.cw

Overview

• .cw is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) assigned to Curaçao.
• The string "cw" derives from Curaçao and is intended for entities connected with the island.
• The registry and sponsoring organization is the University of Curaçao (CW DomReg).

History

• The ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code "CW" was allocated on 15 December 2010 following Curaçao's new status as an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands (effective 10 October 2010).
• The ccTLD was introduced/implemented on 20 December 2010 and delegated to the University of Curaçao.
• An initial delegation application was presented in January 2011 and the ICANN Accountability Framework for Curaçao was signed on 12 March 2012.
• General domain registrations for .cw became available from 1 February 2012.
• Prior to .cw, websites in Curaçao commonly used the former Netherlands Antilles ccTLD .an; those domains could migrate to .cw or .sx depending on location.

Usage and Audience

• Intended use: entities and organizations connected with Curaçao.
• Actual use: mainly by organizations and sites based in Curaçao.
• Some second-level alternatives (for example .com.cw and .net.cw) have different presence requirements: .com.cw and .net.cw do not require local presence.
• Registered domains: 973 (recorded on 2021-11-12).

Registration Rules

• Local presence requirement:
  • Registrations directly under .cw require local presence and are generally limited to entities established in Curaçao.
  • Second-level domains (examples: example.cw) can only be held by organizations with an official establishment in Curaçao (sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, legal entities), with the organization having its statutory seat or actual place of business in Curaçao.
  • The person responsible for the organization must be registered in Curaçao's population register.
• Exceptions: .com.cw and .net.cw may be available without local presence.
• Applicant responsibilities and declarations include ensuring the domain:
  • is not misleading about purpose or function;
  • corresponds to a trademark, trade name, or product of the applicant;
  • does not infringe third-party rights.
• Grounds for refusal (CW_DomReg may refuse registration if):
  • the name is reserved or excluded by CW_DomReg;
  • the name is not in the format .cw;
  • an identical name is already registered or pending;
  • the name is a look-alike of an existing registration;
  • the name includes a geographical designation that could cause confusion (with specific restrictions for island names and country names);
  • the name conflicts with public order or good morals;
  • the name is a generic or descriptive term that could cause confusion unless trademark evidence is provided;
  • the name has no direct relation to the organization's name or core activities.

Notable Technical and Administrative Details

• Registry website: https://www.uoc.cw/cw-registry
• IANA maintains the Delegation Record for .cw.

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

domain:       CW

organisation: University of Curacao
address:      Jan Noorduynweg 111
address:      Willemstad
address:      Curaçao

contact:      administrative
name:         Leendert J.J. Pengel
organisation: University of Curacao
address:      Jan Noorduynweg 111
address:      Willemstad
address:      Curaçao
phone:        +59997442248
fax-no:       +59997442100
e-mail:       leendert.pengel@uoc.cw

contact:      technical
name:         Leendert J.J. Pengel
organisation: University of Curacao
address:      Jan Noorduynweg 111
address:      Willemstad
address:      Curaçao
phone:        +59997442248
fax-no:       +59997442100
e-mail:       registry@uoc.cw

nserver:      CW.CCTLD.AUTHDNS.RIPE.NET 193.0.9.86 2a13:27c0:30:0:0:0:0:86
nserver:      KADUSHI.CURINFO.CW 65.208.122.63
nserver:      NS0.JA.NET 128.86.1.20 193.63.94.20 2001:630:0:8:0:0:0:14 2001:630:0:9:0:0:0:14
nserver:      NS01-SERVER.CURINFO.CW 65.208.122.36
nserver:      NS1.BNA.CW 216.122.189.85
nserver:      NS1.DNS.CW 194.0.28.6 2001:678:2c:0:194:0:28:6
nserver:      NS2.BNA.CW 216.122.189.86

whois:        

status:       ACTIVE
remarks:      Registration information: http://www.uoc.cw/cw-registry

created:      2010-12-20
changed:      2025-07-07
source:       IANA