Country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) local presence and eligibility requirements cross-reference
Many country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs) -- .ca, .us, .au and roughly 250 others -- restrict who may register a domain, requiring some form of local presence: citizenship, permanent residency, local incorporation, or a substitute path such as a national trademark. Each registry publishes its own eligibility policy in its own format (CIRA's page for .ca, NTIA's policy document for .us, auDA's rules document for .au), and no cross-registry table exists comparing them. Each record is one eligibility category a registry recognizes, with the specific condition quoted verbatim from the registry's own policy, plus our label for what kind of connection to the country that category actually asks for -- which is the axis a reader compares on. Answers 'can I register a .ca domain if I am not Canadian', 'what counts as US nexus for a .us domain', 'does an Australian trademark qualify me for a .au domain'. Starting slice: three registries (Canada, United States, Australia); scaling requires repeating the fetch-and-confirm process per additional registry, which is the maintenance burden that made a comprehensive cross-reference uneconomic to keep current by hand.
Records39
Sources3
Verified
Review by
LicenceRegistry policy documents cited for their facts (eligibility conditions), not reproduced in full
The data
| Eligibility category | ccTLD / jurisdiction | Condition | What the connection rests on | Policy document | Set out under |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident visa holder | .au (Australia) | an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident visa holder | citizenship or residency | .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing | Australian Presence |
| Australian Trade Mark | .au (Australia) | the applicant or owner of an Australian Trade Mark can rely upon that application or registration to establish an Australian presence, but only in respect of a domain name that is an exact match of the words which are the subject of the Australian Trade Mark application or registration | trademark | .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing | Australian Presence |
| Charity | .au (Australia) | a Charity registered under the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Act 2012 (Cth), and which appears on the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission’s Charities and Not-for-Profits Register | registration or incorporation under national law | .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing | Australian Presence |
| Commonwealth entity | .au (Australia) | a Commonwealth entity as defined in section 10 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (Cth) | government or Crown status | .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing | Australian Presence |
| company registered under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) | .au (Australia) | a company registered under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) | registration or incorporation under national law | .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing | Australian Presence |
| Cooperative | .au (Australia) | a Cooperative registered under State or Territory legislation and which appears on the State or Territory register of cooperatives | registration or incorporation under national law | .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing | Australian Presence |
| Educational Institution | .au (Australia) | an Educational Institution regulated under an Australian State, Territory or Commonwealth law | recognition or licensing by a national authority | .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing | Australian Presence |
| entity issued with an Australian Business Number | .au (Australia) | an entity issued with an Australian Business Number under the A New Tax System (Australian Business Number) Act 1999 (Cth) | registration or incorporation under national law | .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing | Australian Presence |
| foreign embassy or consulate | .au (Australia) | a foreign embassy or consulate that has a representative office or headquarters in Australia and is accredited by the Australian Government from time to time | physical presence in the country | .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing | Australian Presence |
| Government | .au (Australia) | Government, being either the Crown or a Commonwealth, State or Territory statutory agency | government or Crown status | .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing | Australian Presence |
| Incorporated Association | .au (Australia) | an Incorporated Association under State or Territory legislation | registration or incorporation under national law | .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing | Australian Presence |
| Indigenous Corporation | .au (Australia) | an Indigenous Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth) on the Register of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporations | registration or incorporation under national law | .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing | Australian Presence |
| Partnership | .au (Australia) | a Partnership under the relevant Australian State or Territory law where at least one of the partners are Australian citizens or permanent resident visa holders or an Australian body corporate | citizenship or residency | .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing | Australian Presence |
| Political Party | .au (Australia) | a Political Party registered under the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 (Cth) or State or Territory Electoral Act and which appears on the Register of Political Parties or as otherwise named | registration or incorporation under national law | .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing | Australian Presence |
| Registered Organisation | .au (Australia) | a Registered Organisation that is: (a) an association of employers; (b) an association of employees (union); or (c) an enterprise association; registered under the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 (Cth) and which appears on the Register of Organisations | registration or incorporation under national law | .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing | Australian Presence |
| Registrable Body | .au (Australia) | a registrable Australian body or a foreign company under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) which has an Australian Registered Body Number (ARBN) | registration or incorporation under national law | .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing | Australian Presence |
| Trust | .au (Australia) | a Trust where the trustee must be an Australian citizen or the trustee is an Australian body corporate | citizenship or residency | .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing | Australian Presence |
| Unincorporated Association | .au (Australia) | an Unincorporated Association formed in an Australian State or Territory with at least its management committee being Australian citizens or permanent resident visa holders | citizenship or residency | .au Domain Administration Rules: Licensing | Australian Presence |
| Aboriginal Peoples | .ca (Canada) | Any Inuit, First Nation, Metis or other people indigenous to Canada, any individual belonging to any Inuit, First Nation, Metis or other people indigenous to Canada and any collectivity of such Aboriginal peoples | Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrants | Canadian Presence Requirements | |
| Association | .ca (Canada) | An unincorporated organization, association or club: at least 80% of whose members: (A) are ordinarily resident in Canada (if such members are individuals); or (B) meet one of the conditions set out in paragraphs (a) to (f) above (if such members are not individuals); and at least 80% of whose directors, officers, employees, managers, administrators or other representatives are ordinarily resident in Canada | citizenship or residency | Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrants | Canadian Presence Requirements |
| Canadian citizen | .ca (Canada) | A Canadian citizen of the age of majority under the laws of the province or territory in Canada in which he or she resides or last resided | citizenship or residency | Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrants | Canadian Presence Requirements |
| Corporation | .ca (Canada) | A corporation under the laws of Canada or any province or territory of Canada | registration or incorporation under national law | Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrants | Canadian Presence Requirements |
| Educational institution | .ca (Canada) | a university or college which is located in Canada and which is authorized or recognized as a university or college under an Act of the legislature of a province or territory of Canada; or a college, post-secondary school, vocational school, secondary school, pre-school or other school or educational institution which is located in Canada and which is recognized by the educational authorities of a province or territory of Canada or licensed under or maintained by an Act of Parliament of Canada or of the legislature of a province or territory of Canada | recognition or licensing by a national authority | Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrants | Canadian Presence Requirements |
| Government | .ca (Canada) | Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, a province or a territory; an agent of Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, of a province or of a territory; a federal, provincial or territorial Crown corporation, government agency or government entity; or a regional, municipal or local area government | government or Crown status | Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrants | Canadian Presence Requirements |
| Her Majesty the Queen | .ca (Canada) | Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second and her successors | government or Crown status | Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrants | Canadian Presence Requirements |
| Hospital | .ca (Canada) | A hospital which is located in Canada and which is licensed, authorized or approved to operate as a hospital under an Act of the legislature of a province or territory of Canada | recognition or licensing by a national authority | Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrants | Canadian Presence Requirements |
| Indian band | .ca (Canada) | Any Indian band as defined in the Indian Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. I-5, as amended from time to time, and any group of Indian bands | status defined by national statute | Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrants | Canadian Presence Requirements |
| Legal representative | .ca (Canada) | An executor, administrator or other legal representative of a Person listed in paragraph (a) and (b) above | representative of another qualifying registrant | Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrants | Canadian Presence Requirements |
| Library, Archive or Museum | .ca (Canada) | An institution, whether or not incorporated, that: is located in Canada; and is not established or conducted for profit or does not form part of, or is not administered or directly or indirectly controlled by, a body that is established or conducted for profit, in which is held and maintained a collection of documents and other materials that is open to the public or to researchers | located in the country | Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrants | Canadian Presence Requirements |
| Official marks | .ca (Canada) | A Person which does not meet any of the foregoing conditions, but which is a Person intended to be protected by Subsection 9(1) of the TradeMarks Act (Canada) at whose request the Registrar of Trade-marks has published notice of adoption of any badge, crest, emblem, official mark or other mark pursuant to Subsection 9(1) | trademark | Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrants | Canadian Presence Requirements |
| Partnership | .ca (Canada) | A partnership, more than 66.6% of whose partners meet one of the conditions set out in paragraphs (a) to (e) above, which is registered as a partnership under the laws of any province or territory of Canada | registration or incorporation under national law | Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrants | Canadian Presence Requirements |
| Permanent resident | .ca (Canada) | A permanent resident as defined in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, (Canada) S.C. 2001, c. 27, as amended from time to time, who is ordinarily resident in Canada (as defined below) and of the age of majority under the laws of the province or territory in Canada in which he or she resides or last resided | citizenship or residency | Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrants | Canadian Presence Requirements |
| Political party | .ca (Canada) | A political party registered under a relevant electoral law of Canada or any province or territory of Canada | registration or incorporation under national law | Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrants | Canadian Presence Requirements |
| Trade-mark registered in Canada | .ca (Canada) | A Person which does not meet any of the foregoing conditions, but which is the owner of a trade-mark which is the subject of a registration under the Trade-marks Act (Canada) R.S.C. 1985, c.T-13 as amended from time to time, but in this case such permission is limited to an application to register a .ca domain name consisting of or including the exact word component of that registered trade-mark | trademark | Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrants | Canadian Presence Requirements |
| Trade union | .ca (Canada) | A trade union which is recognized by a labour board under the laws of Canada or any province or territory of Canada and which has its head office in Canada | recognition or licensing by a national authority | Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrants | Canadian Presence Requirements |
| Trust | .ca (Canada) | A trust established and subsisting under the laws of a province or territory of Canada, more than 66.6% of whose trustees meet one of the conditions set out in paragraphs (a) to (d) above | registration or incorporation under national law | Canadian Presence Requirements for Registrants | Canadian Presence Requirements |
| Nexus Category 1 | .us (United States) | A natural person (i) who is a United States citizen, (ii) who is a permanent resident of the United States of America or any of its possessions or territories, or (iii) whose primary place of domicile is in the United States of America or any of its possessions | citizenship or residency | The usTLD Nexus Requirements | Nexus Policy |
| Nexus Category 2 | .us (United States) | A United States entity or organization that is (i) incorporated within one of the fifty (50) U.S. states, the District of Columbia, or any of the United States possessions or territories, or (ii) organized or otherwise constituted under the laws of a state of the United States of America, the District of Columbia or any of its possessions or (including a federal, state, or local government of the United States, or a political subdivision thereof, and non-commercial organizations based in the United States) | registration or incorporation under national law | The usTLD Nexus Requirements | Nexus Policy |
| Nexus Category 3 | .us (United States) | A foreign entity or organization that has a bona fide presence in the United States of America or any of its possessions or territories | physical presence in the country | The usTLD Nexus Requirements | Nexus Policy |
Where this came from
Every record above links the page it was taken from and quotes the sentence that states it. These are the 3 sources this dataset was assembled from.
- auda.org.auhttps://www.auda.org.au/au-domain-names/au-rules-and-policies/au-domain-administration-rules-licensing-2/
- cira.cahttps://www.cira.ca/en/resources/documents/domains/canadian-presence-requirements-registrants/
- ntia.govhttps://www.ntia.gov/files/ntia/publications/ustld2007_34_apph_nexus.pdf
Machine-readable
- data.jsonThe whole dataset — every record with its source URL and source quote.
- Open Knowledge Format bundleOne JSON object per line — every record's frontmatter and quoted span exactly as it is held here, in one fetch.
- How this is made and checkedWhat "verified against source" does and does not mean.
From your own code
Same records, same quotes, without scraping the page: refsource is on PyPI and npm. Each value comes back carrying the URL it was read from and the sentence on that page that states it — .source and .quote sit on the value itself rather than in a side channel, so the checking step is available instead of skipped.
pip install refsource
refsource lookup cctld-local-presence-eligibility-cross-reference presence_basis="citizenship or residency"
npx -y refsource lookup cctld-local-presence-eligibility-cross-reference presence_basis="citizenship or residency"