The registry has locked the domain against changes.
The registry rejects updates to the domain object. Like the other server locks, it is either a paid registry lock or a sign of a dispute or pending deletion.
- EPP code
- serverUpdateProhibited
- In RDAP
- server update prohibited
- Set by
- The registry (server status)
- Defined in
- RFC 5731 §2.3
- How serious
- Informational
Why it matters
Nameserver changes are impossible until it is lifted. Records inside your DNS zone are not affected.
When you’d see it
With a registry lock, changing nameservers means asking the registrar, who confirms with the registry through a separate channel before the lock is lifted for the change.
How it shows up in a lookup
In a gTLD WHOIS lookup it appears as “Domain Status: serverUpdateProhibited https://icann.org/epp#serverUpdateProhibited”; RDAP shows it as “server update prohibited”. It is a server status, so only the registry can add or remove it, and it overrides anything your registrar sets.
What to do
If you need to change nameservers or contacts, ask your registrar to contact the registry. This takes longer than a registrar lock because the registrar has to pass the request on and the registry must lift it; some registries sell it deliberately as "registry lock".
Combination rules
pendingUpdate must not be combined with serverUpdateProhibited (RFC 5731 §2.3).
Related codes
Sources
Sources
- RFC 5731 §2.3 (EPP Domain Name Mapping) · checked 5 Oct 2026
- ICANN: EPP Status Codes, What do they mean, and why should I know? · checked 5 Oct 2026
- RFC 8056: EPP and RDAP status mapping · checked 5 Oct 2026