Expect higher prices for .za internet domains soon

.za internet domains price hike: The South African Domain Name Authority (Zadna) has announced that fees for registration and renewal of domain names will increase by 5.23 percent from 1 October 2024.

This means domain name owners will need to pay R61 instead of R55 per domain. Further price increases are being considered for 2025 to 2027.

.za Internet Domains Price Hike

Molehe Wesi, chief executive officer of Zadna, said, “This is in response to a comprehensive financial analysis and the impacts of inflation and foreign exchange rates on operational expenditures.

“Zadna has recognized the need for a registry fee adjustment. This decision follows thorough consultations with industry stakeholders and aligns with current economic developments and operational needs.”

According to him, Zadna has made policy changes that allow for multi-year registrations and renewals, allowing for periods of up to five years. 

The current system of annual registrations and renewals will run concurrently with the multiyear option, which Zadna plans to implement from 1 October.

.za Internet Domains Price Hike Administered By Zarc

As a statutory body in charge of regulating domain names in South Africa, Zadna charges wholesale rates to internet service providers, which provide domain name registration services to their customers. The process is administered by the South African Central Registry (Zarc) for domains.

When an ISP – or other domain registrant – pays the wholesale portion of the Zadna fee to Zarc, the latter keeps a portion of the money and a further portion is paid over to Zadna as the regulator.

Zarc was appointed by Zadna as a registry operator to manage the .co.za, .org.za, .net.za, and web. za domain names. Zadna reports to the Department of Communications & Digital Technologies.

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Zadna said its pricing models predict increases of 6.56% and 6.15% for the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 periods, respectively.

“These figures will be confirmed annually in July, based on the prevailing consumer price index, allowing for industry implementation in October of every year. We encourage all stakeholders to align their communications and timelines with these changes to facilitate a smooth transition,” said Wesi.

Looking Ahead On Other Adjustments On Internet Domain

Looking ahead, .zadna projects the following adjustments for the coming years:

• 2025/26 – 6.56 percent
• 2026/27 – 6.15 percent.

Wesi fiinally said, “These figures will be confirmed annually in July. This is based on the prevailing Consumer Price Index (CPI), allowing for industry implementation in October of every year.

We encourage all stakeholders to align their communications and timelines with these changes to facilitate a smooth transition.”