Enter Ivory Coast market with a .CO.CI Domain

On paper there is none: both are namespaces of the same registry, under the same eligibility rules, the same term and expiry chain, the same dispute procedure and the same lookup server. The difference shows up in measurement. On 15 August 2026 certificate transparency logs held 251 distinct names directly under .ci and 42 under .co.ci. Short labels separate them too: all nine two-letter .ci names sampled were taken, while most two-letter names on .co.ci came back free. In practice .ci offers recognition, .co.ci offers availability.

No. When the registry presents its namespaces by purpose it describes .co.ci as the option for commercial businesses, but that is not an eligibility condition. The published rules define no separate company registration, sector certificate or prior approval for .co.ci, and the registration flow matches .ci. Eligibility is identical as well: individuals, organisations registered in the country and foreign applicants are named together. You can therefore register in your own name as a private person. Supplying the details your registrar asks for in full is all that is required.

Two characters, confirmed through two separate channels. Two-letter names actually sit in the register: jz.co.ci has been registered since 29 September 2018, ai.co.ci was opened through a registrar on 14 January 2026, and the two-digit 21.co.ci was added on 16 April 2026. The registry's own availability service also reports the two-character zq.co.ci and k9.co.ci as free. Single-character labels, by contrast, come back unavailable even though no record for them exists, which is where the minimum-length rule bites. The practical upshot: if you want a two-letter label, this namespace is still open.

A two-stage window applies. The registry first allows a grace period of roughly 30 days, during which the name can be renewed without paying anything extra. Miss that window and the name enters a redemption period of about 30 days, where recovery is still possible but carries an additional fee. Once the second window closes the name is released and anyone may register it. That gives you roughly two months in total, and after it there is no way back. Keeping automatic renewal on, or choosing a longer term, removes the risk directly.

The registry lists four conditions. The name must be active and not blocked by a dispute or suspension. You request the authorisation code (AuthCode) from your current registrar. The gaining registrar must be accredited by ARTCI, which is comfortable here because all 34 accredited registrars offer .co.ci. Finally, a transfer fee may apply. The registry also recommends keeping the registrar lock switched on, so you will need it released before the transfer runs. Start the process from the domain transfer page.

One year is the floor, and the registry explicitly allows multi-year registration, noting that some registrars go up to ten years. Measurement confirms that terms beyond two years operate here: netflix.co.ci was last updated in the register on 6 March 2026 yet carries an expiry date of 6 April 2028, which is two years and one month past that update. The benefit of a longer term is directly practical: because the recovery window after expiry runs to roughly two months, thinning out that calendar reduces the risk of losing the name.