.US Domain Registration Requirements: What You Need to Know
Learn about the key .us domain registration requirements to ensure compliance with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
What is a .US Domain Name?
.US domain names are typically used by United States residents but are not limited to Americans only. Anyone who has connections to the United States can register a .US domain name. Some examples are:
- Permanent United States Residents or residents of one of its territories.
- A person whose primary residence is in the United States.
- Any corporation or business with a bona fide presence in the United States may register.
- Citizens of the United States.
- Organizations incorporated within the United States or one of its territories.
In this article, we will discuss:
- Benefits of Having a .US Domain
- .US Domain Registration Requirements
- Differences Between .COM and .US Domains
- Cost to Register a .US Domain
- Review
Benefits of Having a .US Domain
Establishing your online presence is crucial to your business or organization's success, and choosing a .us domain has advantages.
- Your connection to America will be evident in your business. Share your pride and story with a .us domain and attract more visitors.
- If you choose a .us domain, you will have a higher chance of obtaining the exact domain name you want rather than a modified version that may be difficult for people to locate.
- Websites with a .us domain tend to receive higher rankings on search engines when searches are conducted within the United States. This is beneficial for businesses or organizations relying mainly on American web traffic.
.US Domain Registration Requirements
ICANN requires customers to provide basic registration information to the Registry to complete a domain registration. When registering your domain, you agreed to keep your contact information current and up to date.
The minimum information required is:
- The domain name being registered.
- The IP address and the primary and secondary name servers for the registered domain.
- Registrar name and URL, the identity of the delegated manager the name is registered.
- Original creation date and term of registration.
- The registrant's real name, postal address, email address, and telephone number.
- The real technical contact name, postal address, email address, and telephone number.
- The real admin contact name, postal address, email address, and telephone number.
What Happens if All Required Information is Not Provided?
If you are unable to provide evidence demonstrating compliance with the requirements listed above within 30 days, this will result in the name being placed on a 30-day hold. During this time, the Registrar will be notified and given a chance to correct the information with the Registrant. If the Registrar takes no action within the 30-day hold period, the registration will be canceled, and the name will be returned to "available" status. The registration will not be refunded and the .US domain name and any additional .US domain name registrations using the same Registrant data will be deleted from the registry database without refund, and the domain name(s) will become available for general registration.
Differences Between .COM and .US Domains
Significance
A .us domain is used to create an online presence for businesses, organizations, or individuals located in the United States. This domain extension is exclusively available for use by the entities mentioned above.
Originally, the .com domain was intended for commercial purposes. However, it is now widely utilized across the board and is the most popular domain extension.
Location
If your business or organization is in the United States or your customers are primarily in the United States, then you can use the .US extension. However, if your website will serve people in multiple countries, and your business is not in the United States or has no US IP address, then it would be better to use the .com extension.
Cost to Register a .US Domain
Visit web.com to know the cost of registering a .us domain.
Review
Web.com is one of the best domain registrars for .US domains. .US domains are primarily used by residents or entities connected to the United States, including permanent residents, citizens, corporations, and organizations. It is ideal for those with a business or organization in the U.S. or targeting a U.S. audience. The benefits of a .US domain includes demonstrating a connection to America, potentially securing a preferred domain name, and possibly achieving higher search engine rankings within the U.S. Registration requirements set by ICANN include providing detailed contact and technical information, and failure to comply can lead to domain cancellation.