Key facts
- Search, register and renew in the dijitul client portal at clients.dijitul.uk.
- Nominet runs the registry for .uk, .co.uk, .org.uk and the other UK extensions.
- Register the domain in the business's legal name, not a staff member's.
- The .co.uk rights to the matching .uk ended on 25 June 2019; unregistered .uk names are first come, first served.
- .ltd.uk and .plc.uk names must match a registered company name.
- Nominet hides individual registrants' addresses in WHOIS by default.
Before you start
Have three things ready: the name you want, a shortlist of fallbacks, and your business's exact legal name and address. If you trade as a limited company, use the company name as it appears at Companies House. If you are a sole trader, use your own name with the trading name if the form allows it.
Think about who should own the domain long term. The registrant is the legal owner. A domain registered to a web designer, a former employee or a personal email address is a common cause of trouble years later. If you are still choosing a name, our guide to choosing a domain name covers length, spelling and hyphens, and .uk vs .com helps if you are deciding between extensions.
Step by step in the dijitul client portal
- Open the portal. Go to the dijitul client portal and log in, or create a client account if you are new.
- Search for the name. Type the name without the extension. The portal shows which extensions are free and the live price for each.
- Choose .co.uk, .uk or both. Many businesses register both, plus the .com, and point the extras at the main site.
- Pick the registration period and add the domain to your basket.
- Enter the registrant details. Use the business's legal name, a postal address and an email address the business will keep, such as a shared admin address.
- Check out. Once payment clears, the registration is sent to Nominet and the domain appears in your account.
- Set up DNS. Point the domain at your website and email. Our DNS management page explains what we can do.
The screens in the portal may change over time, but the order of steps stays much the same.
Nominet rules to know
Nominet is the registry for UK domains. The main rules that affect a small business are:
- Accurate details. The registrant name and address should be real and current. Nominet can ask you to correct them.
- The right extension. .co.uk is for commercial use. .org.uk is meant for non-commercial organisations, though there are no checks. .me.uk is for personal use.
- .ltd.uk and .plc.uk must match a registered company name exactly, so you cannot pick any name you like.
- The shorter .uk. Owners of a .co.uk once had reserved rights to the matching .uk. That period ended on 25 June 2019. Today any unregistered .uk is first come, first served, so if you own the .co.uk and the .uk is still free, consider registering it.
- Privacy. Nominet hides individual registrants' addresses in WHOIS by default. Company details may still show.
After you register
A new domain does nothing until its DNS points somewhere. Usually that means an A or CNAME record for the website and MX records for email. Our DNS records explained guide lists what each record does, and how to set up business email covers mailboxes.
Turn on auto renew, or put the renewal date in a shared calendar. A .uk domain that is not renewed is suspended 30 days after expiry, and your website and email stop working. Read what to do if your domain has expired so you know the timeline. Finally, keep a note of where the domain is registered and who has the login. It saves time when you move website or email provider.
How dijitul helps
Search, register and renew in the dijitul client portal, where live prices are shown. One domain registration or renewal a year on common extensions (.uk, .co.uk, .com, .org, .org.uk, .net) is included free with dijihost Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT; premium names and some extensions are excluded. See UK domain registration and .co.uk domain names. If you would rather we set it all up, get in touch or call 01623 650333.
Frequently asked questions
Should I register .co.uk or .uk?
Most UK businesses use .co.uk because customers recognise it, but the shorter .uk works the same way. If both are free, registering both and pointing one at the other protects your name and stops someone else taking the matching version.
Whose name should the domain be registered in?
The business's legal name: the limited company as it appears at Companies House, or the sole trader's own name. The registrant is the legal owner, so avoid registering it to a web designer, an employee or a personal account that may not be around later.
Do I still have rights to the .uk if I own the .co.uk?
No. Owners of .co.uk names had reserved rights to the matching .uk until 25 June 2019. That period has ended. Any .uk that has not been registered is now available to anyone, first come, first served.
Can anyone register a .ltd.uk domain?
No. A .ltd.uk or .plc.uk domain must match the name of a registered company. That makes them less flexible than .co.uk, which has no such rule, so most limited companies register the .co.uk and the .uk instead.
Will my home address appear in WHOIS?
Nominet hides the address of individual registrants in WHOIS by default. If the domain is registered to a company, some company details may still show. Using your business address for the registration keeps your home address out of the record altogether.
How quickly can I use a new domain?
The registration itself usually completes shortly after checkout. The website and email work once DNS records are added, and new records can take a little time to be seen everywhere because of caching. Setting up DNS on the day you register keeps the wait short.
Related
Find and register your domain
Live prices, registration and renewals in the dijitul client portal. Or call us and we will do it for you.