.io is a ccTLD that started life as the country code for the British Indian Ocean Territory. The technical community latched onto it because io reads as “input/output”, and it’s now the default namespace for developer tooling, SaaS startups, and protocol projects. Identity Digital operates the registry on the territory’s behalf.
Registry policy
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Registry | Identity Digital (formerly Internet Computer Bureau) |
| Registration period | 1 to 10 years |
| Renewal grace period | 30 days after expiry |
| Redemption period | 30 days after grace, recovery fee applies |
| Transfer lock | 60 days after registration or transfer |
Eligibility
Open. No residency requirement.Features
- WHOIS privacy. Free, applied by default.
- DNSSEC. Supported.
- IDN. Supported.
- Auth (EPP) code. Issued instantly from the domain panel.
- Multi-year registration. Up to 10 years up-front.
Need a hand?
Open a ticket
Best for anything that needs an account check or a config change on our end.
Live chat
Faster for quick questions during business hours.