Register a .us domain

Most extensions ask who you are only at checkout. .us asks whether you have a substantive connection to the United States. That rule is the first thing to settle, because it decides whether the rest of the page matters.

Who can register .us

The U.S. Nexus Requirement limits .us registrations to individuals and organisations with a substantive connection to the United States. The .us help article sets out three routes:

1. A natural person who is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, or whose primary place of domicile is in the United States or one of its possessions.
2. An entity or organisation incorporated in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia or a US possession, or organised under US law.
3. An entity or organisation, domestic or foreign, with a bona fide presence in the United States. That means real and substantial lawful connections with, or lawful activities in, the country.

The requirement applies to the registrant, not to the website's audience. A business outside the US with a genuine US presence may qualify. A US-targeted site run from abroad may not. If you do not qualify, do not register: a false claim puts the domain at risk.

When .us earns its place

Register the .us when most of these are true:

• You qualify under the nexus rule and can support the claim if asked.
• The business serves US customers and the local signal is part of the offer.
• You are comfortable publishing contact details, because domain privacy is not available.
• The name works without internationalised characters, which .us does not support.
• You do not need the .com default to close sales.

It is the wrong call for an international audience, a privacy-sensitive registrant, a non-US entity without a bona fide US presence, or a brand that depends on customers typing .com out of habit.

If you want the US signal but not the eligibility rule, a .com with clear US content usually does the job with fewer constraints.

Where to see the price

A .us registration and a .us renewal are separate charges. The first-year figure in an offer is not necessarily the renewal price, and premium or resold names are priced differently from standard registrations.

This page does not quote a number. The search result and the checkout page show the current registration and renewal prices for the exact name you want, including whether it is a standard registration or a premium listing.

Domain Privacy is not supported on .us, so there is no privacy add-on to budget for. Domain Protection is a separate account feature and does not replace WHOIS privacy. Email and hosting are separate products as well.

How .us registrations work

These are the current rules for .us, as listed in the .us help article:

• Registration and renewal terms: 1 to 10 years.
• Who can register: individuals and organisations that meet the US nexus requirement.
• Name rules: 1 to 63 characters, letters, numbers and hyphens. A hyphen cannot be the first or last character. Special characters are not allowed. Internationalized domain names are not supported.
• Renewals: the domain renews before its expiration date. With auto-renew on, the charge is attempted on the 1st day of the month before expiration, with further attempts if it fails. If it is not renewed by the 20th of that month, recovery may be possible with applicable fees.
• Transfers: moving a .us in or away is supported.
• Privacy: Domain Privacy is not supported. Domain Protection is supported.
• DNS: 2 to 13 authoritative nameservers, with IPv4, IPv6 and DNSSEC supported.
• Cancellation: .us cancellations are handled through customer support.
• Backorders: not supported.

Registry rules and provider policies can change. Treat this as a summary of current practice, not a permanent guarantee.

How to check availability without wasting time

1. Confirm that you meet the nexus requirement before you fall in love with a name.
2. Search the exact name, and check the .com to see who else uses it.
3. Read whether the result is a standard registration or a premium listing.
4. Avoid internationalised characters, which .us does not support.
5. If the name is taken, do not add a hyphen just to stay on .us.

If the name is gone, work through the alternatives before you settle for a weaker address.

The .us fit test

Answer five questions honestly.

Reading the result

• Four or five yes: .us is a credible local address.
• Two or three yes: keep .com as the primary and use .us as a redirect.
• One or none: choose an extension that does not require a status you cannot claim.

Who this is for

This page is for US-based local businesses, regional brands, community organisations, public-facing projects and US-registered companies that want the address to say where they are. It also fits an organisation with a genuine US presence that already meets the nexus rule.

It is less useful for international businesses, privacy-sensitive registrants, anyone who needs accented characters, and anyone who cannot honestly claim a US connection.

Before you register

• Nexus evidence. Be able to explain which of the three routes you meet if the registry asks.
• Public contact details. Domain privacy is not supported. Use an address and phone number you are willing to publish.
• Renewal timing. The renewal window opens earlier than expiration, so a last-minute reminder is too late.
• IDN limits. If the brand depends on accented characters, .us cannot carry it.
• Cancellation. Cancellations go through customer support, not a self-service toggle.
• Domain Protection. It protects the account, not the public WHOIS record. Do not treat it as privacy.

Frequently asked questions

Last reviewed: 2026-10-19. This page describes current practice and general information. Prices and registry policies can change.