About .yt domain
.yt is a country code top-level domain (ccTLD) delegated to Mayotte, an overseas department of France. It is managed and operated by AFNIC (Association Française pour le Nommage Internet en Coopération), the same registry that administers .fr. The domain was first delegated on 17 November 1997, though registrations were suspended for a period and only resumed in December 2011. Registrations are accepted directly at the second level, meaning domains take the form of name.yt without mandatory second-level categories.
Who can register .yt domain
Registration of .yt domains is restricted to entities based in a European Union member state or one of the following countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland. This means registrants do not need to be located in Mayotte specifically, but they must have a presence or address within the eligible geographic area. Organizations and individuals outside these regions are not eligible to register .yt domains. Additionally, domain names consisting of only one or two characters (numeric or alphabetic) cannot be registered under .yt.
How to register .yt domain
Search for your desired .yt domain name using a registrar that supports this ccTLD. Because .yt has a smaller pool of accredited registrars than major gTLDs, you may need to check a few providers to confirm availability.
Compare registrar offerings, paying attention to renewal pricing, included management tools, and any WHOIS privacy options, as these can vary significantly between providers for less common ccTLDs.
Complete the checkout process, ensuring you provide a valid address within an eligible country (an EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland), as registrars may require proof of eligibility during or after registration.
After registration, verify your contact details are accurate and configure your DNS records to point to your hosting or service. Keep in mind that AFNIC's naming policy governs the domain, so ensure your registration information remains up to date to stay compliant.
Typical uses of .yt domain
.yt domains are used primarily by individuals, businesses, and creators who want a short, memorable web address with a connection to YouTube — the two-letter abbreviation is widely recognized as shorthand for the platform. Content creators, video production companies, and media brands sometimes register .yt domains to build branded short links or landing pages that signal a video-first identity. Organizations with a genuine connection to Mayotte also use the extension for local web presence. The extension's brevity makes it attractive for URL shortening services and creative domain hacks.
Tips for registering .yt domain
- Domain names of one or two characters (alphabetic or numeric) are not permitted under .yt, so plan your name to be at least three characters long.
- Because .yt is a less commonly traded ccTLD, the selection of registrars offering it is more limited than for major extensions — confirm your preferred registrar supports .yt before starting the process.
- Eligibility is tied to your address at the time of registration; ensure your registrar account reflects a valid address in an EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland, as this may be verified.
- AFNIC's naming policy applies to .yt in the same way it does to .fr, so familiarize yourself with those rules if you plan to register multiple or unconventional names.
- Premium or reserved domain names may exist within the .yt namespace; check with your registrar whether a desired name carries a premium price before completing your order.