ccTLD
A ccTLD (Country Code Top-Level Domain) is a two-letter top-level domain assigned to a country, territory, or geographic region. Examples: .uk (United Kingdom), .de (Germany), .fr (France), .jp (Japan), .us (United States). ccTLDs are operated by national registries with their own policies — they are not bound by ICANN gTLD lifecycle rules.
Also known as: Country Code Top-Level Domain
In depth
ccTLDs are derived from ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country codes. Each two-letter ISO code can become a ccTLD if the relevant national authority requests delegation from IANA. About 250 ccTLDs are active.
ccTLD policies vary widely. Some are open registration globally (.io, .me, .co, .ai, .tv). Some have residency or nexus requirements (.us, .fr, .de, .uk). Some have highly restrictive rules (.cn requires Chinese business registration; .gov.uk requires UK government affiliation).
Lifecycle rules are not standardised. .com follows ICANN's 45+30+5 model; .de has no redemption period at all; .uk has a 90-day "protected period". Each ccTLD registry operates independently.
For domain monitoring, ccTLDs are harder to track than gTLDs because the rules are not consistent and RDAP support is uneven. WHOIS port-43 is often the more reliable lookup mechanism.
Examples
- Globally open ccTLDs: .io, .me, .co, .tv, .ai, .ws.
- Restricted ccTLDs: .us (US nexus required), .fr (EU residency), .de (no formal restriction but practical use is German).
- Repurposed ccTLDs: .tv (Tuvalu, used for video brands), .me (Montenegro, used for personal sites), .io (BIOT, used for tech startups), .ai (Anguilla, used for AI startups).
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a ccTLD and a gTLD?
ccTLDs are country-specific (.uk, .de, .fr) and operated by national registries. gTLDs are global (.com, .info, .app) and ICANN-governed. Lifecycle and policy rules differ.
Can anyone register any ccTLD?
No. Many ccTLDs have residency, citizenship, or business-presence requirements. Check the specific TLD's rules before assuming open registration.
Do ccTLDs follow standard lifecycle rules?
No. Each ccTLD registry sets its own rules. .de skips redemption entirely; .uk has a 90-day protected period; .fr has 60-70 day total expiry-to-drop. Always check per-TLD.
How are ccTLDs assigned?
IANA delegates ccTLDs to designated managers based on ISO 3166-1 country codes. Disputes (Falkland Islands, Western Sahara) are referred to relevant national authorities.
Can a ccTLD be revoked?
Theoretically yes, but extremely rare. Examples: .yu (Yugoslavia) was retired in 2010. .su (Soviet Union) remains active despite the country no longer existing.
Related terms
References
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