.no domain registration for UK companies

A company registered at Companies House cannot hold a .no domain in its own name. Norid, which administers Norway’s country code domain, accepts only holders registered in Norway.

This guide explains the requirement, its effect on companies and individuals in the United Kingdom, and the routes by which a UK business may obtain a .no domain.

The Norid requirement

Norid accepts only holders registered in Norway. A UK company does not qualify, and no registrar, in Norway or elsewhere, has discretion to relax the rule.

Companies House registration

A private limited company (Ltd), public limited company (PLC) or limited liability partnership (LLP) registered in England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland holds a Companies House registration number. That number identifies the company in the United Kingdom only, and Norid does not accept it as evidence of registration in Norway.

Sole traders and partnerships, which are not registered at Companies House, are in the same position. A VAT registration number or a Unique Taxpayer Reference does not alter the outcome, nor does a National Insurance number held by an individual applicant.

The EEA position

Norway is a member of the European Economic Area. The United Kingdom has not participated in the EEA since 1 January 2021. That change has no bearing on .no domains, because the Norid requirement does not distinguish between EEA and non-EEA companies. A company registered in Germany or Sweden is subject to the same restriction as a company registered in London.

The position differed for .eu. EURid withdrew eligibility from registrants based in the United Kingdom when the transition period ended, because .eu eligibility is tied to the European Union. Eligibility for .no has never depended on EU or EEA status and was therefore unaffected.

Routes available

Three routes are open to a UK business. The table sets out their cost and typical duration.

Figures for the NUF and the AS are the published fees of the Brønnøysund Register Centre. Professional fees and the cost of a Norwegian address are not included.

Registering a Norwegian branch

A UK company may register a Norwegian-registered foreign business (NUF) with the Brønnøysund Register Centre. The application is supported by a current extract from Companies House and requires a business address in Norway. Once registered, the branch receives an organisation number and may hold .no domains in its own name.

This route suits a company establishing continuing operations in Norway. A comparison of the branch and limited company structures is available in NUF or AS.

Incorporating an AS

A Norwegian private limited company requires minimum share capital of NOK 30,000 (about USD 3,200) and must file annual accounts. Incorporation for the sole purpose of holding a domain name is seldom justified.

Appointing a trustee

Under a trustee arrangement, a Norwegian entity is entered in the registry as holder, and a written agreement reserves control of the domain to the UK business. Norway Domain acts as trustee on these terms. The trustee agreement is published in full, including the provision for transfer of the domain should Norway Domain cease to operate.

The public WHOIS record for a domain held in this way names Norway Domain as holder. The details of the UK business are not published. See what shows in .no WHOIS.

Registration through Norway Domain

Availability can be confirmed with the search on the front page, which queries Norid’s registry. Before ordering, the domain should be added at the DNS provider that will serve it, as Norid verifies that the nameservers respond before completing a registration.

Once the order and nameservers are received, Norway Domain submits the registration to Norid. Registration is usually completed within twelve hours on Norwegian business days. Norway is one hour ahead of the United Kingdom throughout the year, as both change their clocks on the same dates.

From registration onwards, DNS, hosting and email are managed by the UK business. A business that wishes to hold the registrar account itself may register through a Norid-accredited registrar using Norway Domain’s holder details instead. The price for that arrangement is the same, USD 89 a year, with the registrar’s fee payable separately.

Cost

The trustee service costs USD 89 a year, including registration, with no setup fee. Prices are set in US dollars. A sterling card is charged in USD, and the card issuer’s exchange rate and any non-sterling transaction fee apply.

If a registration fee has already been paid elsewhere for a .no domain that could not be activated, the order is placed in the ordinary way with the option to register the domain itself selected. The holder details are then sent by email.

Brand protection

A trade mark registered with the UK Intellectual Property Office gives no priority over the corresponding .no name. Norid allocates names in the order in which qualifying applications are received.

Disputes over .no names fall to Domeneklagenemnda, the Norwegian dispute resolution board for domain names. The Nominet Dispute Resolution Service, which governs .uk, has no jurisdiction over .no. A UK business preparing to enter the Norwegian market should consider securing its name at an early stage.

Related guides

• Can a foreign company register a .no domain?
• .no registrars: which ones sell .no domains
• How to choose a .no domain trustee
• .no domain: everything you need to know