The .it domain: who can own one, and how to buy a premium .it from outside Italy

The short answer: .it is Italy's country domain. Anyone can buy one, but it has to be registered to a person or organization based in the EU, the European Economic Area, the UK, Switzerland, Vatican City or San Marino. A US or other non-EU company can own a .it through a subsidiary, distributor or partner in one of those countries. The good short names are taken, so most businesses buy a premium .it that's already registered.

What is a .it domain?

.it is the country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Italy, run by the Registro .it at Italy's National Research Council in Pisa. It's what Italians type first and what they trust most for local businesses, and it tells Google a site is aimed at Italy. If you sell to Italian customers, or your brand trades on being Italian (food, wine, fashion, design, travel), a .it says so before anyone reads a word.

Who can register a .it domain?

The registrant (the legal holder of the domain) must be a person or organization based in:

• one of the 27 EU member states;
• Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway (the rest of the European Economic Area);
• the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Vatican City or San Marino.

Nationality isn't what matters for a company; its registered address is. The registry checks the registrant's details, so the address and tax or company number have to be real.

Can a US company own a .it domain?

Not in its own name if it's based only in the US (or Canada, Australia, Asia and so on). There are three common ways to do it:

1. Register it to your European entity: a subsidiary, branch or sister company in an eligible country. This is the cleanest option: the domain belongs to your group.
2. Register it to a partner: your Italian distributor, agency or reseller. It works, but put in writing that the domain is yours and must be transferred on request.
3. Use a trustee service: some registrars offer a local entity that holds the domain on your behalf. Read the terms carefully: legally, the trustee is the registrant.

A .com has no such rule: anyone, anywhere, can own one. If Italy is one market among many, a .com with an Italian section may be enough (see .com vs .it: which domain to use).

Why buy a .it if you're not in Italy?

• You sell to Italy: Italian shoppers and businesses trust a local domain, and it matches the language of the site.
• Your product is Italian: for wine, olive oil, fashion or design, the .it is part of the story you're telling customers worldwide.
• You want to protect your brand: owning the .it of your name keeps it away from copycats in a major European market.
• Local search: a country domain is a clear signal to Google that the site targets Italy.

New registration or premium .it?

A new .it costs around ten euros a year, but only if the name is still free, and short, real-word Italian names were registered years ago. That's why most businesses buy a premium .it: a name that's already registered, bought from its owner. Prices start at a few hundred euros for a brandable name and run to several thousand for a common Italian word (see How much is a domain name worth?). Once it's yours, it renews at the regular rate.

How buying a .it from SeeURL works from abroad

We own every domain in our catalog, in the domain business for over 25 years, 100% Made in Italy. Buying one from outside Italy takes a few minutes:

1. Pick a .it in the .it catalog. Prices are in euros, and the first year of renewal and DNS hosting is included.
2. Check out as your company, wherever it's based. Buyers outside the EU pay no VAT, and you can pay in full or in up to 24 monthly installments, interest-free (how payment plans work).
3. Enter the registrant right after checkout: your European entity, your partner, or yourself if you're based in an eligible country. Our form checks the country before anything reaches the registry.
4. Use it right away: the DNS is yours from day one, so you can point the domain at your site and set up email forwarding immediately.

Not sure who should be the registrant? Call us at +39 02 500 427 87 before you buy, Monday to Friday 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Italian time, and we'll work it out with you.

.it rules worth knowing

• Renewal: every year, like any domain. We email reminders 90, 30 and 7 days before it expires.
• Transfers: a .it moves to another registrar with an auth code, usually in a few days, with no 60-day lock after a purchase.
• Privacy: your contact details stay out of public WHOIS.
• Disputes: .it doesn't use the UDRP that covers .com. If someone holds a .it that matches your trademark in bad faith, the Registro .it has its own reassignment procedure, run by approved dispute-resolution providers.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a .it domain cost?

A new registration runs around ten euros a year. A premium, already-registered .it costs from a few hundred euros to several thousand, depending on the name, then renews at the regular yearly rate.

Can I use a .it domain for email?

Yes, exactly like a .com: set the MX records of your email provider, or forward addresses to an inbox you already use.

Will a .it rank in the US?

It can, but Google reads it as a site for Italy. For a US audience, use a .com and keep the .it for your Italian site or as a redirect.

Do I pay VAT on a .it bought from Italy?

Not if you're buying from outside the EU, or as an EU business with a valid VAT number. Details in Do you pay VAT on a domain bought from Italy?

Looking for an Italian domain? Browse premium .it domains for sale, with payment plans, or call +39 02 500 427 87.