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    5. .mil

    Search For .mil Domain

    Type
    Sponsored top-level domain
    Registry
    DoD Network Information Center
    Launched
    Registration term
    1–10 years
    DNSSEC
    Supported
    IDN
    Not supported

    About .mil domain

    .mil is a sponsored top-level domain (sTLD) originally established in January 1985, making it one of the first seven top-level domains ever created in the Internet's Domain Name System. It is operated by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), with the DoD Network Information Center serving as its sponsor. The extension is unique among country-level military domains in that it exists as a dedicated top-level domain rather than a second-level domain under a country code — a distinction that reflects the United States military's foundational role in the development of the Internet. Its delegation and governance are defined by RFC 920 and RFC 1591.

    Who can register .mil domain

    Registration under .mil is strictly restricted and is not available through commercial registrars. Eligibility is limited to agencies, services, and divisions of the United States Department of Defense and its subsidiary or affiliated organizations. Requests to register a .mil domain must go through the DoD Network Information Center via the official registration process at the Defense Information Systems Agency. No private individual, commercial entity, or foreign government organization may register a .mil domain.

    How to register .mil domain

    .mil domains are not issued through commercial registrars and cannot be purchased through a standard checkout process. Registration is controlled exclusively by the DoD Network Information Center under the authority of the Defense Information Systems Agency. Eligible DoD agencies and affiliated organizations must submit a registration request through the official DoD website registration portal. DISA reviews and approves requests based on organizational eligibility, and approved domains are delegated within the .mil namespace — typically as second-level or higher-level subdomains reflecting the relevant service or division.

    Typical uses of .mil domain

    The .mil extension is used exclusively by agencies, branches, commands, and subdivisions of the United States military. Individual services such as the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard operate their primary web presences under .mil, as do commands, installations, and operational units. Organizations choose .mil because it signals official U.S. military authority and is immediately recognizable as a trusted government namespace. Some military entities also maintain presences under .edu or .com for specific purposes such as service academies or recruitment, but .mil remains the authoritative home for official Department of Defense operations.

    Tips for registering .mil domain

    • .mil domains cannot be registered through any commercial registrar — the only path to obtaining one is through the official DoD Network Information Center registration process, which is restricted to eligible organizations.
    • There is no public WHOIS privacy option relevant here, as the domain is managed within a government infrastructure context rather than through standard commercial registrar tools.
    • Standard domain transfer policies used by commercial registrars (such as 60-day transfer locks or EPP authorization codes) do not apply to .mil, as the domain is managed entirely within the DoD's own registration system.
    • No dispute resolution policy such as UDRP applies to .mil, as the registry does not accept registrations from the general public and eligibility is inherently controlled.
    • Subdomains within .mil (for example, within army.mil or navy.mil) are typically managed internally by each service branch rather than through any centralized public-facing registration interface.

    Frequently asked questions about .mil domain

    Who operates .mil domain?The registry for .mil domains is DoD Network Information Center.
    Who can register a .mil domain?

    .mil registration is open only to agencies, services, and divisions of the United States Department of Defense and its directly affiliated organizations. There is no pathway for private individuals, commercial companies, or foreign entities to register a .mil domain under any circumstances. Eligible organizations must apply through the DoD Network Information Center, and DISA retains authority over all approvals.

    Can I transfer a .mil domain between registrars?

    Because .mil domains are not registered through commercial registrars, the standard inter-registrar transfer process used for gTLDs and ccTLDs does not apply. Domain management remains entirely within the DoD's internal infrastructure, and any changes to delegation or management would be handled directly through the DoD Network Information Center. There are no EPP authorization codes, transfer lock periods, or third-party registrar involvement in this process.

    Does the United States military ever use other TLDs instead of .mil?

    Yes — certain U.S. military entities use other extensions for specific purposes. Recruitment-oriented websites such as goarmy.com operate under .com, and the service academies (such as the United States Military Academy and United States Naval Academy) can be reached via both .edu and .mil domains. The Department of Defense's own homepage uses a .gov domain, with several .mil second-level domains redirecting to it.

    Can other countries register under .mil?

    No other country can register under .mil as a general rule, since the extension is reserved exclusively for U.S. Department of Defense entities. Canada is a notable exception in a limited sense: NORAD (the North American Aerospace Defense Command), which is jointly operated by the United States and Canada, uses norad.mil due to its formal operational relationship with the U.S. military. All other countries typically use second-level domains under their own country-code TLDs for military purposes.

    Is there a dispute resolution process for .mil domains?

    No standard dispute resolution policy such as UDRP or URS applies to .mil. Because the registry does not accept registrations from the general public and all registrants must be verified DoD-affiliated entities, the conditions that normally give rise to cybersquatting or trademark disputes simply do not exist within this namespace. Any internal disputes over domain use would be handled through DoD administrative channels rather than through ICANN-sanctioned dispute mechanisms.