NIC handle (Network Information Center handle)

A NIC (Network Information Center) handle is an alphanumeric character sequence that is unique for each entry in the database of all Internet domain name registrants. When a new domain name is registered, a NIC handle is assigned by the registrar to the information about that domain name (such as who has registered it and the e-mail address for a contact). Once the domain name is registered, either the domain name or the NIC handle can be used to search for that record in the database.

The domain name database is administered by all the registrars under policies set forth by ICANN.