How do I buy my .coop and .creditunion domain name?
Domain names can be bought by any ICANN-accredited registrar that has also been accredited by DotCooperation, specifically for the registration of .coop or .creditunion names. You can find a list of .coop registrars here and .creditunion registrars here.
If you have previously purchased a domain name, you can check your registrar’s site on the procedure to purchase more names. You can also register names from any other registrar and you can simultaneously hold .coop or .creditunion names with more than one registrar.
How much does it cost to register a .coop or .creditunion domain name?
Registration fees for domain names are set by each Registrar and can vary based on options that are included with the domain name as well as the length of registration. Each registrar determines the prices and contractual terms it offers, as allowed by ICANN. When you register a domain name, you enter into a legal agreement with your domain name registrar. Each registrar should give you access to the registration agreement via an online interface.
How can I determine if the domain name I want is available?
Use the domain search tool in the homepage to see if the name you want is available for registration. If it’s not available you can check who has registered it by running a WHOIS search, which will reveal the registration record of that domain.
What if I don’t want my information to be in the WHOIS records?
ICANN requires that each registry provide WHOIS information for each domain name that is registered.
How do I make changes in the information in .coop WHOIS?
All changes to information about your .coop domain name must be submitted to your registrar. Contact your registrar if you have questions about updates to WHOIS information.
Can my organization use more than one domain name for our website?
Yes. Many businesses use multiple domain names – in many different extensions – to point to their website. Large organizations tend to register their name in every available extension to reinforce their brand globally and often defensively, to ensure no other entity registers their trademark.
What should I do if I cannot locate my login details to manage my domain names?
Contact your registrar directly for this information using the process they will have published on their web site. You can do a WHOIS search of your domain name to determine who your registrar is and to access their website for more information.
Can I change my domain name after my registration is complete?
Changes to domain names (spelling, etc.) are not allowed after they have been registered. Check with your registrar for any different procedures.
How do I activate my domain name?
To confirm what steps you need to take to activate your domains, review the information on your registrar’s website and apply the DNS changes on the interface.
Are there any restrictions on names I can register in .coop?
Domain names in the .coop TLD should include only letters, numbers and dashes (-). Spaces and other special characters are not allowed.
Two-character names are initially reserved. Permission from the appropriate government and country code manager or the ISO 3166 maintenance agency is required for registration of these names in .coop. DotCoop will work with potential registrants to determine the availability of two-character names of interest.
Names that contain hyphens in positions 3 and 4 are also reserved for future support of IDN (International Domain Names).
Details on why a name is unavailable can be obtained by e-mail to support@identity.coop.
Can we buy a name if our co-op is not fully organized?
Yes, you can purchase a name for your co-op as it is being formed. DotCooperation recognizes the need to create your Internet identity as an integral part of the start-up of any company in today’s world. However, DotCooperation reserves the right to review your eligibility after an appropriate time and revoke your .coop domains with no refund, if the organization that is created is not eligible as defined by the Eligibility Policy. Generally, DotCooperation reviews such registrations within six months of registration.
Can I register a third level .coop domain?
.Coop does not support the independent registration of third level domains (e.g. level3.mydomain.coop). Co-ops can created third level domains for their own internal system use but cannot set up third-level domains to be used by external entities.