How to Register an IDN (.CA Accented Domain Name) at Rebel

What is an IDN (Internationalized Domain Name)?

An IDN stands for Internationalized Domain Name. Standard domain names historically only permitted basic English letters (A–Z), digits (0–9), and hyphens. An IDN allows domain names to include localized, non-ASCII characters, such as French accented letters (é, à, ç, ë, ê).

Why Does My IDN Say "Make An Offer" or "Reserved"?

If you search for an accented .CA domain (e.g., moncafé.ca) on Rebel.com/.ca and see "Make An Offer" or "Unavailable", this does not mean someone else owns the domain name or that it is listed for private sale.

Under Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) regulations, all accented .CA domains belong to an Administrative Variant Bundle tied directly to the non-accented base domain (e.g., moncafe.ca).

Registry Lock: CIRA automatically freezes all accented variations of a domain name at the root registry level to protect the base domain owner.
Exclusive Registrar Provisioning: Because CIRA links variant bundles together, only the registrar holding the non-accented base domain in your account can register and activate the accented IDN for you. The general public cannot purchase a reserved IDN from any other registrar unless the base domain is transferred first.

CIRA IDN Bundle & Ownership Rules

Prerequisite Base Ownership: You must own the base non-accented domain (e.g., moncafe.ca) inside your Rebel account before provisioning the accented IDN variant (e.g., moncafé.ca).
Identical Contact Profiles: Both the base domain and the IDN must share the exact same CIRA registrant contact profile and account handle.
Independent Registration Terms: While bundled for ownership rights, each domain variant operates as a distinct registration with its own renewal term and annual fee.

How to Request an IDN Registration

Step 1: Convert Your Accented Domain to Punycode

Domain registry infrastructure relies on an ASCII-compatible translation called Punycode (which always begins with xn--) to process non-standard characters across global DNS servers.

Visit an online translation tool such as Punycoder.com.
Enter your desired accented domain (e.g., moncafé.ca) into the Text field.
Copy the generated Punycode string (e.g., xn--moncaf-fva.ca).

Step 2: Submit Your Order to Rebel Support

Email service@rebel.com from the primary email address on your Rebel account with the following details:

Non-Accented Domain You Own: [e.g., moncafe.ca]
Accented Domain (IDN): [e.g., moncafé.ca]
Converted Punycode String: [e.g., xn--moncaf-fva.ca]
Requested Registration Period: [e.g., 1 to 10 years]
Billing Authorization: "I authorize Rebel to charge the credit card on file for this IDN registration."

Processing & Confirmation SLA

Validation: Support verifies that your account holds the matching base domain and confirms the Punycode translation.
Supervisor Execution: First-level agents escalate the request directly to a Support Supervisor or Manager who executes the CIRA bundle link, charges the card on file, and provisions the IDN.
Completion Notice: Your agent or supervisor will send a confirmation email once active. The IDN will immediately appear in your Rebel Manager portal.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can I buy an accented .CA domain from a different registrar than my main domain?

A: No. CIRA rules dictate that all registered variants in a bundle must reside at the exact same registrar. If your main domain is registered at Rebel, your IDN variant can only be activated by Rebel.

Q: If I transfer my base domain, what happens to my IDN?

A: CIRA requires that all active domain variants within an administrative bundle be transferred together to the new registrar at the same time.

Q: Do I get the accented domain for free if I own the base domain?

A: No. While CIRA reserves the name exclusively for you for free, activating the domain so that it functions on the internet requires a standard annual registration fee.

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