A company registered in the United States cannot hold a .no domain in its own name. Norid, the registry for Norway’s country code domain, accepts only holders that are registered in Norway.
This guide sets out the registration requirement, explains why US company registration does not satisfy it, and describes the routes by which a US company can obtain a .no domain.
The registration requirement
A .no domain may only be held by an organization registered in Norway or by an individual with a Norwegian national identity number. A US company meets neither condition, and no registrar can make an exception.
Norid’s holder rules in detail
- Organizations
- Entered in the Central Coordinating Register for Legal Entities, with a Norwegian organization number and a postal address in Norway. May hold up to 100 .no domains.
- Private individuals
- Aged 18 or over, with a Norwegian national identity number and a postal address in Norway. May hold up to five .no domains.
US company registration
Companies in the United States are formed under state law. An LLC or corporation formed in Delaware, Wyoming, New York or any other state is registered with that state’s Secretary of State, and receives an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service for federal tax purposes.
Norid recognizes neither record. A state filing number, an EIN, a DUNS number and a Social Security number are US identifiers, and none of them establishes registration in Norway. The position is the same for sole proprietors, and for US citizens applying as private individuals.
The principle is comparable to the one that governs the .us domain. The usTLD Nexus Requirements limit .us to US citizens and residents, US organizations, and foreign entities with a bona fide presence in the United States. Norid applies a similar rule to .no, with one material difference: there is no category for a foreign entity. The holder must itself be registered in Norway.
US registrars
The registrars most commonly used by US businesses, including GoDaddy, Namecheap and Cloudflare Registrar, do not offer .no. A search for a .no name at these providers returns either no result or an alternative ending. This reflects the registrar’s catalog, not the availability of the name.
Registrars accredited by Norid will accept an order for a .no domain, but they apply the same holder requirement and request a Norwegian organization number during the order. The subject is covered in more detail in .no registrars: which ones sell .no domains.
Available routes
A US company has three lawful routes to a .no domain. They differ considerably in cost, time and ongoing obligations.
Norwegian branch (NUF)
- First year
- NOK 3,883 (about $420) registration fee, plus a Norwegian business address
- Each year after
- Depends on activity in Norway
- Typical time
- Three to eight weeks
Norwegian limited company (AS)
- First year
- NOK 5,570 (about $600) registration fee and NOK 30,000 (about $3,200) share capital
- Each year after
- Annual accounts and reporting
- Typical time
- Several weeks
Trustee (Norway Domain)
- First year
- $89, registration included
- Each year after
- $89
- Typical time
- Usually within 12 hours on business days
The NUF and AS figures are the Brønnøysund Register Centre’s published fees. They exclude professional fees and the cost of a Norwegian address.
Norwegian branch (NUF)
A US company may register a branch in Norway as a Norwegian-registered foreign business (NUF). The branch receives a Norwegian organization number and may then hold .no domains directly. Registration requires documentation of the company’s standing in its state of formation, such as a certificate of good standing, together with a Norwegian business address.
A NUF is appropriate where the company intends to operate in Norway on a continuing basis. The differences between a branch and a limited company are set out in NUF or AS.
Norwegian limited company (AS)
A private limited company requires share capital of at least NOK 30,000 (about $3,200) and carries annual accounting and reporting obligations. It is rarely proportionate where the only requirement is a domain name.
Assistance with a Norwegian branch or company
Norway Domain assists companies outside Norway with the registration of a NUF, including the filing with the Brønnøysund Register Centre. Assistance with the incorporation of an AS is available on enquiry.
A Norwegian correspondence address for letters and documents is also available. It is not a registered business address.
Trustee
A Norwegian entity is recorded as the holder of the domain on behalf of the US company, under a written agreement that reserves operational and economic control to the company. Norway Domain provides this service.
The terms are published in the trustee agreement, including the obligation to transfer the domain to a registrar of the client’s choosing, or to the client directly once it qualifies as a holder, should Norway Domain cease operating. The public registry record lists Norway Domain as holder and does not show the client’s details.
Procedure
- Confirm that the name is available using the search on the front page, which queries Norid directly.
- Add the domain to the DNS provider the company intends to use, such as Cloudflare. Norid checks that the nameservers respond before it completes a registration.
- Place the order and state the nameservers.
- Norway Domain registers the domain with Norid. Registration is usually completed within twelve hours on Norwegian business days.
- DNS, hosting and email remain under the company’s control from that point.
Norway observes Central European Time, six hours ahead of US Eastern Time and nine hours ahead of Pacific Time. Orders are processed during Norwegian business hours.
A company that prefers to hold the registrar account itself may instead register through a Norid-accredited registrar using Norway Domain’s holder details, which Norway Domain then approves. The price is the same, $89 a year, and the registrar’s own fee is paid separately.
Cost and payment
The trustee service costs $89 a year, and the registration fee is included. There is no setup fee. Payment is taken by card through Stripe in US dollars, so a US-issued card incurs no currency conversion.
Where a company has already paid a registrar for a .no domain that could not be activated for lack of a Norwegian holder, it orders in the ordinary way and selects the option to register the domain itself. Norway Domain sends the holder details and approves the registration.
Trademarks and disputes
A trademark registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office does not confer a right to the corresponding .no domain. Norid allocates names on a first come, first served basis, subject to the holder requirement.
Disputes concerning .no domain names are decided by Domeneklagenemnda, the Norwegian dispute resolution board for domain names, under Norid’s policy. The Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP), which applies to .com, does not apply to .no. A US company planning to enter the Norwegian market should therefore consider registering its name before the plan becomes public.
Related guides
- Can a foreign company register a .no domain?
- What shows in .no WHOIS, and what stays private
- How to choose a .no domain trustee
- .no domain: everything you need to know
Check availability
The search queries Norid’s registry directly and returns the same result a Norwegian registrar would receive.