Eligibility for .gov domains
Only verified U.S. government organizations can register and operate a .gov domain
For a fee, anyone can register a .com, .org, or .us domain. .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 having 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
- Interstate: an organization of two or more states
- 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
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 an authorizing official within your organization
Your authorizing 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 authorizing 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 requestor.
Read more about authorizing officials for:
- Executive branch federal agencies
- Judicial branch federal agencies
- Legislative branch federal agencies
- Interstate organizations
- U.S. states and territories
- Tribal governments
- Counties
- Cities
- Special districts
- School districts
Executive branch federal agencies
Domain requests from executive branch federal agencies must be authorized by the agency’s CIO or the head of the agency.
See OMB Memorandum M-23-10 for more information.
Judicial branch federal agencies
Domain requests for judicial branch federal 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.
Legislative branch federal agencies
U.S. Senate
Domain requests from the U.S. Senate must come from the Senate Sergeant at Arms.
U.S. House of Representatives
Domain requests from the U.S. House of Representatives must come from the House Chief Administrative Officer.
Other legislative branch agencies
Domain requests from legislative branch agencies must come from the agency’s head or CIO.
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.
Interstate organizations
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 governors or CIOs.
U.S. states and territories
States and territories: executive branch
Domain requests from states and territories must be authorized by the governor or someone in a role of significant, executive responsibility within the agency (department secretary, senior technology officer, or equivalent).
States and territories: judicial and legislative branches
Domain requests from state legislatures and courts must be authorized by an agency’s CIO or someone in a role of significant, executive responsibility within the agency.
Tribal governments
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.
Counties
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.
Cities
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).
Special districts
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).
School districts
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.
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.
Requirements for requesting a .gov domain
- You must be a government employee, or be working on behalf of a government organization, to request a .gov domain.
- You must have a Login.gov account. Login.gov provides a simple and secure process for signing in to many government services with one account.
- Before you request your first .gov domain, you must verify your identity with Login.gov. This is a necessary layer of security that requires you to prove you are you, and not someone pretending to be you. Get help with Login.gov.
If you have the information you need, requesting your domain might take around 15 minutes.
