Getting a .ae Domain for Your Startup: .ae vs co.ae and the Official Rules

Your domain name is often the first thing a customer sees. For a business that sells in the UAE, a .ae address is a clear local signal, and many founders want to secure one early, sometimes before the trade licence is even issued.

But .ae is not a single product. There is the plain .ae (for example, yourbrand.ae) and there are restricted options such as co.ae (yourbrand.co.ae), each with different rules. This guide explains the difference, who can register what, the naming rules, and how registration works. Facts come from the .ae Domain Name Policy published by the .ae Domain Administration (.aeDA) on the TDRA website, and from the TDRA FAQs, linked at the end.

General information, not legal advice. Rules change; check the official source.

Who runs .ae

The .ae country-code domain is administered by the .ae Domain Administration (.aeDA), which sits under the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA). You do not register directly with the .aeDA. The TDRA FAQ says that to register a .ae domain name you go to a .ae registrar, and that you will find a list of accredited registrars on the .aeDA site.

Unrestricted and restricted zones

The Domain Name Policy splits .ae names into two groups.

The unrestricted zone: plain .ae

Names registered directly under .ae (yourbrand.ae) are in the unrestricted zone. The policy says unrestricted names "may be Registered by any Applicant, and may be available through all Accredited Registrars."

On eligibility, section 10 says that for .ae names, "Applicants are not required to provide any documentary evidence, nor meet any requirement other than those mentioned above, and as stated in the Registrant Warranties Policy."

The policy also says there is no limit on the number of unrestricted names a registrant may hold, as long as each application meets the eligibility requirements and .aeDA policies.

Restricted zones: co.ae, net.ae, org.ae and others

The policy lists second-level names reserved for particular types of registrant, including co.ae, net.ae, org.ae, sch.ae and ac.ae, plus government and military zones. Names ending in these are in restricted zones, and:

• the registrant must meet the eligibility requirements for that zone
• restricted names "can only be Registered through Accredited Registrars based in the UAE."

co.ae: the rules for commercial entities

Section 11 of the policy says co.ae names are "Domain Names for commercial entities trading in the UAE." Registrants must either:

1. have a valid trade licence within the UAE
2. be a commercial entity licensed in a UAE free zone, or
3. be an applicant for, or a registered holder of, a trade mark in the UAE.

The name itself must be an exact match to, an acronym of, an abbreviation of, or closely connected to one of:

• the name of a company in which the registrant has a 50% or greater shareholding, or which the registrant controls
• the trading name or trade mark of such a company, or
• the name of an organisation or association controlled by the registrant.

What this means for a startup: you can register a plain .ae without paperwork, but co.ae needs a licence or a UAE trade mark application, and the name has to match your company, trading name or mark.

net.ae: for IT service providers

Section 12 says net.ae names are for "Information Technology (IT) Service Providers registered within the UAE." Applicants need a valid UAE trade licence (including free zone licences) specifically for providing IT services, or a UAE trade mark application or registration for an IT service or product. The same name-matching rules apply. If you are a software or IT services startup with the right licence activity, net.ae is an option, but most founders will look at .ae or co.ae first.

Naming rules

Section 8.5 of the policy sets the composition rules. Domain names must:

• have a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 63 characters
• begin and end with a letter or a number
• use the English character set: letters, numbers and dashes, or a combination
• neither begin nor end with a dash
• not contain a dash in the third and fourth positions
• not include a space.

The .aeDA also keeps a Reserved Names List. Names on it can't be licensed without the required authorisation under the Reserved Names Policy.

First come, first served

The policy says names are allocated "on a 'first come, first served basis'." Where two or more applicants want the same name and all meet the eligibility requirements, the one whose application the .aeDA accepts first gets it.

That is the practical reason to act early. If your brand name is available as a .ae, securing it is usually one of the simpler early tasks.

A step-by-step plan

1. Check the name across the board

Before you fall in love with a name, check three things together: trade name availability with your licensing authority (our post on Dubai trade name rules covers the DET side), trade mark availability (see our trademark registration post), and domain availability.

2. Decide which .ae you need

• Plain .ae: open to any applicant, no documents under the policy.
• co.ae: for licensed commercial entities or UAE trade mark applicants and holders, with name matching.
• Consider holding both if the brand matters to you.

3. Choose an accredited registrar

Use the list of accredited registrars on the .aeDA site. For restricted names such as co.ae, the registrar must be UAE-based.

4. Register in the company's name where possible

Domains are business assets. Where you can, register in the name of the company rather than a founder or a freelancer who built your website, and keep the login in a shared, secure place.

5. Keep your details up to date

The registrant contact information needs to be accurate. Out-of-date details make renewals and transfers harder.

6. Set renewal reminders

Losing a domain because a card expired is one of the most avoidable startup mistakes. Turn on auto-renew and add the renewal to your compliance calendar.

Common mistakes

• Letting a contractor own the domain. Register it to the business.
• Assuming co.ae works like plain .ae. It needs eligibility and name matching.
• Picking a name with awkward dashes. The policy bans dashes at the start, end, and in positions three and four.
• Ignoring the trade name and trade mark. A domain alone does not protect your brand.

Official sources

• .ae Domain Name Policy (AEDA-POL-007), TDRA: https://tdra.gov.ae/-/media/aeda/Policies/ae-policies/English/Domain_Name_Policy-EN.ashx
• TDRA FAQs: https://tdra.gov.ae/en/faqs

Last checked: 18 October 2026.

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