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.su Domain: Soviet Union (legacy) ccTLD Guide

Updated October 2026

.su is the country-code top-level domain for the former Soviet Union.

Overview

Used by Russian-speaking communities, nostalgic and independent projects, and some businesses linked to post-Soviet states.

The .su code was registered in the InterNIC database on 19 September 1990 for the Soviet Union, at the request of the Soviet UNIX Users Group. The Union dissolved on 26 December 1991, but unlike other retired Soviet-era codes, .su stayed. Russia's own .ru was created in 1994, when registration of new second-level .su names stopped.

After 1994 the zone was frozen and expected to be retired, but it was kept, with growth continuing through third-level names. The Foundation for Internet Development reopened it in late 2002: priority registration for trademark holders began on 15 December 2002, and free registration of second-level names followed on 27 June 2003. In 2008 the ISO 3166 Maintenance Agency gave .su a reserved status.

RIPN states that it is still the manager and registry of .su. Names register directly at the second level, with 3 to 63 characters of a to z, digits and hyphens in one registrar's description. DNSSEC is supported. A published figure puts .su at 111,695 registered domains on 3 February 2025, against several million for .ru.

In 2025 some reports said IANA had notified the operator of a phase-out under ICANN's ccTLD retirement policy; the registry denied receiving any formal notice, and ICANN's country-code community said the policy does not apply while SU stays reserved in ISO 3166. The domain remains in operation. One analysis says .su disputes fall outside the UDRP and go to Russian courts. Since 1 September 2026, Russian Federal Law 569-FZ has required holders to verify their identity through the Gosuslugi portal.

Who can register

Before September 2026 no local presence was required; registrars asked for a passport or ID number for individuals and a company number for companies. Since 1 September 2026, Russian law has required holders to verify their identity through the state Gosuslugi (ESIA) system, which in practice means foreign holders need a Russian residence permit or a Russian branch; check with your registrar.

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

Frequently asked questions

What country is .su?

.su is the country-code top-level domain for the former Soviet Union.

Who runs the .su domain?

The .su registry is managed by Russian Institute for Public Networks (RIPN).

Can I register a .su domain from another country?

Before September 2026 no local presence was required; registrars asked for a passport or ID number for individuals and a company number for companies. Since 1 September 2026, Russian law has required holders to verify their identity through the state Gosuslugi (ESIA) system, which in practice means foreign holders need a Russian residence permit or a Russian branch; check with your registrar.

Does Google treat .su as a country domain?

Google treats .su as a generic ending rather than a signal for any one country.

Compare and explore

Compare .su side by side with other extensions, or browse more in Europe:

Sources checked: cctld.ru · circleid.com · en.wikipedia.org · ripn.su · support.openprovider.eu. Last reviewed October 2026.

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