Cabinet Office
Domain names are a valuable asset and require a long-term financial and operational commitment. The Protecting Public Sector Domains Team at the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) assigns approved .gov.uk domain names on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
Most public sector organisations must use a .gov.uk or other government domain name for their websites, emails and services. But there are circumstances when your organisation can get non-government domain names.
!! Your organisation must have a valid reason for applying for a .gov.uk domain name even if it meets the eligibility criteria.
Check if your organisation needs a .gov.uk domain
Before you apply for a .gov.uk domain name you follow these steps:
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Check if your organisation is eligible for a .gov.uk domain name.
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Check if you should use an existing .gov.uk subdomain from the Government Digital Service (GDS).
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Find out if you need an exemption from GDS to use the domain you want.
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Justify why you need a new.gov.uk if your organisation already has a third-level .gov.uk domain.
Organisations eligible for a .gov.uk domain name
Only the following organisations can apply for a .gov.uk domain name:
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central government departments or agencies
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non-departmental bodies - also known as an arms length body
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parish, town or community councils
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district, borough, city or county councils
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fire services
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combined or unitary authorities
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police and crime commissioners
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joint authorities
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joint committees
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partnership bodies
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organisations representing a group of public sector bodies
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organisations representing a profession across public sector bodies
If youre a parish council, you can ask for support getting a .gov.uk domain name by emailing parish.helper@domains.gov.uk for more information.
If your organisation is not on this list and you think you may be eligible to apply, email domainmanagement@digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk.
Some public sector organisations have a specific domain name that must be used.
| Organisation type or location | Domains you must use |
| Northern Ireland | gov.uk |
| Scotland | gov.scot |
| Wales | llyw.cymru or gov.wales |
| UK Armed Forces and Ministry of Defence | Use mod.uk and mil.uk Email hostmaster@mod.uk Call 01225 81 3657 |
| NHS | nhs.uk, nhs.wales or nhs.scot |
| Judiciary | judiciary.uk Email website.enquiries@judiciary.gsi.gov.uk |
| Police forces | police.uk Email contactcentre@college.pnn.police.uk Call 0800 496 3322 |
| Schools or universities | sch.uk or ac.uk |
| UK Parliament, Devolved National Parliaments and assemblies | .parliament.uk Email DigitalServiceHRandDevelopment@parliament.uk Call 0207 219 0277 |
Geographic and geopolitical areas that have their own country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) must not use the .gov.uk domain. For example, you should use .im for the Isle of Man or .gi for Gibraltar.
When to use an existing GDS sub-domain of .gov.uk
Before applying a .gov.uk domain name, you should check if there is a sub-domain already available to suit your needs.
For example, you must use:
When you might need an exemption before applying for a .gov.uk domain
If youre from a central government organisation or Arms Length Body (ALB) and you plan to build a website using your .gov.uk domain name, you must first get an exemption from using the GOV.UK website.
If your organisation already has a third-level .gov.uk domain
If your organisation already has one or more third-level .gov.uk domains you must:
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provide a business justification for having another third-level .gov.uk domain
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demonstrate that another third-level .gov.uk domain will not cause confusion to users
The Domains Team will work constructively with applicants to find the most appropriate type of domain name for their needs. In many cases its better to create a subdomain of an existing .gov.uk domain.
Last updated 14 June 2024 +show all updates
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Updated the list of eligible organisations - removing metropolitan, neighbourhood and village as these are already covered by other eligible organisations
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Change note: We have added 2 more organisation types that are eligible for domains:1. Organisations representing a group of public sector bodies2. Organisations representing a profession across public sector bodies.We have also added more detail about when its appropriate to use an existing .gov.uk subdomain managed by GDS, when you might need an exemption from publishing on GOV.UK and what to consider if your organisation already has third level .gov.uk domains.