Who Can Register a .IN Domain

A .in domain is India's own country-code extension, run by the .IN registry under NIXI. Unlike a .com, it comes with two conditions: the registrant must be a real, identifiable person or organisation that completes identity verification, and the registrant needs a genuine connection with India. This guide explains which situation you are in and how to register correctly the first time.

1. Why .in has eligibility rules

The .in namespace stands for India on the internet. To keep it trustworthy, the registry wants every .in domain to belong to someone real and reachable, and checks the registrant's identity through eKYC. Until that check is complete, a new .in domain can be held, which means the website and email on it do not work.

The rules apply to the whole .in family: .in itself and second-level extensions such as .co.in, .net.in, .org.in, .firm.in, .gen.in and .ind.in.

2. Which situation are you in?

What matters is the connection with India, not nationality. An Indian citizen living abroad, or a foreign-owned company with an Indian subsidiary, is judged on that connection.

3. Indian individuals

You can register a .in in your own name. You are then its legal owner.

• Enter your name exactly as it appears on the identity document you will verify with. A missing middle name or initials in place of a full name can stop verification from matching.
• Use a permanent address, and an email address and phone number you will keep for years.
• After payment, complete eKYC on the Identity verification page with DigiLocker, then confirm the email the registry sends to the registrant address.

The .ind.in extension is intended for individuals, but any .in extension can be registered by an individual.

4. Indian businesses

A company, LLP, partnership firm or proprietorship should register the domain in the business's legal name, not in the name of an employee or the web designer who set it up. That keeps ownership with the business when people leave.

• The registrant should be the business itself or, for a proprietorship, its proprietor.
• The details on the domain should match the business's records.
• DigiLocker is built around individuals' identity records. If the registrant is a company, open a ticket before you verify, and we will explain the route for your domain.

For most businesses this is the recommended way to hold a .in: it is clear who owns the name, and it holds up if the domain is ever disputed.

5. Registrants outside India with a presence in India

A foreign person or company may be able to hold a .in if it has a genuine and provable connection with India, for example:

• an Indian subsidiary, private limited company or LLP;
• a branch or liaison office in India;
• a registered Indian distributor or partner;
• ongoing customers or commercial operations in India;
• a brand or trademark used in India.

There are two ways to proceed:

DigiLocker verification is built around Indian identity records, so the verification route for these cases is different. Open a ticket before you buy, describe your connection with India, and we will tell you which route applies.

6. No connection with India

If you have no business, operational or legal connection with India and only like the look of .in, a .in is not the right choice. Register a .com, .net, .org or another generic extension instead; they have no residency condition.

7. Extensions ordinary registrars don't sell

Some .in extensions are reserved for particular kinds of organisation and are not sold through ordinary registrars:

• .gov.in is for Indian government bodies and is allotted by the National Informatics Centre (NIC).
• .ac.in, .edu.in and .res.in are for academic and research institutions and are allotted by ERNET India.
• .mil.in is reserved for the defence establishment.

If you need one of these, apply to the body that allots it.

8. Verification and accuracy

• Give accurate registrant details. Fake, temporary or disposable details are a common reason verification fails.
• Keep the registrant email current: the registry sends its own confirmation there.
• Accurate details do not mean public details. For .in and its second-level extensions (.co.in, .net.in, .org.in and others), personal registrant details are not shown in public WHOIS. This is free and automatic; there is nothing to switch on. Company or organisation names may still appear.

If the domain stays on hold after verification shows complete, open a ticket with the domain name.

9. .in domains at Domain India

Domain India is a NIXI-accredited .IN registrar, so we register .in domains with the registry directly. Verification, contacts, nameservers and renewals are all on the domain's page in your client area.

Domain India list prices on 19 September 2026, excluding 18% GST. Renewal invoices are emailed up to 30 days before the due date; a saved card is never charged automatically.

Ready to register? Check availability at domain registration, and complete verification afterwards on Identity verification. If you are outside India or the registrant is a company, open a support ticket first. Support is on 24/7 live chat, and tickets get a first response within 15 minutes.