.org.uk is the British address for organisations that exist for a cause rather than a profit: charities, clubs, societies, associations and community groups. It has been part of the .uk namespace since the 1980s, and although that purpose is the registry's stated intention, there's no test you must pass to hold one.
We're PD Hosting, a Nominet accredited registrar based in London. We register .org.uk names on our own account with the registry, carry out the owner checks the rules require, and keep renewal reminders, DNS and the registration together in one place. See whether your group's name is still free using the search below.
Per year. Compare every extension on our domain pricing page.
What is a .org.uk domain?
- Type
- A third-level name inside .uk, the United Kingdom's country code. Source
- Registry
- Nominet UK, which manages .org.uk alongside the rest of .uk. Source
- Intended for
- Not-for-profit and public service bodies. Nominet's examples include charities, trade unions, political parties, community groups, educational councils and professional institutions. Source
- Who may register
- Anyone. .org.uk is an open zone: the charter states an intention, but Nominet doesn't vet applicants or act against registrations that fall outside it. Source
- Registration period
- Between one and ten years. Source
- Owner checks
- The registrant must be a real, identifiable person or organisation. We verify the name and address, and a registration that still can't be confirmed after 30 days must be suspended. Source
- Transfers
- Registrar tag changes (our tag is PDHOSTING) until 8 February 2027; authorisation codes from 9 February 2027. Source
- After expiry
- Suspended at day 30, renewable until day 90, then cancelled and released at day 95. Source
Facts checked against the registry on 9 November 2026.
Who a .org.uk domain suits
A .org.uk is the address many people expect from a registered charity, a parish council's community project, a village hall committee, a youth football club, a choir or an allotment society. It's also widely used by trade bodies, professional associations, campaign groups and residents' associations whose members are in the UK.
Because nothing stops a business registering one, some companies hold the .org.uk matching their .co.uk simply to keep their name safe. For an organisation that does run for a cause, though, the ending does a quiet job: before anyone reads a word, it suggests the site isn't trying to sell them something.
- A charity or community group's main website
- Volunteer and membership email addresses
- Fundraising and appeal pages
- Clubs, societies and supporters' groups
- Protecting an organisation's name across UK endings
Benefits of a .org.uk domain
Signals a non-commercial purpose
Visitors in Britain read .org.uk as the mark of a voluntary or public-interest body, which helps when you're asking for donations, members or volunteers.
No paperwork to qualify
You don't need a charity number or a constitution to register. An unincorporated club can hold one in the name of the group or of an officer.
Recognisably British
As part of the .uk country code it tells search engines and visitors that the organisation works in the United Kingdom.
Registered directly with the registry
As an accredited registrar we hold your name on our own Nominet account rather than through a reseller chain, so questions about it come straight to us.
Registering a .org.uk for a group that isn't a company
Charities and clubs often hit the same question at checkout: whose name goes on the domain? Every .uk registration must belong to someone real, and as your registrar we check that the registrant exists. The registry has a separate registrant type for each kind of owner. A registered charity is entered under its registered name with its charity number. A club, society or association that isn't a company is entered as an "other UK entity" in the group's own name, so the domain belongs to the organisation rather than to whichever volunteer placed the order.
We match those details against independent records. If they can't be matched automatically, we'll ask for evidence: photo ID or a recent bill for the person named, or a certificate for an incorporated body. We're registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ZA920919), and anything you send is handled under UK data protection law. A name whose details still can't be confirmed after 30 days must be suspended.
Volunteers change, so plan for handovers. Keep the registrant details current when a committee member steps down, make sure the contact email reaches someone who still reads it, and pass control on properly rather than relying on one person's login. A lapsed domain is the most common way a small charity loses its website and email.
.org.uk pros and cons
Works well if
- You run a charity, club, society or community group in the UK
- You want supporters to see at once that you're not a business
- Your preferred .co.uk is taken by a company with a similar name
- You'd like to protect your organisation's name in every main UK ending
Look elsewhere if
- You're a trading business: .co.uk or .uk will look more natural to customers
- Your members or donors are mainly overseas: a .org is recognised internationally
- You want the shortest address possible: the same name in .uk is shorter
.org.uk compared with similar extensions
| Extension | Best for | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| .org.uk | UK charities, clubs and community groups | Suggests a non-profit purpose; open to anyone. |
| .org | Organisations with an international audience | No country identity, recognised worldwide. |
| .co.uk | UK businesses | Reads as commercial, which may not suit a charity. |
| .uk | A short UK address for any purpose | Not tied to commercial or non-profit use. |
Register your .org.uk domain
- Search for the name you want below.
- Add it to your basket and choose how many years to register it for.
- Check out. Your domain is registered straight away and appears in your client area, ready to point at your website and email.
Every domain includes DNS management, DNS backup and restore, and free mail forwarding.
.org.uk questions
Is a .org.uk only for registered charities?
No. The .org.uk zone is meant for not-for-profit and public service bodies, but Nominet doesn't check whether a registrant fits that description. Clubs, informal groups, individuals and even companies can register one. The details you give must be genuine, because we verify every .uk owner.
Whose name should go on our club's .org.uk?
The organisation's own name. A registered charity uses its registered name and charity number; a club or association without a company behind it can be entered as an "other UK entity" in the club's name. Either way, the domain stays with the group when officers change, as long as you keep the contact details current.
Should a charity choose .org.uk or .org?
If your supporters are mainly in the UK, .org.uk is usually the better fit: it signals both a non-profit purpose and a British base. If you work internationally, take the .org as well and point both at one site.
What does a .org.uk renew for each year?
With us a .org.uk renews at £8.70 a year. A first-year offer may be lower, so check the price box above. Renewing for several years at once is a sensible way to avoid an accidental lapse when committee members change.
Our .org.uk lapsed. Can we get it back?
Usually, if you act within 90 days of expiry. For the first 30 days it carries on working; after that it's suspended and the website and email stop, but it can still be renewed. After 90 days it's cancelled, and from day 95 anyone can register it.
How do we move our .org.uk to PD Hosting?
Until 8 February 2027, ask your current provider to set the registrar tag to PDHOSTING and let us know, and we'll attach the name to your account. From 9 February 2027 .uk names move with an authorisation code instead. Your site and email aren't interrupted by the change.
Sources: Nominet .uk rules of registration · Nominet .uk policies · Nominet data validation process · Nominet registrar renewals procedure · Nominet .uk standardisation · Nominet registrant types
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