Domain Hosting

1. Register a new name

Open Domain Hosting. Type the full name, for example example.co.za, not just example.

• If it is free, click Register Domain.
• Pay with Paystack, or choose bank EFT and use your account number as the reference.
• The name is created only after payment is confirmed. A declined payment does not create the name.
• We create the zone on our nameservers first, then register it at ZARC. That is why the name answers before the registry create finishes.

2. Host DNS only

Use this when the name is already registered somewhere else and you only want our nameservers.

• Search the name. It will show as not available.
• Click Host DNS only, then Add for OSS DNS.
• At the current registrar, set the nameservers to ns1.oss.co.za and ns2.oss.co.za.
• The name then appears in your list. Manage DNS is available. Transfer to OSS is available once it is in your list.

Hosting the DNS does not make OSS the registrar. The other registrar still bills the renewal until you transfer.

3. Transfer to OSS

At the current registrar:

1. Log in and disable the client-side transfer lock.
2. Request the unique domain password (the EPP authorisation code). The old provider reads or generates this and gives it to you.

In the portal, open the name and click Transfer to OSS. Enter the name and the authorisation code.

• ZARC marks the transfer as pending and emails the current domain owner.
• The owner must reply to approve or reject.
• Come back to this page and click Read to see the status. It stays pending until the ZARC window ends.
• After the window, the name is active with OSS and the expiry moves about one year on.

4. Manage DNS

Click Manage DNS on a name we host. The editor is only available when OSS hosts the zone.

DNS records help

• Add or change A, MX, TXT and other records. Records may point anywhere. They do not have to point at an OSS website.
• Do not put a CNAME on the apex (@). That is rejected.
• Park Domain sets @ and www to 102.220.218.221, which is the default parked page.
• Close the editor when you are done. The list stays on the page.

Changes are written to our primary nameserver. The secondary follows on its own. You do not update both.

5. Domain details

Click Domain details to see the contacts ZARC holds.

• Owner is you. The email must match a verified address on your account.
• Admin and technical are OSS Technologies.
• You may update owner and admin. Tick the confirmation before saving.
• A registrant change is subject to a mandatory 5-day pending period at ZARC before it completes.

6. Renew and delete

Renew is R99 for one year, on an active name we sponsor. The current expiry must match ZARC. A mismatch stops the renew and does not charge you twice.

Delete asks ZARC first. The name leaves your list only after ZARC confirms. A grace period applies. We do not auto-renew. Cancel a pending action from the same page if a transfer or update is waiting and you want to stop it.