Legal

Terms of Service

Last updated: March 2026

1. Introduction

Welcome to HOKONAME. These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the HOKONAME website and domain leasing services (the "Service") operated by HOKONAME ("we", "us", or "our").

By accessing or using our Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use our Service.

2. Description of Service

HOKONAME provides a domain leasing service. We register and maintain legal ownership of domain names, and grant you exclusive usage rights for the duration of your active subscription.

Key points about our service:

  • HOKONAME is the legal registrant and owner of all domains in our portfolio
  • You receive exclusive usage rights while your plan is active
  • You may use leased domains for any lawful purpose
  • Legal ownership of domains cannot be transferred to you

3. Account Registration

To use our Service, you must create an account using a valid email address. You agree to:

  • Provide accurate and current information
  • Maintain the security of your account credentials
  • Accept responsibility for all activities under your account
  • Notify us immediately of any unauthorised access

3.1 Account Security

Your account is protected by a password and session-based authentication. We implement account lockout after multiple failed login attempts to prevent brute-force attacks. You are responsible for keeping your login credentials confidential.

3.2 Changing Your Email Address

You may change your account email address through your dashboard. For security, email changes require:

  • Verification of your current password
  • Confirmation via a magic link sent to your current email address
  • Confirmation via a magic link sent to your new email address

The email change is only applied once both verification links have been confirmed. Links expire after 24 hours.

3.3 Changing Your Password

You may change your password at any time through your dashboard by providing your current password and choosing a new one (minimum 8 characters). A record of password changes is maintained for security auditing purposes.

4. Domain Leasing

4.1 Availability

Domain availability is subject to change. We can only offer domains that are freely available for registration at the time of your order.

4.2 Activation

Domains are typically activated within 30 minutes of confirmed payment. Global DNS propagation may take an additional 15-60 minutes.

4.3 Nameservers

You are responsible for providing your own nameservers (e.g., Cloudflare, AWS Route 53). We update the NS records at the registrar level; you manage all DNS records through your DNS provider. Nameserver changes are subject to admin review and approval.

4.4 Renewal and Auto-Renew

Subscriptions renew automatically unless you disable auto-renewal or cancel your plan. You may toggle auto-renewal on or off at any time through the domain management page. If auto-renewal is disabled, your lease will end at the conclusion of your current billing period.

4.5 Plan Changes

If you are on a monthly plan, you may switch to annual billing at any time. The change takes effect immediately and is prorated. Plan changes from annual to monthly are not available; you may cancel and re-subscribe on a monthly plan after your annual period ends.

5. Payment Terms

5.1 Pricing

All prices are displayed in British Pounds (GBP) and are subject to change. Price changes do not affect existing active subscriptions until renewal.

5.2 Payment Methods

We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and other payment methods as displayed at checkout. Payments are processed securely through Stripe.

5.3 No Refunds Policy

All payments are final and non-refundable. Due to the nature of domain registration (domains are registered immediately upon payment and cannot be "returned"), we do not offer refunds under any circumstances. This applies to:

  • Monthly subscription payments
  • Annual subscription payments
  • Push transfer fees
  • Renewal fees
  • Restore fees
  • Broker service fees
  • Any other fees charged through our Service

By completing a purchase, you acknowledge and accept this no-refunds policy. You may cancel future renewals at any time, but no refund will be issued for any payments already made. For full details, please see our Refund Policy.

6. Domain Push Transfers

You may transfer domain usage rights to another HOKONAME user via our Push Transfer feature. Push transfers:

  • Require a one-time transfer fee (set per TLD)
  • May require renewal or restore fees for expired or blackout-period domains
  • Allow the recipient to optionally pre-pay for additional years
  • Transfer all usage rights to the receiving party
  • Are final once completed and cannot be reversed

Push codes are valid for 48 hours and can be cancelled or regenerated at any time before acceptance.

7. Broker Service

HOKONAME offers a domain broker service for domains that are not currently available for direct leasing. By using the broker service:

  • You pay a non-refundable broker fee to initiate the acquisition process
  • We will make reasonable efforts to contact and negotiate with the current domain holder
  • There is no guarantee that the domain will be successfully acquired
  • The broker fee is not refunded regardless of outcome
  • You may provide a maximum budget and message for the negotiation

8. Cancellation

8.1 By You

You may cancel your subscription at any time through the domain management page on your dashboard. When you cancel:

  • Your domain will remain active until the end of your current billing period
  • No further charges will be made to your payment method
  • No refund will be issued for the remaining time in your billing period
  • After your subscription ends, your domain will enter the grace period

8.2 By Us

We may suspend or terminate your access if you:

  • Violate these Terms or our Acceptable Use Policy
  • Fail to pay subscription fees
  • Engage in fraudulent activity

No refunds will be issued for accounts terminated due to policy violations.

9. Grace Period and Domain Recovery

If your subscription lapses:

  • Grace Period: You have a limited time (as specified per TLD) to renew at the standard rate
  • Blackout Period: After the grace period expires, a restore fee is required in addition to the renewal fee
  • Release: After the blackout period, the domain may become available to other users

Grace period and blackout period durations vary by TLD and are displayed on the pricing page.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

  • Our liability is limited to the amount you paid for the Service in the 12 months preceding the claim
  • We are not liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages
  • We are not liable for any loss of data, business, or profits
  • We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free service

11. Disclaimer of Warranties

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

12. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless HOKONAME, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses arising from your use of the Service or violation of these Terms.

13. Changes to Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes via email or through the Service. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the new Terms.

14. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

15. Contact

For questions about these Terms, please contact us at:

Email: [email protected]