The .al domain: how to choose, register and protect your business name
Who can register .al and .com.al, how to choose the name, what happens when a domain expires and how to protect your business name, including the new AKEP rules that take effect on 1 July 2027.
- Published on
A .al domain is your business’s address on the internet, such as yourbusiness.al, and it serves both your website and your email. It is registered through registrars authorised by AKEP, Albania’s communications authority, on a “first come, first served” basis. Registering your company name with the National Business Centre (QKB) does not reserve the domain: if someone else registers it first, you need another name or a formal procedure to claim it.
This guide explains which domain to choose, how to register it in your business’s name, how to renew it safely and how to protect the name. AKEP has approved a new regulation for .al domains that takes effect on 1 July 2027; the main changes are summarised at the end. Sources were checked on 14 October 2026.
.al, .com.al or .com?
AKEP manages the .al domain and its subdomains, such as .com.al, .org.al and .net.al, as the IANA root database also shows. According to AKEP’s 2025 annual report, about 32,822 .al domains and subdomains were registered at the end of the year: 30,834 directly under .al and 1,197 under .com.al.
| Domain | Who can register it today | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|
| .al | Individuals and organisations, in Albania or any other country. | For most businesses serving customers in Albania: it is short and shows that you are local. |
| .com.al | Legal entities and sole traders with a seat or business activity in Albania. | When the .al name is taken. It shows the domain belongs to an organisation operating in Albania. |
| .com | Anyone, through international registrars. | When you also sell to customers abroad, or when the .al name is taken. |
You can register both .al and .com and redirect one to the other. Customers then find you whichever ending they type, and nobody else can use your name with the other ending.
Choosing the name
Under the current regulation, a name may contain only the letters a–z, the digits 0–9 and the hyphen (-). Single-character names, names that start or end with a hyphen, names longer than 63 characters and the xy-- format, where two characters are followed by two hyphens, are not allowed. The Albanian letters ë and ç cannot be used yet.
- Short and easy to say on the phone. Say the name to someone and ask them to write it down. If they ask “with ë or e?” or “with or without a hyphen?”, you will lose emails sent to the wrong address.
- Decide how to spell ë and ç. “Çajtore” could become “cajtore” or “chajtore”. Choose the form your customers use and, if both are common, register both.
- No hyphens unless necessary. People easily forget a hyphen when they hear a name.
- Not someone else’s name. Avoid a name identical or very similar to another business’s trademark, because you may be asked to give it up (see protecting your name).
Before registering, AKEP advises checking that the name is not on the list of banned names or the list of reserved names (both in Albanian), that it is not a trademark registered with the industrial property office DPPI, and that it is available, using AKEP’s domain search. The reserved list includes, among others, the names of cities, municipalities and villages, and names connected with state institutions.
Registering it in your business’s name
- Choose a registrar. AKEP publishes the list of authorised registrars; the list dated 29 December 2025 has 13 entries, including AKEP itself. AKEP notes that fees vary between registrars, so compare both the registration and the renewal price.
- Register it in the business’s name. The domain holder should be the business, not the developer, the agency or an employee. The application form asks for the tax number (NIPT) or fiscal code and an identity document. Under the current regulation, the administrative contact must be resident in Albania.
- Use an email address the business controls. AKEP sends the renewal notice by email 30 days before expiry and accepts no responsibility if the address does not work. A former employee’s or a developer’s address is a risk.
- Keep a record. Note the registrar, expiry date, contacts and control-panel login somewhere at least two people know about.
- Put it to use within a year. On the registration form, the applicant declares that the domain becomes available again if it is not put to use within one year. The regulation counts, among other things, a website, email on the domain or a redirect to another site of the same holder as use.
According to AKEP, registration is completed within 3 working days of a correctly completed application.
Renewal and expiry
A .al domain renews automatically for the next period, provided it is paid for. Payment is due within the last three months before expiry. If it is not paid:
- The domain is blocked for 30 days. During that time, the holder can reopen it by paying.
- After the block, the domain is closed and becomes available again within 30 days, which means anyone can register it.
This is not rare: according to AKEP, 5,262 .al domains and subdomains were deleted in 2025 because they were not renewed. Your website and business email depend on the domain, so losing it affects both.
Set calendar reminders 60 and 30 days before expiry, decide who pays, and check that the contact email still works. This is also point ten of our 10 common business website mistakes.
Protecting your business name
Register early, with the main variants
Because registration is first come, first served, the simplest protection is to register the domain as soon as you decide on the name, even if the website comes later. Register the variants customers may type, such as .com or a spelling without ë, and remember the one-year use rule. Do not register names that belong to others: the new regulation treats bad-faith registration of a name similar to someone else’s rights as abusive, for example registering it to sell it or to harm a competitor.
Register a trademark
A QKB company name concerns the registration of the business and does not reserve the domain. The strongest protection is a trademark registered with the General Directorate of Industrial Property (DPPI). Under Law No. 52/2025 on trademarks, a trademark gives its owner exclusive rights and is registered for 10 years, renewable.
Under the current .al regulation, names that exactly match a registered trademark are reserved for the trademark owner. Anyone who registers such a name declares in writing that they will give it up within 30 days if the trademark owner asks for it.
If your name is already taken
First check whether the domain is in use, and for what. AKEP does not currently publish holder details: they are released on written request for a lawsuit or a dispute-resolution procedure. Under the current regulation, .al disputes are settled in court or through domestic or international arbitration and mediation, and AKEP transfers the domain on a final decision. Complaints about false registration data or use contrary to the regulation go to AKEP’s Board.
For .com and other generic domains, the international UDRP procedure covers names registered in bad faith. For a specific case, consult a lawyer; this guide is not legal advice.
What changes from 1 July 2027
On 9 September 2026, AKEP approved the new regulation for .al domains (in Albanian). It takes effect on 1 July 2027 and replaces Regulation No. 2 of 2008. Until then, the rules described above apply.
| Topic | Today | From 1 July 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Where to register | With AKEP or an authorised registrar. | Only with accredited registrars; AKEP registers only .gov.al and .mil.al. |
| .com.al, .org.al, .net.al | Only legal entities and traders with a seat or activity in Albania. | Individuals too. |
| Term | Renews automatically for each paid period. | From 1 to 10 years. |
| After expiry | 30-day block with the right to reopen by paying, then closure. | A 30-day grace period to renew through the registrar; after that, the domain is available to anyone. |
| Unused domains | Must be put to use within one year. | The new regulation contains no such condition. |
| The letters ë and ç | Not allowed. | Provided for, once AKEP has the technical infrastructure in place. |
| Changing registrar | Within 5 working days, without changing the expiry date. | Not within 60 days of registration or the last transfer; the term is extended by 1 year. |
| Disputes | Court or arbitration; AKEP enforces the decision. | AKEP decides complaints about prior rights, such as trademarks and registered names, within 60 days and for a fee; decisions can be appealed to its Board and then in court. |
| Public data | The search only shows whether a domain is taken. | An RDAP service will show status, dates, the registrar and DNS servers, without personal data. |
The new regulation does not make clear whether others can register a domain during the grace period, so do not let yours expire. If your domain was registered directly with AKEP, the regulation provides for AKEP to decide, before 1 July 2027, on moving those domains to an accredited registrar. Follow AKEP’s announcements and keep your contact email active.
Checklist
- The name is short, has no unnecessary hyphens and is clear when spoken on the phone.
- You have decided how to spell ë and ç and registered the main variants.
- You have checked AKEP’s lists, DPPI’s trademark records and availability.
- The holder is the business, not the developer or an employee.
- The contact email is an address the business controls.
- The expiry date and registrar are recorded, with reminders 60 and 30 days ahead.
- The domain is in use: for the website, for email or as a redirect to your site.
- For an important name, you have considered registering a trademark.
Frequently asked questions
Can I register a .al domain from outside Albania?
Yes, for .al. Under the current regulation, the administrative contact must be resident in Albania. The new regulation requires the contact to be identifiable and reachable whether the holder is based in Albania or abroad, and does not mention residency.
Can I move my domain to another registrar?
Yes. The holder completes the transfer form with the new registrar. Once AKEP has verified it, the transfer is completed within 5 working days after any outstanding fees are paid, and the expiry date does not change.
How much does a .al domain cost?
Each registrar sets its own price, and AKEP notes that fees vary between them. Compare the renewal price as well, not only the first year.
The domain is the first step; hosting and the website come next. If you are preparing a business website, explore our website design and development service or get in touch.