Choosing a .ie domain: what you need to know

Your domain is your address on the internet: the part after the www and after the @ in your email. For a business that trades in Ireland, a .ie domain is often the natural choice. It tells customers straight away that you are an Irish business, and unlike .com, it comes with some rules about who can register one. This guide explains those rules, how to register, and how to choose a name that works.

.ie or .com?

If your customers are in Ireland, .ie is a strong choice. It signals that you are local, and because registration requires a connection to Ireland, it carries a little more trust than a domain anyone in the world can buy. A .com makes more sense if you sell abroad, or if the .ie version of your name is already taken. Some businesses register both and point the second one at the first, so customers end up in the right place whichever they type.

Who can register a .ie domain?

The .ie domain is managed by the .IE Domain Registry (formerly IEDR, now known as .IE). To register one, you must be able to show a real and substantive connection to the island of Ireland. That covers all 32 counties, so businesses in Northern Ireland qualify too.

You used to have to show a claim to the specific name you wanted, such as a registered business name matching the domain. That requirement was dropped in 2018. Today you only need to prove your connection to Ireland, and then you can register any available name that meets the technical rules.

What counts as proof of connection?

In most cases a single document is enough. Typical examples include:

• Limited companies: an active Companies Registration Office (CRO) number. Registrars can often verify this automatically, which makes it the quickest route.
• Sole traders and partnerships: a registered business name, an Irish VAT number, or similar official documents in your name.
• Individuals: an Irish passport or driving licence, or proof of an address on the island of Ireland.
• Businesses based abroad: evidence of trading with customers in Ireland, such as invoices, or a trade mark that is valid in Ireland.

Your registrar will tell you exactly what they need. Applications are reviewed before the domain goes live, so the registration may be held until your documents are checked.

How to register a .ie domain

You do not register directly with the registry. Instead you go through an accredited .ie registrar, which is a company approved by the registry to sell .ie domains. Many Irish hosting companies are accredited, and the registry publishes a list on its website. The process is usually:

• Check the name is available, either on the registry's website or a registrar's.
• Choose an accredited registrar and create an account.
• Fill in the application and upload your proof of connection to Ireland, or enter your CRO number.
• Pay for the registration, which is charged yearly. Prices vary between registrars, so compare a few.

Register the domain in your business's name, or your own name if you are a sole trader, and in an account you control. Domains registered by a web designer in their own name are one of the most common headaches when a business wants to change provider.

Choosing a good name

• Keep it short and easy to say. You will read it out over the phone and paint it on a van.
• Use your business name if you can. murphyplumbing.ie is easier to remember than a string of keywords.
• Avoid hyphens where possible. People forget them when typing.
• Watch out for awkward word joins. Read the name as one word and check it does not spell something unintended.
• Think about including your town if your name is common, such as walshelectricaltralee.ie, but only if it stays short enough to remember.
• Check that the name does not infringe someone else's trade mark. Registering a name does not give you rights to it if another business holds a trade mark.

Renewals and keeping your domain

Domains are rented, not bought outright. You renew every year, or for several years at a time. If a renewal fails, perhaps because the card on file has expired, the domain can lapse and eventually become available for someone else to register. Turn on auto-renew and keep your contact email up to date with your registrar.

Using your domain for email

A domain also lets you have a professional email address like info@yourbusiness.ie. That usually needs a separate email service, such as Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, which is charged per mailbox. It is worth it: an address on your own domain looks more established than a free webmail account, and it stays with you if you change internet provider.

Moving your domain between providers

Because the domain is registered to you, not to your website, you can keep it when you change web designer or website platform. You simply update the DNS settings to point at the new site. If you ever want to move the domain itself to a different registrar, you can do that too: the .ie registry has a standard process for transferring a domain from one accredited registrar to another. Before you leave any provider, check that you can log in to the registrar account where your domain is held, and that the domain is registered in your name.

Connecting a domain to your website

Once you own a domain, you point it at your website by updating its DNS settings with your registrar. Every Sitefront site starts on a free sitefront.ie address, so you can publish straight away and connect your own .ie whenever you are ready. Your dashboard shows the exact records to add, and the security certificate is set up for you. See what's included and what it costs.