Domain extension .org
Buy a .org domain: price, renewal and rules
The .org stands for organisations, associations and projects with a cause. Even so, any person or company may register it – the registry does not ask for proof of non-profit status.
- Registration
- CHF 12.90
- in the first year · incl. VAT
- Renewal
- CHF 28.90
- per year · incl. VAT
- Transfer
- CHF 27.90
Is your .org domain still available?
The .org domain at a glance
.org has existed since the early days of the domain name system. Since 2003 the extension has been managed by the Public Interest Registry (PIR), a non-profit organisation founded by the Internet Society. As with .com and .net, ICANN rules apply to registration, expiry and transfer.
Who may register a .org?
According to PIR, .org is open and unrestricted: associations, foundations, schools, parishes and charities use it, as do individuals, families, open-source projects and companies with social commitments. You need neither a commercial register entry nor confirmation of tax exemption. It is best to enter the organisation itself as the holder, not a private person from the board – that way the domain stays with the association when roles change.
Rules for the name
- Up to 63 characters before the dot; letters, digits and hyphens are allowed (not at the beginning or end).
- Accents and umlauts are possible as IDN, e.g. for French or German association names.
- Term of 1 to 10 years. For associations a multi-year registration is often worthwhile, so that renewal does not fall through during a change of board.
- After registration the holder’s e-mail address must be confirmed, otherwise the domain can be suspended.
Cost and renewal
At HostOn a .org costs CHF 12.90 for the first year and CHF 28.90 per year from the second year. Plan your association’s budget with the renewal price. Automatic renewal is active. If it is switched off and forgotten, the website and e-mail go offline. After deletion there are 30 days to recover the domain for an additional fee – after that someone else can register it.
Transferring a .org to HostOn
If the .org is currently with another provider or with a former board member, get the auth code there. The transfer costs CHF 27.90 and extends the domain by one year. It takes up to 5 days. After registration or transfer there is currently a 60-day lock, which ICANN is shortening to 30 days. Before the transfer, check that the holder details are still correct.
.org or .ch for your association?
In Switzerland, an association that is mainly active locally is usually searched for under a .ch. The .org suits organisations with an international dimension, multilingual projects or cases where the .ch is already taken. Many organisations register both extensions and redirect one to the other.
Who is .org suitable for?
For associations, federations, foundations, NGOs, open-source and education projects, initiatives and campaigns – wherever selling is not the main focus. Companies also use .org for their foundation or a charitable programme.
Use a role address such as domain@your-association.org as the contact instead of a personal e-mail address. That way, notices about the domain reach the right person even after a change on the board.
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions we are asked most often about this service.
No. The .org is open and unrestricted. Individuals and companies can register it too.
Ideally the association itself, with a role address as the e-mail contact. That way the domain stays with the association after a change of board.
CHF 12.90 for the first year and CHF 28.90 per year from the second year. A transfer costs CHF 27.90 and extends the domain by one year.
Yes, as an internationalised domain name (IDN). For e-mail addresses, also register the spelling without special characters.
For local associations the .ch is usually the first choice. The .org is worthwhile with an international dimension or as an addition with a redirect.
