Registering and renewing .eu domain names in the UK

This guide explains what UK-based individuals and organisations need to do if they want to register or renew .eu domain names.

How can I register a .eu domain name?

To register a .eu domain name, you must first check that you meet the eligibility rules. You should then choose your domain name and complete the registration through an accredited domain name registrar.

Check if you are eligible for .eu domain

You cannot register or renew .eu domain names if:

• your organisation, business or undertaking is established in the UK but not in the EU/European Economic Area (EEA) or
• you live outside of the EU/EEA and are not an EU/EEA citizen

You can only register or hold .eu domain names if you are:

• an EU/EEA citizen, independently of where you live
• not an EU/EEA citizen but resident in an EU/EEA country
• an organisation, business or undertaking that is established in an EU/EEA country

You may still satisfy the eligibility criteria if you have your registered office, central administration, or principal place of business within the EU/EEA, are established within the EU/EEA, or are a natural person resident in the EU/EEA.

Check EURid Knowledge Centre for the current eligibility rules for .eu domain names.

If you have other EU country code domains

Similar eligibility restrictions may apply to country code domains for EU Member States, such as .fr or .it. You should check with your registrar that you are still eligible to hold those domains and what action you may need to take

EU citizens living in the UK

EU citizens who are resident in the UK can register and renew .eu domain names, because eligibility is based on EU citizenship as well as where you live. If you are an EU citizen living in the UK and have registered or plan to register a .eu domain name, your registrar may ask you to provide proof of your EU citizenship or other eligibility (for example, passport details or proof of an EU/EEA establishment).

Legal basis for .eu domain names

The eligibility rules for .eu domain names are set out in Regulation (EU) 2019/517, particularly Article 3. You should read the regulation and seek legal advice if you need to confirm how the rules apply to your situation.

Historic changes for UK registrants

Following the UK’s exit from the EU, .eu domain names held by registrants who did not meet the eligibility criteria were suspended, then withdrawn, and were finally revoked and made available for general registration from 3 January 2022.

These changes have now taken effect and do not affect new registrations that meet the current eligibility criteria.

If you do not meet the eligibility criteria for .eu registration

If you no longer meet the eligibility criteria for a .eu domain name, you should speak to your domain name registrar about your options. You may need to move your website and email to another top level domain, for example .com, .co.uk, .net or .org.

Your registrar can advise you on:

• choosing and registering an alternative domain
• setting up redirects or a holding page to send users to your new domain
• updating search engine optimisation so customers can still find you online

You should also review your contract with your registrar to see whether it covers suspension, withdrawal or revocation of a .eu domain name, and what remedies may be available.

Plan your migration to another domain name

If you need to stop using a .eu domain, you should make a clear plan to move all websites, email addresses and linked services to a new domain, including exporting any data you still need. This is important because losing access without planning can cut off customer communications, disrupt payments and government services, lock you out of online accounts, and affect intellectual property linked to your .eu domain.

You should always check the latest information from EURid or your registrar, as policies and procedures can change.