Register Company Name and Domain Name Together in South African Initiative

The South Africans have come up with a unique initiative aimed at start-ups, in particular, to register a domain name at the same time as registering a company name.

The new idea is a collaboration between the Companies and Intellectual Properties Commission (CIPC) and the 2 companies managing South Africa’s country code top level domain (ccTLD), the ZA Domain Name Authority (ZADNA) and the ZA Central Registry NPC (ZACR).

When registering a company name, one can also register their .za domain name for R51.30 ($4.20). However the domain name must then be transferred to a commercial registrar when the registrant is ready to start utilising the domain name or within one year, whichever comes first.

To take advantage of the service aimed at South Africans, go to the e-services section of the CIPC and use the “domain name services” option under “transact”.