20

Article 20 of the “.ad” domain name registration regulations, approved by Decree 114/2024, of March 20, 2024, is worded as follows:

“Article 20. Accreditation of registrars

Any legal person wishing to act as a “.ad” domain name registrar must be duly accredited by the registry operator and must meet the following requirements:

1. Registrars established in Andorra:

a) Be a legal person constituted as an Andorran commercial company.

b) The corporate purpose must consist exclusively of commercial activities directly related to the IT and new technologies sector and must include the activity of “registering domain names on behalf of third parties”.

c) In no case shall a company be considered a registrar that exclusively or mainly registers domain names for its own use or for its branches.

d) Have an open business with the commercial activity of “domain name registration on behalf of third parties” and with a valid registration number in the Trade Registry.

e) Have a census registration and a tax registration number (NRT).

f) Provide documentation proving sufficient human, technical and organizational resources to provide the registrar service efficiently, guaranteeing the protection of the legitimate interests of customers and the image or reputation of the registered domain names.

Exceptionally, Andorran commercial companies dedicated to the legal practice of law, economics or engineering are exempt from fulfilling the requirements set out in letters b and d, if they have at least one administrator registered in a professional association in the Principality of Andorra. The operator, to ensure that the exceptional conditions of the registered registrar are maintained, may verify them at any time after registration by requesting the supporting documentation relevant.

2. Registrars not established in Andorra:

Legal entities that can prove their status as registrars authorized by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) may apply for accreditation as registrars.

3. The accreditation is issued by the registry operator based on the information provided by the registrars. Therefore, the accreditation cannot be interpreted as a guarantee or as a seal of quality regarding the activities of the registrar.”

Transitional provision

A period of one year is established from the date of publication of this modification of the “.ad” domain name registration regulation so that commercial companies that wish to be accredited as domain name registrars on behalf of third parties can do so without having to justify all the requirements of article 20, provided that they present a plan for progressive adaptation to the established technical, human and organizational requirements, as well as a formal commitment to comply with the remaining requirements that correspond in each case, to the registry operator.

Final provision

This Decree will enter into force the day after its publication in the Official Gazette of the Principality of Andorra.

This is made public for general information.

Andorra la Vella, 3 September 2025

Xavier Espot Zamora

Head of Government