Can't Add Domain Because of Zone Lock

[sungkhum]

Answer these questions to help the Community help you get started.

What is the domain name?
(I have to add spaces because it won’t let me post a URL)
desosync . me

Have you searched for an answer?
Yes

Please share your search results url:
I can’t share links in my post - but I did search.

When you tested your domain, what were the results?
I could not add it because I get the message: “The zone name provided is subject to a hold which disallows the creation of this zone. Please contact the domain owner to have this hold removed.”

Describe the issue you are having:
I just bought this domain, and have no zone lock on it. I even updated the nameservers so it is ready for Cloudflare, but doesn’t seem to matter.

What error message or number are you receiving?
“The zone name provided is subject to a hold which disallows the creation of this zone. Please contact the domain owner to have this hold removed.”

What steps have you taken to resolve the issue?

1. Searched on Google
2. Contacted my registrar (Cosmotown)
3. Searched this forum

Was the site working with SSL prior to adding it to Cloudflare?
No, it never was added.

What are the steps to reproduce the error:

1. Add Site
2. Type in ‘desosync . me’
3. Click ‘Continue’

Have you tried from another browser and/or incognito mode?
Yes.

[epic.network]

Welcome to the Cloudflare Community.

@sungkhum

No, it never was added.

It is already in someone’s Cloudflare account. The whois shows Cloudflare nameservers assigned.

Domain Name: desosync.me
Registry Domain ID: 5cfdaf27491347c88106e0a7d4f5cdbd-DONUTS
Registrar WHOIS Server: www.cosmotown.com/whois
Registrar URL: http://www.cosmotown.com
Updated Date: 2023-08-24T04:57:23Z
Creation Date: 2023-08-19T04:56:45Z
Registry Expiry Date: 2024-08-19T04:56:45Z
Registrar: Cosmotown, Inc.
...
Name Server: rob.ns.cloudflare.com
Name Server: jill.ns.cloudflare.com
DNSSEC: unsigned

[sungkhum]

Yes, I did that - those are the nameservers my other domains use. I noted that in my original post: “I even updated the nameservers so it is ready for Cloudflare, but doesn’t seem to matter.”

[epic.network]

You cannot update the nameservers of a domain before it is added. The nameserver pairs are assigned per domain not per account. Until the domain is added you have no idea which of the 2,550 unique combinations of names your domain will use. While it is possible that you may be assigned the same pair as other domains in your account, there is no guarantee.

What's the story behind the names of CloudFlare's name servers?

[sungkhum]

I appreciate you trying to help. But you actually can set your nameservers before if you want. Sure, there’s a chance you’ll have to modify them once you add the domain, but it isn’t a “cannot” thing. For over thirty domains the nameservers have been the same for me.

Turns out it was Cosmotown (where I bought the domain). They failed to remove it from their account somehow. Just added it (without changing the nameservers again), and everything is working fine.

Thanks!

[cscharff]

@sungkhum

I appreciate you trying to help. But you actually can set your nameservers before if you want. Sure, there’s a chance you’ll have to modify them once you add the domain, but it isn’t a “cannot” thing. For over thirty domains the nameservers have been the same for me.

You should not under any circumstances change the namservers at the registrar prior to adding a domain to Cloudflare and being assigned a nameserver pair. To do it in the order you describe is a security risk and not recommend.

[cherryjimbo]

This sounds related to your issue:

Zone Hold Issues

Are you still seeing it?

[epic.network]

@sungkhum

I appreciate you trying to help.

You have an unusual way of expressing your appreciation, considering that you gave all of my replies a .

Regardless, I am glad that you identified that the hold was placed by your registrar and have it removed.