⚡ Quick Answer
ClientHold = Set by your registrar (usually billing issues). Easy to fix.
ServerHold = Set by the registry (abuse, legal, verification). Harder to resolve.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Aspect | ClientHold | ServerHold |
|---|---|---|
| Set By | Registrar | Registry |
| Common Causes | Payment failed, domain expired, ToS violation at registrar level | Abuse reports, legal orders, ICANN verification failure, court disputes |
| DNS Resolution | ❌ Stops working | ❌ Stops working |
| Who to Contact | Regular support | Compliance/Abuse team |
| Typical Resolution | Update payment, renew domain | Verify identity, respond to abuse claim, legal resolution |
| Resolution Time | Minutes to hours | Days to weeks |
| Severity | 🟡 Moderate | 🔴 Serious |
ClientHold: The Easier Problem
ClientHold is set by your registrar—the company you bought the domain from. It's almost always automated and triggered by:
💳 Payment Issues
Credit card expired, payment declined, account balance due
⏰ Domain Expiration
Auto-renewal failed, missed renewal window
How to Fix ClientHold
- Log into your registrar account
- Check for alerts about payment or expiration
- Update your payment method
- Renew the domain if needed
- Wait 15 minutes to a few hours for DNS to restore
ServerHold: The Serious Problem
ServerHold is set at the registry level (Verisign for .com, etc.). This means something more significant triggered it:
🚨 Abuse Reports
Domain flagged for phishing, malware, or spam
📋 ICANN Verification
Failed to verify registrant email/identity under 2025 policy
⚖️ Legal Action
Court order, trademark dispute, law enforcement request
🔒 Registry Policy
ZoneCheck failure, registry-level compliance issue
How to Fix ServerHold
- Contact your registrar's compliance/abuse team (not regular support)
- Ask specifically why the serverHold was applied
- Complete whatever verification or remediation is required
- Your registrar submits a request to the registry
- Wait 24-72 hours for registry processing
How to Check Your Domain's Status
Use a WHOIS lookup to see your domain's EPP status codes:
$ whois example.com
...
Domain Status: clientHold
Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited
...
Free WHOIS tools: whois.domaintools.com, lookup.icann.org, or your registrar's WHOIS lookup.
Prevention is Key
ClientHold is easily prevented with auto-renewal and updated payment info. ServerHold requires:
- ✓ Responding to all verification emails promptly
- ✓ Keeping WHOIS data accurate
- ✓ Monitoring your domain for security issues
- ✓ Using a registrar with good compliance support