About .aq domains

About .aq domains

.AQ is a country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) in the DNS root zone. It is designated for Antarctica. The IANA root zone lists the registry manager as Antarctica Network Information Centre Limited. Registration policies (who may register, local presence, pricing) are set by the registry and its accredited registrars — not by IANA.

.aq is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Antarctica (itself not a country). It is derived from the French Antarctique and is reserved for organizations that work in Antarctica or promote the Antarctic and Southern Ocean regions. It is administered by Peter Mott of Antarctica Network Information Centre Limited from Christchurch, New Zealand. .aq domain names are available free of charge, and registration is granted for a period of 24 months. However, registrants must have a "physical presence" in Antarctica which, aside from working on the continent, can include:

Unattended installations owned or operated by the registrant, or Short term visits to the ice by the registrant or its employees, in which a letter signed by the officer in charge of the base or expedition is required. As a general rule, registrants are only allocated a single .aq domain name. The registry does not have a website. Registration is only possible by contacting Antarctica Network Information Centre Limited.

Who can register .aq domains?

Eligibility is defined by the registry operator and its registrars. Most gTLDs are open to anyone worldwide. Many ccTLDs are also open globally; some require local presence, citizenship, or trademark rights. Always confirm current policy with the registry or your registrar.

Registration restrictions

Character rules below follow common ICANN LDH conventions. Individual registries and registrars may impose extra eligibility, length, or residency rules.

Length

2 – 63 characters (label before .aq)

Can use

Letters (a–z), numbers (0–9), and hyphens (not first/last or consecutive in restricted cases)

Cannot use

Special characters (e.g. & # @) in standard LDH labels

IDNs

Varies by registry — check IDN support with the registry or your registrar

Features

Operational features (privacy, parking, protection) are registrar-level, not defined by the IANA root zone record.

Registry information

Sponsor / manager

Antarctica Network Information Centre Limited

Root zone registration

1992-02-26

Record last updated

2025-01-21