.nl Domain: Netherlands ccTLD Guide

Updated October 2026

.nl is the country-code top-level domain for the Netherlands.

Overview

Extension.nl

Country or territory

Netherlands

RegionEurope

RegistryStichting Internet Domeinregistratie Nederland (SIDN)

Who can registerOpen worldwide

TypeNational country code

Used by Dutch businesses, public bodies and individuals as the default domain for sites aimed at the Netherlands, and one of the largest country-code domains in the world.

The .nl domain was introduced in April 1986, and cwi.nl, registered on 1 May 1986 by the Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, was the first name. SIDN was founded in January 1996 and took over registration of .nl from 31 January 1996. Before that date, registration had been free. SIDN is based in Arnhem and works exclusively through registrars rather than selling to registrants directly.

Names are registered directly at the second level, such as example.nl. There are no official second-level categories such as co.nl, and companies selling names under co.nl or com.nl are not connected with SIDN. Individuals have been able to register second-level names since 2003. SIDN's registrar technical rules call for at least two nameservers, and DNSSEC signing has been available for .nl since August 2012.

Disputes between a third party and a registrant can be taken to a dispute procedure administered through the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, with a mediation stage, or to the Dutch courts. SIDN also has an independent Complaints and Appeals Board for appeals against its own decisions. The WHOIS shows a business registrant's name; registrants with special reasons can ask for an opt-out that replaces their details with those of the registrar.

SIDN reported 6,063,116 registered .nl domains in February 2026. SIDN reached the milestone of one million names in June 2003 and five million in September 2012. It also runs the registry for .amsterdam and provides registry services for .aw (Aruba).

Who can register

Anyone, living or based anywhere in the world, may register through an accredited registrar, with no nationality or residency requirement. Applicants outside the Netherlands must accept that SIDN's office address can be used for service of legal documents, and the registrant must be the actual user and controller of the name.

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.sidn.nl. The official record for .nl is in the IANA root zone database.

Before you buy a .nl 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 .nl name? TLD.is gives an AI appraisal that explains a name's strengths and weaknesses.