.info Domains: Built for Sharing Information
.info was accredited in ICANN's first expansion round, announced on 15 May 2001 alongside .biz, and entered the IANA root zone database on 26 June 2001. The name states its purpose outright: presenting information. Its current registry operator is Identity Digital Limited, listed as the sponsoring organisation in the IANA record.
ICANN's 2001 announcement describes .info as an unrestricted TLD open to any business or person. That is exactly where it parts company with .biz from the same round — .biz sits in the restricted class in the root zone record, .info does not. Today the extension suits directory sites, product documentation, glossaries and open data projects. See which matching names are free with a bulk domain name search.
.INFO Domain at a Glance
- Registry operator Identity Digital Limited
- Entered the root zone 26 June 2001
- Accreditation ICANN, 15 May 2001 (together with .biz)
- Restrictions None; ICANN describes it as unrestricted
- Document Requirement There are no requirements for buying .info domain registration
- Character Length 3 - 63 characters
- Registration Period 1 - 10 years
- Name Server Count 1 - 13 servers
.info Domain Prices — No Surprise Fees
Registration, transfer and renewal fees are listed separately. The renewal price can differ from the first-year price, so you see both up front.
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New Registration
$4.99 / years -
Transfer
$29.99 / years -
Renewal
$29.99 / years -
Restore
$114.90 -
Late Renewal
$4.80
Included With Every .info Domain
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Free DNS management
Change A, MX, TXT and CNAME records yourself from the panel — no waiting on anyone when you move a site or mailbox.
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Domain lock
While the lock is on, nobody can move your domain to another registrar without your approval.
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Domain forwarding
Point the domain at your existing site, a campaign page or a social profile — at no extra cost.
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Free WHOIS privacy
Your name, address and phone stay out of public WHOIS records, which cuts down spam and scam calls.
.info Domain Lifecycle
Domain lifecycle
The stages in order, from registration to releaseDomain Is Available (Available)
A .info address at this stage has not been taken yet, and it goes to whoever registers first. Check the name you have in mind — if it is free, it can be yours within minutes.
Domain Is Active (Active Period)
Once registration is complete the domain is yours for the term you chose. You can renew at any point before expiry to keep it uninterrupted, or switch on auto-renewal so you never have to watch the date.
Redemption Period (Redemption Period)
The domain is not released the moment it expires — during this window it is still yours and can be recovered. Some extensions charge an extra restore fee at this stage, so renewing before expiry is always the cheaper route.
Pending Delete Period (Pending Delete Period)
If the redemption window is missed too, the domain enters the final stage and waits to be deleted. Renewal and recovery are no longer possible here; when the period ends the registration is removed for good.
Domain Is Available Again
Once deletion completes, the domain leaves the system and anyone can register it — popular names are often taken the same minute by someone watching. Keep auto-renewal on so a name you care about never gets this far.
.info Domain Specifications and Registration Rules
Registration conditions, supported features and the registry's own timelines in a single table.
.info Domain Registration
- Document Requirement There are no requirements for buying .info domain registration
- Character Length 3 - 63 characters
- Registration Period 1 - 10 years
- Name Server Count 1 - 13 servers
.info Domain Support
- IDN Support No
- Transfer Support Yes
- Late Renewal Support Yes
.info Domain Registration Periods
- Registration Periods 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 years
- Renewal Periods 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 years
- Pre-registration 0 days
- Accounting Period 5 days
- Finalization Period 1 days
- Failure Period 44 days
- Payment Period 61 days
- Redemption Period 30 days
- Deletion Hold Period 5 days
- Renewal Time 5 Day
Frequently Asked Questions About .info Domains
The questions people actually ask before registering — answered plainly.
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No, .info registration is unrestricted. ICANN's announcement of 15 May 2001 describes the extension as open to any business or person, and the IANA root zone record carries no restricted marker. No documents, company registration or declaration of activity are requested; valid contact details are enough.
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Because the name itself makes a promise, it pairs well with content-led work. Directory and glossary sites, product and software documentation, open data sets, FAQ pages and support centres all sit naturally on it. A visitor who sees .info expects explanation rather than a sales pitch. On a shop selling directly that same expectation works against you, and .com offers a more familiar frame.
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The registry operator is Identity Digital Limited. That company is listed as the sponsoring organisation for .info in the IANA root zone database. The operator's name has changed since the extension launched in 2001 as a result of corporate transfers, and none of that affects how your domain works. Registration records, DNS settings and renewals continue exactly as before.
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Ask your current registrar to release the transfer lock and give you the EPP code. With both in hand, start from the domain transfer page. The fact that the operator has changed over the years makes no difference to the transfer steps. Check who currently holds the domain and what state it is in beforehand using whois search.
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Yes, WHOIS privacy can be switched on for .info. With the service active, a lookup returns the privacy provider's details instead of your name, address and telephone number, while you remain the owner and administrator. If you run an information site, weigh one thing: readers often trust content more when they can see who stands behind it. Review the current state with whois search.
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