.io Registration

The .io extension is the Internet country code top-level domain name (ccTLD) assigned by IANA for the British Indian Ocean Territory, a territory of the United Kingdom situated in the Indian Ocean, halfway between Africa and Indonesia. The .io domain registry was founded in 1997 and is directed by the Internet Computer Bureau PLC.

What are the rules and regulations for .io registration? The applicant can be an individual or organization. The registration seeker must be a resident of the British Indian Ocean Territory or alternatively possess an administrative contact. The format for domain name registration is xx.xxx.io. The length of the domain name must be more than two characters but less than 64 characters including '.io.' Purpose or description can accommodate 256 characters. Some of the second level domains are:

• .com.io : for commercial entities
• .net.io : for network purposes
• .gov.io : for government sites
• .org.io : for organizations
• .mil.io : for military purposes

To register a domain name in the .oz zone, download the application from http://www.nic.io. Submit the completed application form fulfilling the registration agreement of NIC.IO. At the time of registration, the applicant has to pay an annual registration fee (US$40) in advance for a period of ten years. As part of the domain name registration process, the registration system is fully automated. For unlawful purposes, you cannot register domain names under .io zone. The domain name will be activated within fourteen days from the date of submission of the application.

The registrant has the authority to surrender, change or transfer the domain name registration using the email form provided for such purpose. Deletion of a domain name can be completed by sending an email to the NIC.IO from your registered administration account. You will be sent a confirmation e-mail in response and you have to send an acknowledgement to NIC.IO; only after this action will your request be processed.