I have developed an interest in the .is domain zone, as some of my favorite sites use it. I want to expand my knowledge about this domain zone, including its cost, registrars, reissue process, whois protection, potential abuses, requirements, pitfalls, and more. It is possible that I will choose a domain in this zone for one of my projects, so your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Additionally, if you have any personal experience or insights regarding the .is domain zone, I would be interested to hear about it.

The .is domain zone is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Iceland, managed by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). While primarily used by entities connected with Iceland, it has also been used elsewhere for domain hacks, as "is" can be a word in many languages.

Costs: The price for the .is domain zone can vary depending on the registrar you choose.  prices typically range from about
40to80 USD per year, but they can change with time and depending on specific registration services.

Registrars: The main registrar for the .is domain zone is ISNIC (Icelandic Network Information Centre). However, many popular domain registrars like NameCheap, GoDaddy, or Gandi.net also offer .is domains.

Reissue Process: If a domain name expires, ISNIC provides a limited time frame (usually 30 days) during which the original domain owner can re-register the domain. If it is not re-registered within that time, the domain is released and can be registered by anyone.

WHOIS Protection: Unlike generic TLDs, ccTLDs are not obliged to offer WHOIS privacy. It's always worth checking with the registrar if they support WHOIS privacy for .is domains. ISNIC's WHOIS database publicly showed the details of the domain holder, with the exception of individuals outside of Iceland and organizations for which revealing such information would violate the Icelandic privacy law.

Potential Abuses: The .is domain zone, like any domain zone, can be used for spamming, hacking, and other malicious activities. However, ISNIC has a reputation for maintaining a relatively clean namespace. The ISNIC team might even proactively suspend domains that are being used for malicious purposes.

Requirements: there were no restrictions on who can register .is domains; no local presence in Iceland is required. However, it's recommended to check with the chosen registrar, as rules may change over time.

Pitfalls: With any domain registration, always be aware of the terms and conditions, including what happens if you want to transfer the domain to a new registrar or the term of ownership. Some registrars offer lower introductory prices that increase significantly upon renewal.

Lastly, popular extensions like .is might have higher demand, so the domain name you want may not be available. It is a small but creative namespace, attracting businesses, blogs, and domain hacks alike. Consider registering your desired domain name as soon as possible if it's currently available.


More specific points regarding the .is domain zone can include:

Renewals and Expiration: Check with your registrar on the process for renewals and what happens when you allow a domain to expire. Some registrars provide grace periods, while others may charge fees to restore expired domains. Remember to keep your contact info up-to-date, as notifications about renewals/expirations are sent to the registered email.

Transfer process: Generally, if you want to transfer your .is domain name to another registrar (or from one owner to another), you usually can, but there may be transfer fees involved. The process usually involves the current domain owner (or the admin contact) authorizing the move, which triggers an email from the new domain registrar that contains a link that must be clicked to confirm the move.

Dispute Resolution: Disputes about the ownership of .is domains are typically governed by the laws of Iceland and regulations set by ISNIC. If a legal dispute arises, it's possible that you might need to engage legal representation in Iceland, which could prove costly and complex, depending on where you're located.

Abuse policies: ISNIC does actively remove domains that host abusive content, such as phishing or malware distribution. If a .is domain is used to host illegal content, you should be able to report it to ISNIC for inspection.

DNS Policies: For .is domains, ISNIC requires at least two nameservers on different networks to guarantee resilience. Some less rigid registrars might only require a single nameserver.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Country code-TLDs can have SEO implications as search engines might consider these sites more relevant to users in those specific countries. However, Google treats all ccTLDs (including .is) as gTLD (generic TLDs like .com, .net, etc.) so this may not be a major consideration, but something to be aware of if you're particularly focused on international SEO.


points to consider:

Ease of Use and Accessibility: It's important to choose a registrar that offers easy domain management. Look for registrars that give you simple options for setting up DNS settings, creating subdomains, and handling renewals and transfers. A good registrar should offer 24/7 customer service in case you encounter any issues.

Premium Domain Prices: Certain domains may be classified as "premium" by the registrar, which can significantly increase the price. These are often short, simple, and easily recognizable words or phrases. Make sure you verify whether the domain you want is priced normally or falls under the "premium" category.

Avoid Trademark Infringement: When choosing a domain name, make sure it isn't infringing on a trademark. This can cause legal issues and may result in losing the domain.

Choosing a Relevant Name: .is is useful for domain hacks, where the extension becomes part of the site name, like "this.is" or "who.is". Creative use of the extension can make your website more memorable.

.is is a Small Domain Zone: the .is domain zone had significantly fewer registered domains compared to generic TLDs like .com or .net. This could work to your advantage as you might be able to find more interesting available domain names. However, be aware that its smaller size doesn't necessarily imply fewer disputes or issues.

Email Services: Some registrars offer bundled email services with domain registration. If managing professional emails associated with your domain is significant for you, consider looking into the offerings and costs of this service.

Backup & Restore Options: It's always a good idea to have a backup and restore options for your website. Consider registrars providing backup services or add-ons either for free or an additional fee.

Security Measures: Make sure your chosen registrar offers robust security measures like two-factor authentication (2FA), DNSSEC support for protecting against DNS spoofing attacks, and potential added support for technologies like HSTS and CAA records.

It's a ccTLD, though. Do you really believe that forum participants have thoroughly studied the nuances of every country's domain zones? Or did they just drop everything to research for you?

Google it, finally... Some questions can be answered superficially, but you may need to invest a little time.

p.s. Is there really resistance to abuzo in the civilized world? Why would a white receptionist do that?

To find that out, you would have to navigate through .onion and various obscure gray areas, but it would be better to leave behind such things and focus on projects with more conventional topics.

ccTLDs are two-letter zones representing various countries around the world, and there are numerous of them. While popular zones may be familiar to people, it is not necessary for everyone to study the intricacies of each country's domain. Moreover, local laws can change over time.

To explore more about this, you can try visiting nic.is, utilize a translator if needed, and gain some insights.

When it comes to torrents, it seems that according to your "competitors," there is no escape for them anywhere. The key issue lies not in the domain zone but rather in the legal aspects. However, it's worth noting that even a legitimate registrar won't offer protection to anyone. To them, it's simply not worth it given the relatively low cost of $10-30.