.ck

Overview

• .ck is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the Cook Islands.
• Introduced on 8 August 1995.
• Registrations are made at the third level beneath defined second-level categories such as .co.ck, .org.ck, .edu.ck, .gov.ck, .net.ck, .gen.ck and .biz.ck.

History

• Delegated in 1995 (8 August 1995).
• Registry and management information in sources list Oyster Internet Services as the registry and Telecom Cook Islands (Telecom Cook Islands Ltd.) as sponsor/manager.
• The domain has remained active and intended for entities connected with the Cook Islands.
• Dispute policy: UDRP is used for disputes.

Usage and Audience

• Intended for entities connected with the Cook Islands; it gets some use locally.
• Typical registrants:
  • Cook Islands businesses (.co.ck, .biz.ck)
  • Not-for-profit organizations (.org.ck)
  • Educational institutions (.edu.ck)
  • Internet service providers (.net.ck)
  • Government sites (.gov.ck) — reserved for the Cook Islands government
  • Individuals and entities not covered elsewhere (.gen.ck)
• Registrations are commonly used by organizations and individuals with a Cook Islands connection; non-resident registrations are possible but more expensive.

Registration Rules

• Registration level: third-level only (cannot register directly under .ck).
• Second-level categories available: .co.ck, .org.ck, .edu.ck, .gov.ck, .net.ck, .gen.ck, .biz.ck.
• Eligibility and restrictions:
  • Companies are expected to use names based on their legal name or brand identity.
  • Offensive or profane names may be declined or terminated; the registry monitors and may terminate domains deemed inappropriate without refund.
  • Two-letter country codes are not permitted.
  • Domains may be deactivated if used for illegal purposes.
• Pricing and term:
  • Non-resident domain applications are charged €222.00 EUR for a minimum of 2 years and must be renewed every 2 years (per published policy).
• Allowed characters and length:
  • Lowercase alphabetical characters (a–z), digits (0–9), and the hyphen "-" are allowed.
  • Maximum label length: 63 characters.

Notable Cases or Examples

• .co.ck has been used for humorous effect because its visual similarity to an English vulgarity. Examples cited in sources:
  • The British sitcom Nathan Barley featured a character using a Cook Islands domain for comedic effect.
  • The MEMZ trojan included a payload that opened satirical Google searches at "google.co.ck".

% IANA WHOIS server
% for more information on IANA, visit http://www.iana.org
% This query returned 1 object

domain:       CK

organisation: Telecom Cook Islands Ltd.
address:      Parekura
address:      Avarua Rarotonga
address:      Cook Islands (the)

contact:      administrative
name:         Andreas Pareanga
organisation: Bluesky Cook Islands
address:      Parekura
address:      Avarua Rarotonga
address:      Cook Islands (the)
phone:        +682 29680
e-mail:       apareanga@vodafone.co.ck

contact:      technical
name:         Robert McFadzien
organisation: Bluesky Cook Islands
address:      Parekura
address:      Avarua Rarotonga
address:      Cook Islands (the)
phone:        +682 29680
e-mail:       rmcfadzien@vodafone.co.ck

nserver:      CIRCA.MCS.VUW.AC.NZ 130.195.5.12
nserver:      DOWNSTAGE.MCS.VUW.AC.NZ 130.195.6.10
nserver:      PARAU.OYSTER.NET.CK 202.65.32.128
nserver:      POIPARAU.OYSTER.NET.CK 202.65.32.127

whois:        

status:       ACTIVE
remarks:      Registration information: http://www.vodafone.co.ck

created:      1995-08-08
changed:      2020-06-17
source:       IANA