FAQ

About .ART domains

Who can register a .ART domain?

Anyone: individual artists, galleries, museums, art schools, foundations, brands, collectors, art-tech companies and everyone who cares about art and culture. .ART is the international top-level domain for the global arts and cultural community, and registration is open worldwide.

Why choose .ART over .com or another extension?

A .ART domain shows at a glance what you do. Unlike the generic .com, .ART is a namespace built for the arts community and used by many museums, galleries, artists and institutions around the world. It is short, meaningful and easy to recognise, and the domain itself becomes part of your identity.

Pricing

How much does a standard .ART domain cost?

Prices are set by each registrar. First-year and renewal prices may differ, and some registrars offer first-year discounts. Check actual prices with the registrars and compare the services they include.

What are premium domains?

Premium domains are sought-after generic words or word combinations: usually shorter, more memorable, related to the arts and cultural industry, or otherwise especially valuable, such as act.art or impressionism.art. .ART has identified these names through data analysis and prices them according to their predicted value.

Why are premium domains more expensive than standard ones?

At every domain registry, more sought-after names are usually priced higher. .ART has run a big-data analysis of millions of word forms and estimates the value of a name using these parameters:

• search popularity;
• word length;
• prior domain sales;
• how often the name is registered in other top-level domains;
• strength of association with arts and culture.

What are the first-year and renewal prices for premium domains?

The first-year price depends on the name and its price tier, ranging from under 100 US dollars to several thousand, and applies to the first year only. The renewal price is higher than for standard domains and depends on the registrar and any bundled services; it is the same regardless of what you paid for the first year.

Availability

The domain I searched for shows as “unavailable” or “registered”. Why?

Possible reasons:

• someone else has already registered it;
• it is unregistered but reserved by the .ART registry for later use;
• ICANN does not allow certain names to be released, including some common words, for technical or policy reasons.

Even with these restrictions, millions of letter and number combinations remain available. If you would like to register a name that shows as unavailable, ask your registrar or write to enquiry@e.art.

Why does the same domain show different results at different registrars?

This usually happens with premium domains. Some registrars do not offer premium domains; this is their own business decision. A premium name will then show as “unavailable” at such a registrar, while it may still be available at a registrar that offers premium names.

Names and trademarks

My gallery represents several artists. Can I register their “name.art” domains?

.ART registration policies are clear: registering a domain must not violate third-party rights. The relationship between your gallery and the artists you represent is a matter for you to agree with the artists.

I own the trademark “john”. Do I have priority to register john.art?

No. .ART domains are registered on a first-come, first-served basis, and owning a trademark does not by itself give you priority. If someone else has registered a domain matching your trademark, you may use the remedies described below.

I own the trademark “john”, but john.art is registered by someone else. What remedies are available?

In addition to traditional legal remedies, ICANN has established two dispute resolution procedures for possible trademark infringement:

• Uniform Rapid Suspension System (URS): procedure;
• Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP): policy.

I already own the same name in another extension (for example, domainname.net). Do I have priority for the .ART version?

No. Owning the same name in another top-level domain does not automatically give you priority. If you want the .ART version, the best course is to register it as soon as possible, before someone else does.

How do I know I am not infringing someone's trademark when registering a domain?

.ART registry policies are clear: a domain may not be registered or used to infringe another party's trademark. Registrants are responsible for making appropriate checks before registering and using a .ART domain. Infringement usually means registering someone else's trademark and then going further, for example presenting yourself as the trademark holder's business or trying to sell the domain to the trademark holder at an inflated price.

Registration, real-name verification and transfers

Where can I register a .ART domain?

.ART domains are sold through ICANN-accredited registrars. The list of partner registrars in mainland China is in How to register.

Is real-name verification required to register a .ART domain?

Yes. Under Chinese regulations, domains registered in mainland China must complete real-name verification (实名认证). Verification is handled by the registrar; follow the registrar's instructions for the documents and steps required.

Can I transfer my .ART domain to another registrar?

Yes. .ART domains can be transferred between any ICANN-accredited registrars that offer .ART, following the standard ICANN inter-registrar transfer process. Your current registrar provides the authorisation code (EPP code) needed for the transfer.

Can I sell or transfer my .ART domain later?

Yes. As with any other domain, you can transfer a .ART domain at any time. Transfers between owners and between registrars follow the standard ICANN process.

Is privacy protection available for .ART domains?

Most registrars offer WHOIS privacy protection, either free or as a paid service. If privacy matters to you, check that it is available before you choose a registrar.

Technical questions

How do I point my .ART domain to my existing website?

You can usually set this up in your registrar's domain dashboard. If the option is not available there, your web hosting provider can configure it for you.

How do I build a website on my .ART domain?

You can work with a professional web developer or use a website builder. Many registrars also offer website-building services and templates, so you can put a simple site online without technical skills.

Can I use email on my .ART domain?

Yes. Most registrars offer email hosting (for example, you@yourname.art) directly or through partners. You can also use another email provider by configuring the corresponding MX records.

Does .ART support DNSSEC and HTTPS?

Yes. .ART supports DNSSEC, which adds a layer of cryptographic security to DNS resolution. Standard SSL/TLS certificates (HTTPS) work on .ART just as on any other domain. Most registrars and hosting providers offer free or paid certificates.

Will switching my website to .ART affect my search ranking?

Search engines index .ART like any other top-level domain, and Google has confirmed that it treats new top-level domains such as .ART in the same way as traditional extensions such as .com. When migrating your site, following standard practice (301 redirects, an updated sitemap and canonical tags) helps preserve your existing rankings.

Glossary

.ART

The top-level domain for the international arts and cultural community.

ICANN

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. The .ART registry has a contract with ICANN to operate the .ART top-level domain.

Premium domain

A domain with a higher predicted value than standard names, registered at a corresponding price.

Registrant

The holder of a registered .ART domain.

Registrar

An organisation authorised by ICANN and contracted with the .ART registry to provide .ART domain registration services to registrants and their representatives.

Registry

The organisation that operates a top-level domain (here, .ART).

Reserved domain

A domain the registry has held back from registration and may, at its discretion, later release for registration or allocation.

TLD

Top-level domain, for example .ART.

UDRP

The Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy, established by ICANN to resolve disputes over domain registrations.

URS

The Uniform Rapid Suspension System, a rights-protection mechanism that offers a faster, lower-cost remedy in clear-cut cases of trademark infringement.