ZA Domains
The .ZA domain is South Africa’s country-code top-level domain (ccTLD). Its two letters come from Zuid-Afrika, the Dutch name for South Africa. You won’t normally see websites ending in .ZA alone. Instead, South African websites use extensions such as .CO.ZA, .ORG.ZA or .NET.ZA, each with its own registration framework.
.ZA domain registration requirements
South Africa has both open and restricted domain extensions. For most businesses, registration is uncomplicated: the main commercial extensions are available to individuals and organizations regardless of where they’re based.
Other namespaces, particularly those used by government bodies and educational institutions, have more specific eligibility rules.
Who can register a .ZA domain?
You don’t need to run a South African business to register a .CO.ZA domain. Individuals, companies and organizations can apply, provided their chosen name is available.
Institutional extensions work differently. .GOV.ZA is reserved for eligible government entities, while .AC.ZA and .SCHOOL.ZA have requirements tied to educational institutions.
Can foreigners register a .ZA domain?
Yes. South African residency isn’t required for the main open commercial extensions, including .CO.ZA.
A company based in Europe, for instance, can register a .CO.ZA address for its South African operations without first incorporating a local business.
The same general eligibility applies to .ORG.ZA, .NET.ZA and .WEB.ZA.
Available .ZA domain extensions
There are four main commercial options:
- .CO.ZA: Commonly chosen by businesses and for general websites.
- .ORG.ZA: Often associated with nonprofits and community organizations.
- .NET.ZA: Traditionally used for network and technology services.
- .WEB.ZA: Another option for general websites.
All four are open to general applicants. Their names suggest different purposes, but those associations don’t amount to formal restrictions on who may register.
Required documents and restrictions
For a typical .CO.ZA registration, basic contact information is usually enough. This includes the registrant’s name, email, phone number and address.
There’s generally no need to provide South African identification or company incorporation documents. A registrar may still request additional verification, and restricted extensions have their own requirements.
How to register a .ZA domain
Start by choosing the extension and checking whether your preferred name is available. A domain registrar supporting .ZA registrations can handle both steps.
After confirming eligibility, provide the requested contact details and complete the registration. You’ll also need to configure the domain’s DNS settings so it points to your website or other services.
The four main commercial extensions are administered by ZA Registry Consortium (ZARC), but registrations are made through registrars rather than directly with the registry.
.ZA domain rules and regulations
South Africa’s domain namespace is overseen by the ZA Domain Name Authority (ZADNA), with ZARC operating the four main commercial extensions.
According to ZARC’s published policies, names must meet the registry’s technical requirements. These include rules on permitted characters, length and reserved names.
ZARC requires between two and ten nameservers for a commercial domain registration. The registry checks nameserver configurations, so incorrect settings can prevent a domain from resolving.
Trademark rights are another consideration. Registering a domain doesn’t give someone unrestricted rights to a brand name, and abusive registrations may be challenged.
.ZA domain transfers, renewals and expiration
Domain Transfers
Moving a commercial .ZA domain between registrars is permitted. The receiving registrar submits the request, which may require approval from the registrant or other relevant contacts.
Transfers can take up to five days under ZARC’s standard procedure. Changing registrars doesn’t automatically change the registered holder of the domain.
Domain Renewal and Expiration
Commercial .ZA domains can be registered for one to five years, with renewals handled through the registrar.
An expired domain can eventually stop working and enter the registry’s deletion process. ZARC’s standard lifecycle includes two five-day stages—pending suspension and pending deletion—followed by a 20-day closed-redemption period.
During redemption, the existing registrar may still be able to restore the domain for an additional fee. Once that period ends, the name can be released for registration again.
These stages aren’t a substitute for renewing on time, and not every cancellation follows the same recovery process.
Domain Disputes
South Africa has an alternative dispute resolution process for certain abusive or offensive domain registrations.
A rights holder may be able to request the transfer or cancellation of a disputed name, depending on the circumstances. The applicable grounds and procedures are described in ZADNA’s rights protection guidance.
Why register a .ZA domain?
For a company serving South African customers, a .ZA address is a straightforward way to identify its local website. It also lets international businesses maintain a country-specific address alongside their main domain.
Registering relevant versions of a brand name can be useful for portfolio management, particularly when a business operates across several markets.
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FAQs
Can I register a domain directly under .ZA?
No. South Africa doesn’t offer standard public registrations directly under .ZA. Instead, you’ll need to choose a second-level extension, such as .CO.ZA, .ORG.ZA, .NET.ZA or .WEB.ZA.
For example, a business would register company.co.za rather than company.za. Each extension has its own registration space, so a name that’s unavailable under .CO.ZA might still be available under .NET.ZA or .WEB.ZA.
Is .ORG.ZA restricted to nonprofit organizations?
No. Despite its name, .ORG.ZA isn’t exclusively reserved for nonprofits. Individuals, businesses and other organizations can register names under this extension, provided they’re available and comply with the registry’s policies.
It’s traditionally associated with charities, associations and community initiatives, which is worth considering when choosing a domain. However, there’s no general requirement to prove nonprofit status simply to register an .ORG.ZA name.
Can a business register the same name under different .ZA extensions?
Yes. A business can register matching names under several .ZA extensions, provided each is available and meets the relevant registration requirements.
For example, you could own both company.co.za and company.org.za. This can help protect your brand against impersonation or prevent others from registering certain variations of your name. Keep in mind that each domain is a separate registration, with its own renewal dates, costs and DNS settings.
Does .ZA support DNSSEC?
Yes. The .ZA top-level domain supports DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions), a technology that helps protect against forged DNS responses by allowing DNS information to be authenticated.
However, DNSSEC support at the top-level domain doesn’t mean it’s automatically enabled for every .ZA website. Your registrar and DNS provider must support the necessary configuration. DNSSEC also doesn’t encrypt website traffic or replace an SSL/TLS certificate.
Which country has .ZA as its official domain extension?
South Africa is the country whose official domain extension is .ZA. The letters come from Zuid-Afrika, the Dutch name for South Africa. It is the country’s country-code top-level domain (ccTLD). Businesses, organizations and individuals typically register domains under extensions such as .CO.ZA, .ORG.ZA and .NET.ZA, rather than directly under .ZA.