.RU - Contact Verification / Local Contact

From 1 September 2026, holders of .RU, .РФ and .SU domains must meet the registry's new identification requirements. The holder can either complete direct verification through Russia's Gosuslugi / ESIA system or, where that is not practical, use the Realtime Register local contact service.

Action required: without an accepted verification route, new registrations, renewals, nameserver changes and domain holder changes will not be possible from 1 September 2026.

Related articles

Timeline at a glance

Date	What happens
10 August 2026	Precautionary deadline for sending us the initial list of domains that require local contact. Later requests can still be submitted, but earlier submission reduces the risk of registry processing delays.
1 September 2026	The new holder verification requirement applies to new registrations and existing .RU, .РФ and .SU domains.

Choose the correct verification route

Route 1: Gosuslugi / ESIA

Use direct verification when the actual domain holder has an eligible and verified Gosuslugi account and can complete the connection with the RU-CENTER NIC-D account.

Route 2: Local contact

Use local contact when the holder cannot or does not want to complete Gosuslugi / ESIA verification. A verified local administrator represents the holder for the registry process.

Recommended route: use Gosuslugi / ESIA when the actual holder can complete it. Use local contact for holders outside Russia or other holders for whom direct verification is not practically available.

Route 1: direct verification through Gosuslugi / ESIA

Gosuslugi is Russia's government services portal. ESIA is the identification and authentication system used to access it. This route is primarily intended for Russian individuals and organisations.

Direct verification is self-service. The customer or domain holder must log in to the RU-CENTER NIC-D account and complete the Gosuslugi / ESIA verification personally. Realtime Register cannot complete this login or authorisation on the holder's behalf.

Before you start

The holder needs access to an eligible, verified Gosuslugi account.
The holder details in the RU-CENTER NIC-D account must be complete and must match the verified holder.
Do not link an account when the holder details are incorrect or outdated.

Verification steps

Log in to the holder's RU-CENTER NIC-D account at nic.ru.
Open Account → Contract.
Select Identify agreement.
Choose the Gosuslugi verification option.
Sign in through the official ESIA login and complete the authorisation.
Return to the NIC-D account and check that the agreement is shown as identified.

Official links:

Using Gosuslugi? Tell Realtime Register which domains will use direct verification. We need this information to apply the correct workflow and avoid automatically adding local contact.

Route 2: Realtime Register local contact

Where direct verification is unavailable, the domain can use the Realtime Register local contact service. The supplier also describes this as a Trustee service.

A verified local administrator represents the holder for the registry process, allowing the domain to remain manageable under the new rules. The underlying holder must still provide identification documents.

See the RU-CENTER Trustee service information for the registry supplier's description of the service.

When local contact is mandatory

New registrations through Realtime Register without accepted Gosuslugi / ESIA verification
Existing domains whose holders cannot or do not want to complete direct verification

For new registrations that require it, the applicable local contact fee will be included in the price shown in the Realtime Register price list.

Local contact pricing and renewal timing

Local contact pricing is account-specific. Log in to the Realtime Register portal and open Account → Price list to see your current activation and renewal pricing:

View your Realtime Register price list

Charge	When charged
Activation	When local contact is activated
Renewal	Together with the domain renewal, in addition to the normal domain renewal fee

Activation does not extend the domain. Local contact is tied to the domain's current expiry date. Activating it adds no registration period.

Renew before activation where possible

Consider a domain that expires on 1 September 2026.

Order	Cost effect
Activate local contact first	The activation fee is charged now. At the upcoming renewal, both the domain renewal and local contact renewal are charged.
Renew the domain first	The activation fee is charged this year. The first local contact renewal fee follows with the next domain renewal.

Where the renewal window allows it, we recommend renewing the domain before activating local contact.

The domain cannot be renewed for more than one year at a time.
Renewal is not available earlier than 55 days before expiry.

How to request local contact

The registry does not currently provide an API for activating local contact. Our supplier must submit the domains to the registry in a batch.

Send Realtime Register:

The domains that require local contact
The applicable Realtime Register account or handle
The name of the underlying domain holder
Whether the holder is an individual or legal entity
A separate list of domains whose holders will use Gosuslugi / ESIA instead

Initial submission date: 10 August 2026. This is a precautionary date to allow for registry processing. Later requests can still be handled, including cases discovered after restrictions have already been applied.

Identification documents for local contact

Local contact does not replace identification of the underlying holder. Documents must be supplied after activation.

Holder type	Expected documents
Individual	A copy of an identity document and a Russian translation.
Legal entity	Proof of company registration, proof of the signing person's authority and Russian translations of the documents.

The registry or supplier may request additional material depending on the holder and the documents provided.

Uploading the documents to RU-CENTER

After the domains have been activated for local contact, Realtime Register will notify you. The documents then need to be uploaded from the holder's NIC-D account, normally within one week.

Log in to the holder's RU-CENTER NIC-D account.
Open Account → Contract.
Find the yellow No identification notification.
Select Identify agreement.
Choose Identification with documents.
Upload the requested documents and Russian translations.

Do not upload documents before our activation notice. The one-week document window starts after the domains have been submitted and activated for the service.

Which operations are affected

Operation	Without an accepted verification route
New registration	Not possible
Renewal	Not possible
Nameserver change	Not possible
Domain holder change	Not possible

Holder changes while local contact is active

Not yet determined: the procedure for changing the underlying domain holder while local contact is active has not been confirmed by the supplier and registry.

Contact Realtime Register before committing to a holder change for a domain using local contact. This article will be updated when the final procedure is available.

What you need to do

1. Review your portfolio

Identify all .RU, .РФ and .SU domains.
Check which holders can complete Gosuslugi / ESIA verification.
Identify the domains that require local contact.

2. Check expiry dates

Identify domains expiring shortly before or after 1 September 2026.
Where the 55-day renewal window permits it, renew before activating local contact.

3. Send us both lists

Domains that require local contact
Domains whose holders will use Gosuslugi / ESIA verification

4. Prepare the holder documents

Make sure identity or company documents are current and readable.
Arrange Russian translations.
Wait for our activation notice before uploading them to RU-CENTER.

Frequently asked questions

Does this apply to existing domains?

Yes. The requirement applies to new registrations and existing .RU, .РФ and .SU domains.

Can a holder outside Russia use Gosuslugi?

Gosuslugi / ESIA is primarily intended for Russian holders. Availability for a particular non-Russian holder depends on whether that holder can obtain and complete an eligible account. Where direct verification is not practical, use local contact.

Is local contact optional?

It is not required when the actual holder has completed an accepted Gosuslugi / ESIA verification. For registrations and existing domains without that verification, local contact is the available route through Realtime Register.

Does activating local contact renew the domain?

No. Activation does not extend the registration period. The service follows the domain's current expiry and renewal cycle.

Why should I renew before activating local contact?

If a renewal is already approaching, activation before renewal can cause the activation fee and then the local contact renewal fee to fall close together. Renewing first can move the first local contact renewal charge to the next domain renewal cycle.

Can I submit domains after 10 August 2026?

Yes. The date is precautionary and not a final cut-off. Later requests can still be submitted, but completion before the registry restrictions take effect cannot be assumed.

Can local contact be activated through the API?

No. The registry currently requires batch submission through the supplier.

Can I change the holder after activating local contact?

The final procedure is not yet confirmed. Contact Realtime Register before starting a holder change.

Questions? Contact our support team with the affected domain names and indicate whether the holder will use Gosuslugi / ESIA or local contact.