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Why Buy a .ca for Your Canadian Business?

When looking to establish a strong online presence in Canada, choosing a .ca domain extension is a smart move for Canadian entities. This extension is specifically designed to target Canadian audiences and businesses, ensuring that your website is recognized as distinctly Canadian. Only individuals and entities that meet the Canadian presence requirements are eligible to register a .ca domain, making it an exclusive choice for those looking to build trust with local customers. Whether you're an individual or business, using a .ca domain signals that you meet the criteria and helps you stand out. Start with a domain search today to secure your .ca and boost your visibility to Canadian audiences.

  • Presence in Canada: A .CA domain is Canada's unique internet identity, exclusively reserved for Canadians. It's recognized and trusted worldwide, ensuring a strong online presence in Canada.
  • Distinctly Canadian: With a .ca domain, you're not just another name in the vast .com pool. It distinctly says you're Canadian, setting you apart from the nearly 70 million .com domains, which many view as primarily American.
  • Boost in Search Engines: Canadian customers prefer local businesses. A .ca domain boosts your visibility in search engines, signaling to customers that you're a genuine Canadian business.
  • Protect Your Brand: Ensure your brand's integrity with a .CA domain. They're safeguarded in a dedicated national registry, making them a trusted choice for businesses wanting to protect their brand and establish a strong online presence.
.ca Domains

Registration Price

$20.95

Renewal Price

$20.95

Transfer Price

$20.95
.ca domains are only available to Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents for registration.

.ca Domain Information

Registry: Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA)
Introduced: 1987
Intended use: Entities connected with Canada
Restrictions: Canadian residents and citizens
Whois privacy protection: Yes
IDN support: Yes
Supports DNSSEC: Yes
Renewal grace period: 40 days
Redemption grace period: 30 days
Name servers required: 2 - 13
Domain name length: 1 - 63 Characters
Auth code length: 16 - 48 Characters

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can hide certain personal information associated with .ca domains. The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) offers a privacy protection feature for individual registrants. This means that if you register a .ca domain as an individual, certain personal details like your home address and phone number won't be displayed in the public WHOIS database. However, if the domain is registered under a company or organization's name, the details will be public.
In accordance with ICANN registry operations, Generic Top Level Domains (gTLD) have a 40 day "Grace period" in which a domain name can be renewed without incurring an additional fee. Its important to note however that your domain will no longer resolve on the day it expires. After the 40 day grace period, there is a 30 day "Redemption Period" in which you can renew your domain name for an additional $300 USD.
The .ca domain registration process offers a flexible registration period, allowing you to establish your online presence for any length of time between 1 to 10 years. This customizable registration period provides you with the freedom to select a duration that aligns perfectly with your business or project's timeline, ensuring either long-term stability or the flexibility to adapt as your online needs evolve.
The Canadian presence requirements are criteria set by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) to ensure that .ca domains (a country code top-level domain or cctld) are primarily registered by entities with a significant connection to Canada. Here's a breakdown:
  1. Canadian Citizens: Any individual who is a Canadian citizen can register a .ca domain.
  2. Permanent Residents: Permanent residents of Canada, even if not citizens, are eligible.
  3. Legal Representatives: Individuals who are legal representatives and authorized to represent someone who meets the other criteria.
  4. Canadian Organizations: This encompasses corporations, trusts, partnerships, associations, trade unions, and political parties registered in Canada.
  5. Aboriginal Peoples: Includes Inuit, Métis, and First Nations residing in Canada.
  6. Government Entities: Covers federal, provincial, territorial, or local government entities in Canada.
  7. Trademark Holders: Holders of a trademark registered in Canada can register a .ca domain, provided the domain corresponds with the exact trademark.
It's crucial for registrants to meet these requirements both at the time of registration and throughout the entire registration period. Failing to meet the requirements can result in the loss of their Canadian domains.
Yes, you can update the email address linked to your domain registration. It's crucial to keep this address current to ensure you receive all communications from your certified registrar. To change it, log into your account and update your contact information. See: How to modify the Whois contact details of Domain Names for a guide on how to change this information.
Be cautious. Certified registrars typically won't ask for sensitive information via email. If you receive such an email, do not click on any links or provide any information.
Yes, .ca domains support Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs), allowing the use of special French characters such as é, ë, ê, è, â, à, æ, ô, œ, ù, û, ü, ç, î, ï. This feature enables you to register domain names in French, reflecting Canada's bilingual nature and supporting the linguistic diversity of Canadian citizens and businesses. When registering a .ca domain, ensure your domain name accurately represents your brand or identity in French, using these special characters as needed.