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3 How to apply for a .gov.uk name?

Your application for a domain name must be submitted through an approved Internet Service Provider (ISP), (see paragraph 3.3) who will act as your registration agent with Janet Customer Services at UKERNA, using the appropriate templates. These are available online at:  New requests for a gov.uk Domain [External link].

Accuracy is important – you need to give your ISP sufficient information – a number of applications are being initially rejected with advice because the applicant has not read the rules, used the wrong template, or supplied misleading or inadequate information.
Entries in the ‘to represent’ field must reflect the organisation or project that the requested name will represent and not the domain owner or sponsoring organisation or project if this is different. This should be included in the domain owner field.
Entries for Admin–c – must be name/address of the person or contact point designated to receive communications from the Registrar/Naming and Approvals Committee related to the administration of the domain name. This person can be with the ISP or with the proposed domain name owner.
Entries for Tech–c – must be name/address of the person or contact point designated to handle technical issues associated with the domain name.
Entries for Reg–c – must be the name/address of public sector employee (or elected representative) of the domain owner (Registrant) designated to handle communications related to the ownership of the domain name.

3.1 Your application must describe your organisation

If the information requested in a, b and c below is not provided the application will automatically be rejected.

a. To be considered for a UK government domain name you must clearly describe how the status of your organisation (as domain owner) and the purpose of the domain name you are applying for.

Include:

• the status of your organisation (for example, central government, executive agency, borough council, parish council);

• the role and objective of your organisation;
• the status of your staff (for example. civil servants, local government officials or employees)
• the source of your funding (for example, central taxation, CMF, council tax);
• to whom your organisation is accountable (for example, Secretary of State for..).

b. Purpose of the domain name – you must outline the primary purpose and planned content of your proposed domain name, for example, for:

• an information website
• a transactional website
• a campaign website (or discussion group)
• an educational website, eg, aimed at children/schools
• a redirect page, or a name being used for ‘defensive’ or ‘typosquatting’ and being redirect to; you must included the address to which the redirect is going
• for email purposes only.

c. Who is the audience for your website? You must identify to us what is seen as your primary audience eg, educationalist, pensioners, general public, your council tax payers, etc

d. Using abbreviations within your application. Not everyone on the Naming and Approvals Committee may know what your abbreviations stand for. Spell them out when you first use them within your application.

e. The Naming and Approvals Committee reserves the right to check the details you provide and to contact named individuals about any individual application.

3.2 Appealing against rejection of your application

If your application is rejected it will be with advice explaining why the Naming and Approvals Committee has taken this decision.

You have the right to appeal against the decision. Your appeal should include new information on why you feel you should have the name you originally requested. Simply repeating your original application is inadequate.

Failure to secure an approved domain name prior to, for example, printing publicity and similar material, is not a ground for an appeal (see paragraph 2.4 Use of unapproved names).

Many applications are rejected because they are made on the wrong template, or inadequate information is supplied. In these cases an appropriate resubmission is required not an appeal.

3.3 Using an approved Internet Service Provider (ISP)

The .gov.uk domain is not a commercial operation. Its management and registration are centralised, but the Cabinet Office does not provide advice on who is a suitable ISP. These are commercial activities trading in a competitive environment.

• Advice on choosing an ISP is available from Nominet.uk[External link]
• Detail of UKERNAs approved ISP scheme is available  online[External link]
• A list of ISPs on UKERNA’s scheme is available  online[External link]

3.4 How to make changes to or cancel your .gov.uk name

• Information regarding changes to a registered domain name entry is available online  [External link]
• Information regarding cancelling a domain name is available online  [External link]