Personal Domain Names

Since 31st October 2007, the IE Domain Registry have relaxed the rules regarding registering personal names (a domain name that is a real person's name). The following outlines how the new style personal domain name registrations work. All other categories of registration remain the same (company names, business names, etc), please refer to the appropriate rules if you want to register anything other than a person's name.

What is a personal domain name ?

A personal domain name is a domain name that is identical to or very closely derived from your real name. A hypothetical John Anthony O'Brien could register his personal domain name as johnobrien.ie or jobrien.ie etc. Documentation will be required to prove entitlement to the domain name.

What forms of my name can be registered?

The rule is that your surname must be at the end of the domain name, preceded by your first name or initial and/or your middle name or initial. Hyphens can also be used to separate the names or initials. Nicknames cannot be registered, nor can additional words be added. Apostrophes (as in O'Brien,) fadas or other symbols are also ignored.

Our hypothetical John Anthony O'Brien can register any or all of the following forms of his name ...

johnobrien.ie	john-obrien.ie	jobrien.ie
j-obrien.ie	johnanthonyobrien.ie	john-anthony-obrien.ie
johnaobrien.ie	john-a-obrien.ie	jaobrien.ie
ja-obrien.ie	j-a-obrien.ie	anthonyobrien.ie
anthony-obrien.ie	aobrien.ie	a-obrien.ie

Who can register a personal domain name ?

Personal domain names may be registered by all Irish citizens plus anyone legally resident in Ireland or Northern Ireland regardless of citizenship provided they can provide the documentation required.

What documentation will I need to provide ?

You will have to supply any one of the documents listed below. Please note that the name on the document must contain the same form and spelling of your name as you are registering and include all the names making up the domain - so if your document only shows you to be Mr. John O'Brien, you cannot register johnnyobrien.ie or jpobrien.ie.

Documents acceptable for Irish Citizens or Residents

Irish Passport
Irish Drivers License
Irish Revenue or Social Welfare Document showing PPS number
Irish Birth Certificate
Irish Marriage Certificate
Irish Utility Bill (e.g. NTL, Chorus, SKY, ESB, Airtricity, Bord Gais, Eircom, Vodafone, O2, Meteor, Three - bill pay phones only)

Documents acceptable for Northern Ireland Residents

UK Driver's License with NI address
HM Revenue & Customs / Northern Ireland Social Security Agency document showing National Insurance number and NI Address
Northern Ireland Birth Certificate
Northern Ireland Marriage Certificate
Northern Ireland Utility Bill (e.g. NTL, Chorus, SKY, UTV Internet, NIE, Airtricity, British Gas, BT, Vodafone, O2, Three, T-Mobile, Orange, BT - bill pay phones only

Am I Guaranteed my Name ?

Unfortunately it is not possible to guarantee in advance that your application for a Personal Domain Name will be accepted by the registry because of the need to validate supplied documentation, however provided the domain is available, and your supporting documentation correctly shows the form of name you are registering, there is unlikely to be a problem. If you cannot register the desired form of your name, you may instead specify one of the alternative forms - if none of these are available your fee will be refunded.

Can I Get More Information ?

Certainly, you can contact us on 1800 366246 and we will be happy to answer any questions that you have.