How to register a .cz domain as a foreigner (and keep it safe)

If you do business in the Czech Republic, a .cz domain tells Czech customers you are local. The good news: you do not need to be Czech, live in the country or have a Czech company to get one.

Who runs .cz

The .cz domain is administered by CZ.NIC, a Czech non-profit association. You do not register directly with CZ.NIC but through one of its accredited registrars, which are domain companies in the Czech Republic and abroad. Prices differ between registrars, so it pays to compare, but the domain itself works the same everywhere.

Can a foreigner register a .cz domain?

Yes. Individuals and companies from anywhere in the world can register a .cz domain. There is no requirement to have a Czech address, residence or company. What matters is that the holder details you provide are true and that you can be contacted, because the holder is the legal owner of the domain.

What you need

• The domain name you want, checked for availability at any registrar.
• Holder details: your name or company name, address, email and phone. Use details you will still have access to in five years.
• A registration period. You can usually register for one year or several years at once.
• Where it should point: your hosting or website provider gives you the DNS settings.

Tip: register the domain in your own name or in the name of your company, never in the name of a web designer or agency. Whoever is the holder owns the domain.

Step by step

• Choose a registrar and check that the name is free.
• Enter the holder details carefully. Typos in the email address are a classic way to lose access later.
• Pay for the registration period and turn on automatic renewal.
• Set the DNS records your website and email provider give you.
• Keep your registrar login safe. You will need it to request the transfer code (AUTH-ID) later.

Transferring a .cz domain

To move a .cz domain to another registrar, you request a transfer code, called AUTH-ID, from your current registrar. It is sent to the holder email address, which is another reason that address must be correct. The new registrar then takes over the domain, usually within a short time and without your website going down, as long as the DNS settings stay the same.

Mistakes that cost businesses their domain

• Domain registered by the web designer in their own name. When you part ways, you have to ask for your own domain back.
• Old email address as the holder contact. Renewal notices and transfer codes go to an inbox nobody reads.
• No automatic renewal. An expired domain stops working, your website and email go down, and after a grace period someone else can register it.
• Email records forgotten when changing hosting. The website works, but email silently stops arriving.

.cz or .com?

If your customers are Czech, a .cz domain is the natural choice and the one Czech customers trust most. If you serve international clients from Prague, a .com or .eu can work as the main domain, and you can still own the .cz version and redirect it. Owning both protects your brand.

Domain included in the website

When I build a website, the domain is registered in your name and you keep full access. Hosting, domain, backups and security updates come to CZK 990 a month (Upkeep), and a custom website starts at CZK 19,990. Communication is in written English. What else a Czech business website needs is in website legal requirements in the Czech Republic.