Where Do I Register a Domain Name in South Africa? Registrars, Requirements and Steps

You register a .co.za domain name through a registrar accredited by the .za registry, such as Afrihost, xneelo, Domains.co.za, 1-grid, Hostking or Register Domain SA, or through a service like EmailPros that registers it for you together with your business email. It usually costs about R99 to R110 a year, anyone can register one, and it is normally active within minutes of payment.

Below you will find who controls .co.za domains, which companies can register them, what you need, and a step-by-step guide to registering yours.

What is a domain name?

A domain name is a unique web address that lets people find your business online. It has two parts: the name and the extension. In "mybusiness.co.za", "mybusiness" is the name and ".co.za" is the extension.

Your domain is used for your website and for your email addresses (for example info@mybusiness.co.za). It makes your business look established and trustworthy, and it is much easier for customers to remember than a Gmail address.

Who controls .co.za domains? ZADNA, ZARC and registrars explained

Three layers are involved, and knowing them helps you understand who you are actually buying from.

• ZADNA (ZA Domain Name Authority): the regulator. ZADNA manages South Africa's .za namespace, sets policy and approves the wholesale fee for .co.za domains. It does not sell domains to the public.
• ZARC (ZA Registry Consortium): the registry operator. Since 1 October 2022, ZARC has run the technical registry for .co.za, .org.za, .net.za and .web.za under a contract with ZADNA. ZARC was set up by the ZA Central Registry (ZACR), the non-profit that ran the .co.za registry before, together with Domain Name Services. You may still see "ZACR" mentioned on older websites.
• Accredited registrars: the companies that sell domains to you. They are accredited by the registry and connect directly to it. ZARC publishes the full list of accredited registrars.
• Resellers and service providers: many web hosts, designers and email providers register domains for their customers through an accredited registrar. This is normal and legitimate, and it is how most small businesses get their domain.

For .com domains the structure is similar, but the global rules are set by ICANN, and the registrar must be ICANN-accredited (or resell for one).

Where to register a domain name in South Africa

These are some of the most popular places South African businesses register domains. Prices are the standard one-year .co.za prices listed on each website when we checked in September 2026.

Prices change regularly, and the .za wholesale fee rises by 6.2% on 1 October 2026, so confirm the price at checkout. For a detailed price breakdown including .com, transfers and renewals, see how much a domain name costs in South Africa.

Registrar, host or done-for-you service: which should you use?

Where you register depends on what you want the domain for.

• Just the domain (you will set everything up yourself): a domain-focused registrar is cheapest. You get the name and a control panel. Email and website are separate purchases.
• Domain plus website hosting: a web host like Afrihost, xneelo or Hostking, where the .co.za is often free with the hosting package.
• Domain plus professional email, set up for you: a done-for-you service like EmailPros, where the domain, mailboxes, DNS records, SSL and phone setup are all handled. This suits business owners who want info@theirbusiness.co.za working without learning what an MX record is.

There is no single "best" domain registrar in South Africa. The best one is the one whose renewal price, support and included services fit how you will use the domain.

How to check if a .co.za domain name is available

1. Use any registrar's search box. Type the name you want. If it shows as available, you can register it. If not, it will say the domain is taken.
2. Use the official WHOIS lookup. ZARC's WHOIS service shows whether a .co.za is registered, when it expires and which registrar manages it.
3. Type the address into your browser. This is a quick check, but not reliable on its own, because many registered domains have no website.

If your first choice is taken, try:

• Adding your town or service: smithplumbingpta.co.za or smithplumbing-services.co.za.
• Using your full registered company name instead of a shortened version.
• Checking the .com or .org.za version.
• Avoiding numbers and unusual spellings that people will mistype.

Should you register a .co.za or a .com?

For a business that serves South African customers, a .co.za is usually the right choice. It is cheaper (about R99 to R110 a year compared to roughly R255 to R300 for a .com), local customers recognise it immediately, and good short names are still easier to find.

Choose a .com if you sell to customers outside South Africa, or if the .com of your exact business name is free and the .co.za is not. Established businesses sometimes register both so that nobody else can use the name.

What do you need to register a .co.za domain?

The requirements are simple:

• Anyone can register a .co.za. You do not need to be a registered company, and you do not need a CIPC registration number. Sole traders and side businesses can register one too. (If you are wondering whether you should register your business, read do I need to register my small business in South Africa.)
• Your contact details: full name or business name, physical address, email address and phone number. These become the registrant details for the domain, so use accurate information.
• A working email address: some registrars send a verification email that you must confirm before the domain goes fully live.
• A valid domain name: letters (a to z), numbers and hyphens only, with no hyphen at the start or end, and up to 63 characters before the .co.za.
• Payment: card, Instant EFT or EFT, depending on the provider.

A tip that saves a lot of pain later: make sure the domain is registered in your own name or your business's name, with an email address you control. If a web designer or friend registers it under their details, getting it back can be difficult.

How to register a .co.za domain: step by step

1. Pick your name. Keep it short, easy to spell and close to your business name. Say it out loud as if you were giving it over the phone.
2. Check availability using a registrar's search or the ZARC WHOIS lookup.
3. Choose your provider. Decide whether you want the domain only, or the domain with email and hosting.
4. Add the domain to your cart and choose the registration period (usually one year).
5. Enter the registrant details carefully. This is the legal holder of the domain.
6. Pay. The registrar submits the registration to the registry.
7. Confirm any verification email you receive.
8. Point the domain where it needs to go. Add nameservers or DNS records for your email and website. If you use a done-for-you service, this step is handled for you.

How long does it take to register a .co.za domain?

The registration itself usually takes a few minutes once payment is confirmed, because accredited registrars connect directly to the registry's systems. Payments by manual EFT take longer, because the provider waits for the money to clear before registering.

If a registrar asks you to verify your email address, the domain may only become fully active once you click the link, so check your inbox (and spam folder) straight after paying.

After registration, DNS changes (the settings that connect your domain to email and a website) can take a few hours to spread across the internet, and occasionally up to 24 to 48 hours.

With EmailPros, your domain is registered and your email addresses are ready to use within 3 working hours of payment.

How long can you register a .co.za domain for?

Most registrars sell .co.za domains one year at a time and remind you to renew each year. Since October 2024 the .za registry has also allowed registrations of up to five years, so some providers offer longer terms. Registering for longer protects you from yearly price increases, but only if you are confident you will keep the name.

What happens after you register your domain?

Registering the domain reserves the name. On its own it does not show a website or deliver email. After registration you will normally:

• Set up email hosting so you can create addresses like info@yourbusiness.co.za and receive mail on your phone and computer.
• Add DNS records (MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC) so your email is delivered properly and does not land in spam.
• Build a website, if you need one. Many businesses start with email only and add a site later.
• Diarise the renewal date, or make sure your provider renews it automatically.

You do not need a website to use your domain for email. See can I get a domain email without a website for how that works.

How to register your domain and business email with EmailPros

If your main reason for getting a domain is a professional email address, EmailPros handles both in one step:

1. Choose a package on our packages page. Every package includes a free .co.za or .com domain.
2. Complete the order form with your details, your preferred domain and the email addresses you want (for example info@, accounts@ or your name).
3. Pay once a year by card or Instant EFT via PayFast, or by manual EFT. There are no monthly debit orders.
4. Receive your welcome pack within 3 working hours of payment, with your login details and step-by-step guides for iPhone, Android, Outlook and webmail.

We register the domain, create the mailboxes, set up DNS and SSL, and switch on spam and virus filtering. Your email is hosted on South African servers in Johannesburg and Cape Town, backed up daily off-site, and covered by a 7-day money-back guarantee.

Common mistakes to avoid when registering a domain

• Only looking at the first-year price. The renewal price is what you pay for years to come.
• Letting someone else be the registrant. Your domain is a business asset. Keep it in your name.
• Using an email address you might lose (such as an old work address) as the domain contact.
• Forgetting to renew. When a domain expires, your email stops working too, and recovering it can cost several hundred Rand.
• Choosing a name that is hard to spell. Every misspelt email address is a lost enquiry.
• Buying a domain and never setting up email. A domain on its own does nothing. Our guide to creating a .co.za email address shows how to put it to work.