.it · Italy
Who can register a .it domain?
A .it domain may be held only by a natural person or an organisation that is a citizen of, resident in, or established in a country of the European Economic Area, plus Switzerland, San Marino and Vatican City. A company outside that area cannot hold one directly.
- Registry
- Registro.it (IIT-CNR)
- EEA address enough
- Yes
- Trustee route
- Available
- Policy
- Regolamento, current version
An EEA citizen or resident qualifies. An organisation established in the EEA qualifies. Switzerland, San Marino and Vatican City are added to the list. A business incorporated only outside that area does not qualify and needs an eligible party or a trustee to hold the name.
The rules below are drawn from the Regulation for the assignment and management of domain names in the ccTLD .it, published by Registro.it, the registry operated by the Institute of Informatics and Telematics of the Italian National Research Council (IIT-CNR).
The shortcut
See which providers hold a .it domain for a company outside Europe
Open the provider directoryWho can hold a .it domain
Eligibility is by connection to a defined area, not by nationality alone. The Regulation lists the qualifying links.
Natural persons
A natural person qualifies as a citizen of an EEA state, or as a resident there, or as a citizen or resident of Switzerland, San Marino or Vatican City. Individuals identify themselves with a tax code: an Italian codice fiscale for those who have one, or an identity-document number for other eligible citizens.
Organisations
Companies, associations, public bodies and other organisations qualify if they have a registered office or an establishment in the eligible area. They are identified by a VAT number or tax code.
A wider list than most EEA domains
The numbers that bound it
EEA + 3
Eligible area: EEA plus Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City
No cap
Limit on the number of .it domains one party may hold
75 days
To correct incomplete or inaccurate registrant data after notice
Any time
When the registry may check eligibility
Side by side
What the regulation says about trustees
It does not address them directly. What it does is fix the registrant as the responsible party and make eligibility a continuing condition, which is what defines how a trustee arrangement works in practice.
The registrant carries the obligations
The Regulation places responsibility for the domain and for the accuracy of the data on the registrant. It also requires the registrant to warrant that registering and using the name does not infringe third-party rights. Under a trustee arrangement that party is the trustee.
Eligibility can be checked at any time
Registro.it can verify the registrant's eligibility and data after registration, and can suspend or revoke a domain where the holder does not qualify or does not respond. A trustee established in the eligible area keeps the registration compliant.
Data accuracy is enforced under NIS2
Following the NIS2 transposition, Registro.it flags incomplete or inaccurate registrant data and requires it to be corrected within 75 days of the first notice, failing which the domain can be suspended.
Where a trustee's substance matters
Transfer and exit
A .it domain changes holder through a modification of the registrant, handled by the registrar with an authorisation code (AuthInfo) and confirmation. The incoming holder must be eligible.
- Line up an eligible incoming holder, which may be you once you qualify.
- Obtain the AuthInfo code and the outgoing holder's consent.
- The domain must be active and free of disputes or locks.
The trustee has to cooperate
How registration works
You apply through a registrar
Registration is through a Registro.it-accredited registrar, on a first come, first served basis, with acceptance of the Regulation and the assignment terms. There is no direct contract with the registry.
Identification and the assignment declaration
The registrant provides the tax code or VAT number and accepts the assignment declaration, which includes the warranty on third-party rights and the acceptance of Italian jurisdiction and the registry dispute procedure.
Name format
A .it label is 1 to 63 characters using letters, digits and hyphens, with internationalised domain names supported for a defined set of Latin-script accented characters. Some names tied to Italian institutions and geographic terms are reserved.
What the public lookup shows
Registro.it's public Whois shows organisation registrants in full. For natural persons it withholds personal contact data by default under data-protection rules, disclosing it only through a documented request. Under a trustee arrangement it is the trustee's details that appear, as a consequence of the trustee being the registrant.
If you are not in the eligible area: two routes
Set up an EEA establishment
A subsidiary or branch with real activity anywhere in the EEA makes you directly eligible for .it, .fr and .eu at once. It is the route that makes sense if you are trading in Europe.
Use a trustee
Faster and cheaper up front. The trustee is the registrant of record and you hold contractual rights against them. Compare providers that cover .it.
Before you pay anyone
Check a provider's exit terms before you hand over a .it domain
Open the provider directoryKeep reading
Frequently asked questions
Can a non-EU company register a .it domain?
Not directly. The registrant must be a citizen, resident or organisation of the EEA, Switzerland, San Marino or Vatican City. Others need an EEA establishment or a trustee.
Do I need an Italian tax code (codice fiscale)?
Not necessarily. An eligible citizen or resident of another EEA state can use an identity-document number, and an EEA organisation uses its VAT number. An Italian codice fiscale is required only where the registrant is Italian or already has one.
Does Registro.it check eligibility?
Yes. It can verify eligibility and data at any time, requires inaccurate data to be corrected within 75 days of notice, and can suspend or revoke a domain that stays non-compliant.
Can I move a .it domain away from a trustee later?
Yes, with the trustee's consent and the AuthInfo code, and provided the incoming holder is eligible. The limit is your contract with the trustee, not the registry.
Sources
- Registro.it, Regulation for the assignment and management of domain names in the ccTLD .itCurrent version. English translation; the Italian text prevails.
- Registro.it, who can register a .it domain
- Registro.it, guidelines on data accuracy and NIS2
Last updated September 2026. Registry policies change. If you spot something out of date, email [email protected].