.vet is an open extension used by veterinary practices and by groups for military veterans, the two meanings of the word. Anyone can register one: the registry asks for no veterinary qualification or service record.
PD Hosting is a London company accredited by Nominet as a registrar. Your .vet is registered immediately, managed with your other domains in one client area, and we remind you before its renewal date.
Per year. Compare every extension on our domain pricing page.
What is a .vet domain?
- Type
- Generic top-level domain (gTLD). Source
- Registry
- Identity Digital, via its company Dog Beach, LLC. Source
- In the root since
- May 2014. Source
- Who may register
- Anyone. The registry agreement contains no eligibility rule for vets or veterans. Source
- Protected titles (UK)
- Only people on the RCVS register may call themselves a veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner, whatever their domain. Source
- Owner email
- We have to confirm a .vet owner's email address after registration or changes, and suspend the name if 15 days pass with no reply. Source
- After expiry
- ICANN requires a 30-day redemption period after deletion, so a lapsed .vet can still be recovered for a while. Source
Facts checked against the registry on 9 November 2026.
Who a .vet domain suits
Veterinary practices, mobile and out-of-hours vets, referral hospitals and equine practices can all use a .vet for appointments, opening times and pet-care advice. Businesses around the profession fit too, such as veterinary nurse training providers and locum agencies.
In its other sense, .vet suits veterans' charities, regimental associations, ex-forces employment schemes and veteran-owned businesses. In the UK "vet" usually means an animal doctor, so a veterans' group should choose words in front of the dot that make its meaning plain.
- A practice's bookings and opening hours
- Pet-care advice and practice news
- Branch pages for a group of practices
- A veterans' charity or association website
- Professional email for practice staff
Benefits of a .vet domain
Short and specific
Three letters that most British pet owners read as "veterinary" at a glance.
Practice names available
Town-plus-vets combinations that are often taken in .co.uk are frequently still free in .vet.
Serves two communities
Veterans' organisations get a short, meaningful address from the same extension.
Veterinary or veteran: what .vet means, and what it doesn't
In British English "vet" is almost always short for veterinary surgeon. In American English it's just as often short for veteran, someone who has served in the armed forces. The extension is open to both, and its rules favour neither: the agreement the registry signed with ICANN imposes no eligibility test at all.
That openness cuts both ways. Owning a .vet doesn't show that anyone is qualified. In the UK the titles "veterinary surgeon" and "veterinary practitioner" are protected by the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, and only people on the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' register may use them. Pet owners who want to check a practice look at that register, not at the domain name.
For a genuine practice, then, .vet is a clear, short label rather than a credential. Put your practice name in front of the dot, show your vets' names and qualifications on the site, and keep your .co.uk if clients already know it. For a veterans' organisation, make the military sense obvious in the words before .vet, because most UK visitors will think of animals first.
.vet pros and cons
Works well if
- You run a veterinary practice and want a short, specific address
- Your practice name plus town is taken in .co.uk
- You run a veterans' organisation and want a meaningful short name
Look elsewhere if
- You hoped the domain would prove qualifications: it doesn't, and clients check the RCVS register instead
- Your clients already know your .co.uk: keep it as the main address and add .vet alongside
- You sell pet products or grooming rather than veterinary care: .pet fits better
.vet compared with similar extensions
| Extension | Best for | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| .vet | Veterinary practices and veterans' groups | Short and specific, but not a sign of qualification. |
| .pet | Pet shops, groomers and pet services | About animals generally, not veterinary care. |
| .co.uk | Established UK practices | The address most clients will guess. |
| .org.uk | UK veterans' and animal charities | Signals a non-profit organisation. |
Register your .vet 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.
.vet questions
Do I need to be a qualified vet to register a .vet domain?
No. The registry doesn't ask for a veterinary qualification, a military service record or anything else; anyone may register.
Does .vet stand for veterinary or veteran?
Both. The word is short for veterinary in the UK and commonly for veteran in the US, and the extension is open to both uses. Choose the name before the dot so visitors read it the way you intend.
Can pet owners trust a practice because it has a .vet address?
The extension itself says nothing about qualifications, because registration is open. To check that a UK vet is registered, use the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' register. A practice that names its vets on its site makes that easy.
Should our practice switch from .co.uk to .vet?
Not necessarily. If clients know your .co.uk, keep it as the main address and point the .vet at the same site. A .vet is most useful for a new practice, or when the .co.uk you wanted is taken.
What is the yearly renewal for a .vet?
We charge £54.95 a year to renew a .vet, which is higher than the first-year offer.
What happens if a .vet owner's email isn't confirmed?
The domain is suspended. ICANN requires us to verify the owner's email after registration or a change of details, and a name whose owner hasn't confirmed within 15 days stays suspended until they do.
Sources: IANA .vet record · ICANN .vet registry agreement · Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, section 20 · ICANN 2013 Registrar Accreditation Agreement
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