How to register a .co.tz domain

To register a .co.tz domain, search for the name you want on the website of a tzNIC-accredited registrar, add it to your cart, fill in your business details and pay. tzNIC (the Tanzania Network Information Centre) manages all .tz domains, but you buy through a registrar, not from tzNIC directly. Once the registration goes through, you can point the domain to your website and set up email.

It usually takes less than an hour of your time. Here's what to know before you start.

What are the different .tz domains?

.tz domains come with a second part that says what kind of organisation you are. The common ones:

Rules can change, so your registrar will confirm what's needed for the one you pick.

Should you choose .co.tz or .com?

If most of your customers are in Tanzania, .co.tz is a good choice. It looks local and trustworthy, and short names are more likely to be available than on .com. If you mainly sell abroad, .com may be easier for foreign customers to remember. Many businesses register both and point one to the other, so nobody else can take the name.

Step 1: Pick a name

• Keep it short and easy to say out loud.
• Match your business name, or something very close to it.
• Avoid hyphens and numbers people might mishear.
• Check that the matching Instagram and Facebook names are free too.

Step 2: Choose an accredited registrar

tzNIC publishes a list of accredited registrars on its website. Compare them on price for the first year and for renewals, the quality of their support, whether they include DNS management, and how easy their control panel is. Some hosting companies are registrars too, which keeps things in one place.

Step 3: Prepare your details

You'll typically be asked for your name or company name, address, phone number and email. Some registrars may ask for a business registration document from BRELA, especially if the domain is in your company's name. Register the domain in the business's name and with an email address the business controls, not a staff member's personal email.

Step 4: Pay and confirm

Domains are paid yearly. Many registrars let you pay for several years at once, which saves you from forgetting a renewal. Once payment clears, you'll get a confirmation and access to a control panel.

Step 5: Connect it to your website and email

In the control panel you can set the DNS records that point your domain to your website host and your email provider. If someone else is building your site, they'll tell you exactly which records to add. Business email on your own domain, like info@yourbusiness.co.tz, looks far more professional than a Gmail address.

Don't lose your domain

The most common problem we see is an expired domain. The renewal email went to an old address, nobody paid, and the website and email stopped working. Turn on auto-renew if your registrar offers it, keep your contact email current, and put the renewal date in your calendar.

How to choose a good domain name

Your domain will be on your business cards, your van, your Instagram bio and your email address for years, so it's worth taking a little time over it. Say it out loud to a friend and ask them to type it. If they get it wrong, so will customers.

If your exact name is taken, try adding your industry or city, like kibobakery.co.tz or kibodar.co.tz, rather than a hyphen or an odd spelling.

What is DNS, in plain language?

DNS is the internet's phone book. It connects your domain name to the places it should point to. The main records you'll hear about are:

• A record: points your domain to the server that hosts your website.
• CNAME record: points one name to another, often used for "www".
• MX records: tell the internet where to deliver email for your domain.
• TXT records: used to prove you own the domain and to stop others sending fake email in your name.

Changes to DNS can take a few hours to work everywhere. Be careful when editing MX records, because a wrong change can stop your email from arriving.

Setting up business email on your domain

Once you have a domain, set up email addresses on it, like info@ or sales@. Most businesses use Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, which are paid per user, or the email that comes with their hosting. Whichever you choose, the provider gives you MX and TXT records to add to your domain. After that, you can read your email in the Gmail or Outlook app on your phone as usual.

Domain renewals and transfers

Domains are rented, not bought forever. Each year you renew, or you lose it. Here's how to avoid trouble:

1. Make sure the registrar account is in the business's name, with an email address you check.
2. Turn on auto-renew if your registrar offers it.
3. Put the expiry date in your calendar with a reminder a month before.
4. Keep the login details somewhere safe that more than one person in the business can access.
5. If you change web designers, keep control of the domain yourself.

If you want to move your domain to a different registrar, ask the new registrar how. You'll usually need the domain unlocked and an authorisation code from your current registrar.

Protect your brand with more than one domain

Some businesses register several versions of their name: .co.tz, .com and sometimes .tz variations, then point them all to the same website. It stops competitors or scammers from using a similar address. If you sell internationally, a .com is useful even if your main site is on .co.tz. You don't have to do this on day one, but it's cheap insurance once the business is growing.

What to do after you register

A domain on its own does nothing. Once it's registered, connect it to a website (even a simple one-page site at first), set up business email, and add the address everywhere your customers see you. If you need help with any of those steps, we handle the domain, the website and email together so they're set up correctly from the start. Our guide on how to make a website in Tanzania covers what comes next.

Example: registering a domain for a new consultancy

Suppose a new consultancy in Dodoma wants a domain. The founders check their name on a registrar's site and find the .co.tz is free, but the .com is taken. They register the .co.tz in the company's name using an email address both founders can access, and pay for two years. They turn on auto-renew. Then they point the domain to a simple website, set up info@ and the founders' own addresses with Google Workspace, and add the domain to their LinkedIn, business cards and email signatures. The whole process takes an afternoon.

Common domain problems and how to fix them

Your plan for this week

1. Write down three name options.
2. Check their availability on an accredited registrar's site.
3. Register your first choice in the business's name.
4. Turn on auto-renew and note the expiry date.
5. Set up at least one business email address.

Frequently asked questions