serverHold is an EPP status code set by the registry, not Vercel, that completely suspends the domain. The most common reason for this is that the domain has been flagged for abuse. A similar status, clientHold, can also suspend your domain - this is typically set by your registrar when ICANN's contact verification hasn't been completed. You can confirm the status by checking your domain on whois.vercel.support. The steps below walk you through how to clear them on your domain.
In this guide, you'll learn how to:
- Confirm your domain is in serverHold
- Understand the difference between serverHold and clientHold
- Check whether your domain has been flagged for abuse
You can either use your terminal and run “whois” followed by your domain name or use the Vercel WHOIS available at whois.vercel.support and search for your domain. If it's in serverHold, you'll see Domain Status: serverHold in the results. The Vercel WHOIS page will also show a warning if your domain is suspended:
If you see Domain Status: clientHold instead, the suspension has been set by the registrar rather than the registry. This usually means ICANN's registrant verification email hasn't been completed. Check your inbox for a verification email from your registrar and follow the link to confirm your contact details. Once verified, the registrar should lift the hold automatically, though it can take a few hours to propagate.
If you no longer have access to the registrant's email address, you can update it first. Go to Domains > select your domain > Registrant Information, update the address, and then complete the verification from there. If you don’t receive any email, check that the email address is spelt correctly before resending.
If verification is already complete but the domain is still suspended, check it on VirusTotal. If it's flagged, remove the offending content and use VirusTotal's Reanalyze option to request a re-scan.
Unfortunately, this isn't something Vercel Support is able to help with directly. When a domain is flagged for abuse, the flag is set by the registry, not by Vercel. You'll need to work with the registry directly and resolve whatever they have flagged before they'll remove it.
Some registries also have their own process for suspension review requests. If your domain uses one of the TLDs below, submit a request directly with the registry after clearing any abuse flags:
- XYZ Registry — unsuspend form (.xyz, .lat, .pics, .lol, .mom, .homes, .college, .rent, .auto, .car, .cars, .theatre)
- Radix — unsuspend form (.store, .online, .tech, .site, .fun, .pw, .host, .press, .space, .uno, .website)
- .ART NIC — unsuspend form (.art)
- DotKids — appeal process (.kids)
A registry is the organisation responsible for managing a top-level domain (TLD) such as .com, .xyz, or .store. They maintain the authoritative database of all domain names under that TLD and set the rules for registering and using those domains. Registries can place a serverHold on a domain if it has been flagged for abuse.
A registrar is the company you register your domain through. Vercel is an accredited registrar, though registration is handled in the backend by name.com. Your registrar is responsible for managing your domain's registration details, including contact information, and can place a clientHold on your domain if ICANN's verification requirements haven't been met.
Both statuses suspend DNS resolution, meaning your domain will stop working. The difference is who set the hold and why. A serverHold is set by the registry, usually because the domain has been flagged for abuse. A clientHold is set by the registrar, usually because ICANN's contact verification hasn't been completed.
Once you complete the verification, your registrar should lift the clientHold automatically. The change can take a few hours to propagate across DNS.
It depends on the type of hold. For a clientHold, Vercel can help once verification is complete. For a serverHold, the flag is set by the TLD registry, which is a separate organization that Vercel has no authority over. The registry will only lift the hold once the underlying issue, such as an abuse flag, has been resolved on your end.