Frequently Asked Questions

About .so Domain Names

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Last Updated: June 8, 2015 4:56 PM

Due to complications with the registry, we will be suspending all new .SO registrations as of 06/09/2015. Also, effective immediately, the registry has increased the price of renewals: .SO are now $99.99 per year. Renewals will still process normally, but will be limited to 1 year terms.

The .so country-code top-level domain name (ccTLD) is an extension that represents The Republic of Somalia. For companies that conduct business in Somalia and individuals who want to reach the growing number of Internet users there, these domain names are a good investment. Registering a .so domain name gives you regional recognition and an easy-to-manage Web presence.

The information below also applies to the following country-code second-level domain names (ccSLDs):

  • .com.so — Intended for commercial entities
  • .net.so — Intended for network infrastructures, such as Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
  • .org.so — Intended for noncommercial entities

Who can register .so domain names?

Anyone can register them on a first-come, first-served basis.

Which registry controls .so domain names?

dotSO is the registry for .so domain names.

For how long can I register .so domain names?

You can register .so domain names for a minimum of one year and a maximum of 10 years.

When do .so domain names renew?

Your .so domain name renews on its expiration date. Auto-renewal is attempted on the domain name's expiration date. If the renewal attempt fails, we re-attempt renewal 5 days later and again 7 days after that.

If we cannot auto-renew the domain name and you do not manually renew it by the 19th day after the expiration date, it must be redeemed. There might be a fee for the redemption. See Recovering Expired Domain Names for more information.

Can I transfer .so domain names to my account with you?

Yes. See Transfer domain to IX-ONE DOMAIN HOST for details on the transfer process.

Can I transfer .so domain names from you to another registrar?

See Transferring Domain Names to Another Registrar for details on the transfer process for these domain names.

Can I add privacy and protection to .so domain names?

Yes. Domains By Proxy® Private Registration and Protected Registration are available for .so domain names.

Can I backorder .so domain names?

No. We do not currently support the backorder of .so domain names.

Can I move .so domain names to another account with you?

Yes. See Moving a Domain Name Out of Your Account to start the account move process.

Can I update the contact information for .so domain names?

Yes. See Update contact information for details on making these changes.

Are there nameserver requirements for my .so domain names?

No. Any valid nameservers can be used with .so domain names.

Do you support DNSSEC for .so domain names?

No.

Are IDN characters available for .so domain names?

No. At this time, .so domain names are only available with Latin alphabet characters (a-z).

NOTE: Domain names beginning or ending with hyphens, as well as domain names with hyphens in the third and fourth positions, are prohibited.