Frequently Asked Questions

Is there something I am missing here? Why are you so cheap?

Livetodot is owned and managed by Fubra Limited, a profitable company based in Hampshire, UK. We can sell domain names cheap because we have created as much automation as possible and therefore we can keep our costs down.

We are truly committed to our customers and want to help you in any way we can. The easier it is for you to register and use Livetodot the more sales we will make.

We believe in starting small and growing at a sensible pace. We are an independent company, we have never taken venture capital and we continue to grow because we love what we do.

What is a domain name?

A domain name is an alias that points to a number (an IP address) that identifies your webserver on the Internet. This number is called an IP Address. People use names because they are easier to remember than numbers.

What are the benefits of . it over other names?

'It' is one of the most frequently used words in the English language. You can use the word it at the end of your domain name to make a memorable phrase such as:

practice.it
paywith.it
dontmention.it
register.it.

.it names are marketable and memorable. Best of all, they are still relatively uncommon, so you have a better chance of getting a good one.

Can anybody register a .it name?

Dot it domains can be registered by companies with a VAT number or private individuals with a National Insurance number. A legal presence in a country that is a member of the European Union is required, so this excludes most US companies and citizens.

Is it true I can only register one .it name?

No. There is no limit how many .it domains you can register. In the past, the Italian registry used to limit European private individuals without a VAT number to registering only 1 name, but this was changed in 2007.

Which characters can I use in my domain name? And are there any restrictions?

The Italian NIC has imposed some restrictions on the names you can register.

Between 3 and 63 characters (excluding the extension)
Only these characters are allowed: letters a-z, numbers 0-9 and hyphen -.
Your name cannot start with - nor can it end with -.

For example:
-meto.it is not valid
gofor-.it is not valid
e-fly.it is valid.

How long does it take to register a .it name?

Our system can process domain registrations in under a minute, but there is a slight delay between when your name is registered and when it is useable. Registrations initiated before 12pm should be completed by around 9am the following day.

You must send a Letter of Assumption of Responsibility, known as a LAR. As soon as you have sent your LAR for the name you have secured your name.

Is there an age restriction?

Minors (under the age of 18) are not allowed to register .it domain names.

I live in the USA, can I register an Italian name?

No, your business can only register a .it name if you have a presence in the EU that has a VAT number. For example, Hewlett Packard could because they have a presence in Europe, even though they are American. If you need help with this please email .

I've bought a name, but it still appears to be available. Is there a problem?

There could be a problem, but it is unlikely. If there is a problem, we will email you informing you that you need to review your LAR and resend it.

Orders are not processed by the Italian registry at the weekend. If you have been waiting for more than two working days after you sent the LAR there could be a problem. In this case, if you have not received a mail from us, please email and we will investigate the problem immediately.

Can I pay by cheque or in any other way?

We only accept payment via credit card/debit card.

However, if you are registering lots of domain names, you can become a reseller and can pay by electronic bank transfer or by cheque.

In which cases will the Registration Authority reject my LAR?

Your LAR can be rejected if:

it contains missing data or mistakes;
someone else has already registered or requested to register the domain you asked for;
it is unreadable (it is a good idea to set your fax to high resolution to ensure the best quality transmission for readability);
it is not signed TWICE.

We cannot be held responsible for delays in sending the LAR or mistakes contained within it, so you must ensure you follow the procedure exactly.

How do I know when my domain has been registered successfully?

Our system will email you immediately to let you know when your domain registration is complete. You can also check by logging in to Livetodot and looking in My Domains.

Why is my nameserver update failing?

Due to the complex requirements of the Italian NIC, the name can only be given a new nameserver once the name is registered on the nameserver you wish to transfer it to. This is to ensure that the hosts are always reachable. If your host is not reachable, you can have action taken against you to revoke your name. You need to have an entry on your ISP's nameserver for the name you are trying to transfer, before the transfer will work.

If you are sure you have created a record in your ISP's nameserver for the domain, but the transfer is still failing, email and we will investigate the problem and advise you of what you need to do, so that the change of nameserver can go through.

Is there any difference between . it domains and the .at.it (.co.it, .is.it, .to.it, etc.) ones?

The .it extension refers to Italy. Each .xx.it extension refers to an Italian province: .co.it is for Como for example. You do not have to reside or operate in that city to register a .xx.it. The .xx.it domains are often used to create marketable names, with a meaning in English. For example:

this.is.it
lets-get.to.it
london.is.it

I want to direct my .it domain name to my web space. What do I do?

You can forward your domain name to your own webspace and you can also setup email on your domain name.

Is the Letter of Assumption of Responsibility or LAR mandatory?

Yes, the LAR is a contract between you and the Registration Authority in Italy to say that you agree to a number of conditions. It needs to be signed twice beside your names and sent to the Italian RA by fax or post. Your name will not begin to be registered until the Italian RA receives this letter.

The LAR you send must be the Italian version or your request will be rejected automatically.

The fax number of the Italian Registration Authority is always busy. What can I do?

Keep trying the fax number until you get through. Bear in mind the ring and engaged tones are different to British ones so don't just cut it off if you think it is engaged.

Alternatively, you can send your letter by post to the address on the top of the LAR.

What is the fax number?

The number is +39 050 542 420. The number is also printed on the LAR itself. The fax is always on (24 hours a day) but your faxes will only be read during Italian office hours, so if you send the LAR at midnight it will only be processed in the morning. The best time to send your LAR's is early in the morning, then registration is normally completed next day. But don't delay - send your fax as soon as possible.

I've registered a .it domain. Can I sell it to another person?

The Italian RA used to prohibit this entirely. However, it is now possible to transfer the ownership of dot it names between people and companies providing the normal Italian registry requirements are met.

You cannot register trademarked names unless you have a right to use that name and have acted in good faith.

Someone has registered ourtrademark.it. How do we get it back?

We are not lawyers but perhaps we can offer you some guidance. Please contact us.