ccTLD Nexus & Residency Requirement Engine
Regulatory directory documenting national residency rules, citizenship requirements, in-country trademark mandates, and proxy trustee risks across the world's delegated country-code top-level domains.
Audited ccTLDs 15 Key national jurisdictions
Strict Domestic Presence 6 National ID / ABN / CPR required
Unrestricted Vanity 5 Open globally (.ai, .io, .co)
WHOIS Privacy Forbidden .us, .de, .au Statutory transparency laws
Corporate Legal Advisory: The Hidden Risks of Registrar "Trustee" Services
When expanding into foreign jurisdictions that enforce strict domestic nexus requirements (such as Canada for .ca, Norway for .no, or Australia for .au), registrars frequently offer local "trustee" or "proxy" services. Under these arrangements, the registrar's local subsidiary becomes the legal owner of record in the registry database. If the national registry audits the registration, or if a trademark dispute arises, your company holds no official legal standing in the registry, and the domain may be unilaterally cancelled or transferred without recourse.
Best Practice: Always register through your own local incorporated subsidiary or in-country registered trademark whenever feasible.
| ccTLD | Jurisdiction / Country | Restriction Tier | Local Presence Requirement | Proxy Legal Risk | WHOIS Privacy | Registry Operator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .ca Americas | Canada | Strict Domestic | Canadian Presence Requirements (CPR). Must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or corporation registered federally or provincially in Canada. Canadian trademark holders can register exact-match mark. | High Legal Risk | Permitted | Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) |
| .de Europe | Germany | Strict Domestic | Administrative Contact (Admin-C) with a valid domestic postal address located in Germany capable of receiving legal service of process. | Moderate | Forbidden | DENIC eG |
| .eu Europe | European Union | Regional (EU) | Must be a citizen of an EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, or Norway, or an organization established within the EU/EEA. | Moderate | Permitted | EURid |
| .fr Europe | France | Regional (EU) | Open to natural persons residing in the European Union or companies registered within the EU/EEA territory. | Low | Permitted | AFNIC |
| .jp Asia-Pacific | Japan | Strict Domestic | Permanent residential address or corporate registration physically located in Japan. | High Legal Risk | Forbidden | Japan Registry Services (JPRS) |
| .no Europe | Norway | Strict Domestic | Must possess an active Norwegian national identity number (Fodselsnummer) for individuals or a Norwegian Brønnøysund registration number for businesses. | High Legal Risk | Forbidden | Norid |
| .au Asia-Pacific | Australia | Strict Domestic | Australian Business Number (ABN), Australian Company Number (ACN), citizen passport, or Australian registered trademark. | High Legal Risk | Forbidden | .au Domain Administration (auDA) |
| .us Americas | United States | Conditional | US Nexus Requirement: US citizen, permanent resident, entity incorporated in the US, or foreign entity with bona fide presence or business dealings in the US. | High Legal Risk | Forbidden | GoDaddy Registry (US Department of Commerce contractor) |
| .uk Europe | United Kingdom | Conditional | Open globally for .co.uk and .uk, but foreign registrants must provide a valid service address if challenged. | Low | Permitted | Nominet UK |
| .ai Global Vanity ccTLD | Anguilla | Unrestricted | None. Open globally to any individual or business with zero residency restrictions. | None (Unrestricted) | Permitted | Government of Anguilla / Data Solutions Inc. |
| .io Global Vanity ccTLD | British Indian Ocean Territory | Unrestricted | None. Completely unrestricted registration globally. | None (Unrestricted) | Permitted | Identity Digital (Internet Computer Bureau) |
| .co Global Vanity ccTLD | Colombia | Unrestricted | None. Fully commercialized global namespace since 2010. | None (Unrestricted) | Permitted | GoDaddy Registry (.CO Internet SAS) |
| .me Global Vanity ccTLD | Montenegro | Unrestricted | None. Commercialized globally for personal branding and domain hacks. | None (Unrestricted) | Permitted | doMEn d.o.o. |
| .tv Global Vanity ccTLD | Tuvalu | Unrestricted | None. Unrestricted global registration. | None (Unrestricted) | Permitted | GoDaddy Registry |
| .sg Asia-Pacific | Singapore | Strict Domestic | Requires verified SingPass credentials for Singapore citizens or Corppass for registered Singapore businesses. | Moderate | Forbidden | Singapore Network Information Centre (SGNIC) |