Eligibility for .gov domains
Only verified U.S. government organizations can register and operate a .gov domain
Anyone can register a .com, .org, or .us domain for a fee. .Gov domains are different because they’re only available to U.S.-based government organizations, and they’re free.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) manages the .gov top-level domain. We verify the identity of everyone who requests a .gov domain and we make sure that their organization meets the criteria for registering a .gov domain.
Government organizations at all levels are eligible for .gov domains
If you’re eligible to have a .gov domain, we want you to get one. The types of government organizations eligible for .gov domains include:
- Federal: an agency of the U.S. government’s legislative, executive, or judicial branches
- State or territory: one of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands
- Tribal: a tribal government recognized by the federal or a state government
- County: a county, parish, or borough
- City: a city, town, township, village, etc.
- Special district: an independent government that delivers specialized, essential services
- School district: a school district that is not part of a local government
- Interstate: an organization of two or more states
How we determine eligibility
After you request a .gov domain, we’ll review the information you provided about your organization. We use the U.S. Census Bureau’s criteria for classifying governments to help determine eligibility. In some cases, we’ll ask for more information (such as legislation, a charter, or bylaws) to verify eligibility.
You must have approval from a senior official within your organization
Your senior official is a person within your organization who can authorize your domain request. This person must be in a role of significant, executive responsibility within the organization.
When you request a .gov domain, we’ll ask for information about your senior official (role, contact information). We typically don’t reach out to them, but if contact is necessary, our practice is to coordinate first with you, the requester.
Read more about senior officials for your organization:
Domain requests must be authorized by the agency’s CIO or the head of the agency. A request must be submitted by the agency’s organization admin or another person with request permissions.
See OMB Memorandum M-23-10 for more information.
U.S. Senate
Domain requests from the U.S. Senate must be authorized by the Senate CIO. A request must be submitted by the agency’s organization admin or another person with request permissions.
U.S. House of Representatives
Domain requests from the U.S. House of Representatives must be authorized by the House CIO. The request must be submitted by the agency’s organization admin or another person with request permissions.
Other legislative branch agencies or commissions
Domain requests from legislative branch agencies must come from the agency’s head or CIO. A request must be submitted by the agency’s organization admin or another person with request permissions.
Domain requests from legislative commissions must come from the head of the commission, or the head or CIO of the parent agency, if there is one. A request must be submitted by the commission’s organization admin or another person with request permissions.
Domain requests for judicial branch agencies, except the U.S. Supreme Court, must be authorized by the director or CIO of the Administrative Office (AO) of the United States Courts.
Domain requests from the U.S. Supreme Court must be authorized by the director of information technology for the U.S. Supreme Court.
A request must be submitted by the agency’s organization admin or another person with request permissions.
Executive branch
Domain requests from states and territories must be authorized by someone in a role of significant, executive responsibility within the agency (department secretary, senior technology officer, or equivalent).
Judicial and legislative branches
Domain requests from state and territory legislatures and courts must be authorized by an agency’s CIO or someone in a role of significant, executive responsibility within the agency.
Domain requests from federally recognized tribal governments must be authorized by the tribal leader the Bureau of Indian Affairs recognizes.
Domain requests from state-recognized tribal governments must be authorized by the tribal leader the individual state recognizes.
Domain requests from counties must be authorized by the commission chair or someone in a role of significant, executive responsibility within the county (county judge, county mayor, parish/borough president, senior technology officer, or equivalent). Other county-level offices (county clerk, sheriff, county auditor, comptroller) may qualify, as well, in some instances.
Domain requests from cities must be authorized by someone in a role of significant, executive responsibility within the city (mayor, council president, city manager, township/village supervisor, select board chairperson, chief, senior technology officer, or equivalent).
Domain requests from special districts must be authorized by someone in a role of significant, executive responsibility within the district (CEO, chair, executive director, senior technology officer, or equivalent).
Domain requests from school district governments must be authorized by someone in a role of significant, executive responsibility within the district (board chair, superintendent, senior technology officer, or equivalent).
We use the U.S. Census Bureau’s definition of school district governments.
Domain requests from interstate organizations must be authorized by someone in a role of significant, executive responsibility within the organization (president, director, chair, senior technology officer, or equivalent) or one of the state’s CIOs.
Request your .gov domain
If you’re ready to request your .gov domain, then get started. You don’t have to complete the process in one session. You can save what you enter and come back to it when you’re ready.
Before you request a .gov domain
You're about to start a request for a .gov domain. Domains are approved only for authorized requesters from eligible U.S.-based government organizations that meet our naming requirements.
- Non-federal organizations: You must be a government employee or work on behalf of the government in a technological, administrative, or executive capacity.
- Federal organizations: These agencies limit who can submit requests on their behalf. Federal employees should coordinate with their CIO office to obtain the appropriate internal approvals.
Before you request a domain, you must have a Login.gov account and verify your identity. This is a necessary layer of security that requires you to prove you are you, and not someone pretending to be you.
If you have the information you need, this might take around 15 minutes.
