.ae Domain: United Arab Emirates ccTLD Guide

Updated October 2026

.ae is the country-code top-level domain for the United Arab Emirates.

Overview

Extension.ae

Country or territory

United Arab Emirates

RegionAsia

Registry.aeDA (.ae Domain Administration), part of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA)

Who can registerOpen worldwide

TypeNational country code

Used by UAE businesses and residents, and by overseas brands that want a recognised Emirati presence.

IANA re-delegated .ae to the TDRA in January 2008 and .aeDA took over operations on 3 August 2008. Before that the domain was run by Etisalat's UAEnic division, after a short period under UAE University. The registry sits inside the national telecoms regulator rather than being an independent company.

Names can be registered directly under .ae (the unrestricted zone) or beneath restricted labels such as .co.ae, .net.ae, .org.ae, .sch.ae, .ac.ae, .gov.ae and .mil.ae. The restricted labels require local presence and documents such as a trade licence, trademark proof, a non-profit registration certificate or an authorisation letter, as set out in the registry's .ae Domain Name Eligibility Policy.

Disputes are handled under the UAE Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy; a registrar notes that in WIPO cases under this policy, complainants can rely on trademark rights in any jurisdiction. Private WHOIS registration is not available for .co.ae, so owner details may be visible.

The Arabic-script extension امارات (xn--mgbaam7a8h) went through ICANN's Fast Track process in January 2010. Published figures report more than 300,000 domains in the zone in May 2023 and 22 accredited registrars in December 2020.

Who can register

Registrars report that plain .ae can be registered by anyone, resident or not, with basic contact details. .co.ae and .net.ae need a UAE trade licence (including free-zone licences) or UAE trademark, and the name must match or closely relate to the entity.

Second-level endings: Also .co.ae, .net.ae, .org.ae (sector-specific third levels).

Rules and prices change. This summary is general information, not legal advice: confirm the current policy with the registry before you buy. The registry's website is www.aeda.ae. The official record for .ae is in the IANA root zone database.

Before you buy a .ae name

Check the renewal price as well as the first-year price. Our cost calculator shows what a name really costs over time.
Make sure you meet the eligibility rules yourself, without relying on a trustee if you can avoid it.
Search for trademarks and for the same name in .com.
Say the name out loud: will people type it correctly?

Weighing up a specific .ae name? TLD.is gives an AI appraisal that explains a name's strengths and weaknesses.