Registering a .vlaanderen domain name
The .vlaanderen extension is a regional extension for Flanders and, like .be, is managed by DNS Belgium. Anyone may register it. It suits companies, associations and initiatives that want to show their Flemish roots in their address.
A .vlaanderen follows the same rules as a .be and is therefore just as easy to register, transfer and renew. The difference lies in what the extension conveys. Below is what DNS Belgium requires and what to watch out for.
What does a .vlaanderen domain name cost?
Price in euros, per year and excluding 21% VAT. Renewable annually; price changes by the registry are reserved.
The rules of DNS Belgium for a .vlaanderen
Who may register
Anyone, private individual or business, even without an address in Flanders or Belgium. The holder details must be correct.
Characters and length
Letters, digits and the hyphen, with a length of two to sixty-three characters. A hyphen may not appear at the start or the end. Accented letters are possible.
Term and renewal
You register per year and renew each time before the expiry date. Automatic renewal prevents the name from expiring unnoticed.
Transfer with a transfer code
You move with a transfer code from your current registrar, as with .be. The transfer is usually completed within a few hours and extends the name by a year.
Expiry and quarantine
A .vlaanderen that is not renewed goes into quarantine. DNS Belgium applies the same recovery period as for .be: forty days during which the holder can still recover the name.
Which sites is a .vlaanderen suited to?
Flemish companies and products
A regional product, a local service or a brand that emphasises its Flemish origin gets an address with .vlaanderen that says so immediately.
Associations, events and authorities
Cultural organisations, sports clubs, festivals and local authorities use .vlaanderen to show their regional reach.
Campaigns and projects
For a temporary campaign or a project with a Flemish audience, a short .vlaanderen name is often still available where the .be is already taken.
What most often goes wrong with a .vlaanderen
Underestimating the long extension
At ten letters, .vlaanderen is long. Combine it with a short name, otherwise the address becomes awkward to dictate and type.
Missing the renewal
A .vlaanderen, too, ends up in quarantine after the expiry date. Automatic renewal and a valid email address for the holder prevent that.
Using it as your only address
Visitors who know your name but not your extension try .be first. Register that one too if it is still available and have it redirect.