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Registration rules

Who Can Register a ccTLD? Eligibility Rules Explained

Updated October 2026

Some country-code domains are open to anyone. Others need a local address, business or citizenship. Here is how to tell the difference before you buy.

Three kinds of ccTLD rules

There is no worldwide rulebook for country-code domains. Each registry decides who may register, and the rules fall roughly into three groups.

1. Open to everyone

Anyone, anywhere, can register through an accredited registrar. Many of the most commercial ccTLDs work this way, including .io, .co, .me, .tv and .uk.

2. Local presence required

You need a genuine connection to the country: citizenship, residence, a registered company, or sometimes a local trademark. Examples include .us (the "nexus" rule), .ca (Canadian Presence Requirements), .au and .jp. .eu is similar: it is open to EU/EEA citizens wherever they live and to residents and organisations based there.

3. Restricted or verified

Some registries add identity checks, document review or limited categories of registrant. .cn, for example, requires real-name verification.

Second-level endings have their own rules

Many countries use second-level endings such as .co.uk, .com.au, .co.jp or .ac.uk. Each can have different rules from the main extension. .co.jp, for example, is for companies registered in Japan, and academic endings like .ac.uk are for qualifying institutions only.

Trustee and "local presence" services

Some registrars offer to register a restricted ccTLD for you through a local trustee. This can work, but understand what you are buying:

• The trustee may be the legal registrant, not you.
• The registry can cancel names that don't follow the spirit of its rules.
• Moving the name to another registrar can be harder.

For a name you plan to build a business on, meeting the rules directly is safer.

Questions to answer before you register

1. Who is eligible to hold this extension?
2. Do I meet that requirement myself, today?
3. What is the renewal price, not just the first-year price?
4. Is there a minimum registration period (for example, two years for .ai)?
5. Can I hide my contact details, or does the registry publish them?
6. How are disputes handled?
7. Can the name be transferred or sold freely?

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