The small print

Buying a .ie name isn't quite like a .com

Anyone is welcome to make an offer. Completing the sale, though, depends on the buyer qualifying to hold a .ie domain. .ie is Ireland's national domain and is lightly regulated: the registry checks that whoever holds a name has a genuine tie to Ireland. Worth knowing before you offer.

The connection to Ireland

To hold a .ie domain you have to show a real and substantive connection to the island of Ireland (all 32 counties). In practice that's shown by one of:

• Irish citizenship or residency — e.g. a passport or driving licence
• A business registered in Ireland — a CRO or Registered Business Name (RBN) number
• An Irish VAT number, or an Irish or EU trade mark
• Evidence of trading with customers in Ireland — invoices, or a letter from a solicitor, accountant or bank

Since the rules were eased in 2018 you no longer have to justify a claim to the specific name — but this connection check still applies to every registrant, including on a sale.

How the transfer happens

A sale is completed as a registrant transfer through an accredited .ie registrar, not by simply handing over a login. In brief:

• The buyer's eligibility is pre-validated by the IE Domain Registry
• Once approved, the registry issues an authorisation code
• The transfer is submitted and the domain locks for about three days
• After the lock, the registration moves to the buyer and the WHOIS updates

Registrar admin fees apply and are separate from the offer price. As an example, via Blacknight these are currently €24.99 for pre-validation and €44.99 for the transfer (both ex VAT); other registrars set their own.

Check the source, not just me

• .IE registration requirements (weare.ie)
• .ie secondary market & registrant transfer (IE Domain Registry)
• Registrant transfer process, step by step (Blacknight)

This page is a plain-language summary for prospective buyers, not legal, tax or registry advice. Requirements, fees and processes are set by the IE Domain Registry and individual registrars, and can change — confirm the current rules with the registry or an accredited registrar before relying on anything here.