Sponsored Top-Level Domains

.gov domain information

.gov stands for "government," and it is limited to US government entities and organizations, as well as eligible state, county, local government entities, and tribal governments.


.gov domain name Introduction

The .gov domain is a top-level domain in the Internet Domain Name System. The name originates from the word "government," indicating its use by government entities. The .gov domain is managed by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) under the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Initially managed by the General Services Administration (GSA), the registration and annual renewal fees for .gov domains peaked at $400 per year. When CISA took over the management of .gov domains in April 2021, all fees were waived.

Government organizations and agencies headquartered in the United States are eligible to apply for .gov domain registration. Initially limited to federal government use, the eligibility was later expanded to include state, local, or tribal governments recognized by the federal or state government. To register a .gov domain, authorization must be obtained from CISA.

In other countries, government operations are typically delegated second-level domains under their country code top-level domain (ccTLD). For example, .gov.uk is the domain for the UK government, .gov.cn for the Chinese government, gc.ca for the Canadian government, gouv.fr for the French government, gov.it for the Italian government, and gov.pt for the Portuguese government. The United States is the only country with a government-specific top-level domain in addition to its ccTLD (.us).


.gov domain name Target market

Targeted at US government agencies and affiliated organizations


.gov domain name Restrictions

Restricted to US government entities, eligible state, county, local government entities, and tribal governments.


.gov domain name Operator/Registry

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency


.gov domain name Introduction date

January 1, 1985


Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency


.gov domain name Intended use

The original purpose of establishing the .gov domain was to provide a formal and authoritative internet identifier for US government agencies.


.gov domain name Geographic restrictions

The .gov domain is the country code top-level domain for the United States, primarily used for US government agencies.


.gov domain name Registration period

The registration period for .gov domain names is typically one year, with the option to renew and extend the registration period.


.gov domain name Renewal policy

Renewal policies may vary depending on the specific government agency, but generally, government entities are required to renew according to specified timelines and procedures.


.gov domain name Transfer policy

The .gov domain is typically not transferable to other registrants and is usually only held and managed by the registered government agencies.


.gov domain name DNSSEC Support

Yes


.gov domain name Privacy protection

Government agencies registering .gov domains do not have WHOIS privacy protection services, as they are required to disclose the information of the government entity.


.gov domain name Pricing

None


.gov domain name Dispute resolution policy

Disputes regarding .gov domain names are typically handled by relevant US government agencies or legal procedures.


.gov domain name Registration rules

1. It must be a US government agency or its designated representative.
2. Registrants need to provide relevant government identification documents.


.gov domain name IDN Support

No


.gov domain name Typical users

1. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) - www.nasa.gov
2. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - www.noaa.gov
3. National Institutes of Health (NIH) - www.nih.gov
4. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - www.fda.gov
5. National Security Agency (NSA) - www.nsa.gov
6. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) - www.nhtsa.gov
7. Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) - www.jpl.nasa.gov
8. National Science Foundation (NSF) - www.nsf.gov
9. The White House - www.whitehouse.gov
10. National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) - www.nlrb.gov


.gov domain name Registry website

https://get.gov