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ContactContact us via chat or emailRegister Your Official .co.ke Domain in Kenya
Build instant trust, maximize local SEO search ranking across Google.co.ke, and secure your brand identity in East Africa’s leading economic hub. Active in minutes.
Explore Other Extensions
What is a .co.ke Domain?
The premier country code domain extension for commercial entities, startups, and brands in Kenya.
Managed by the Kenya Network Information Centre (KeNIC), the .co.ke extension is Kenya’s primary country-code second-level domain (ccSLD). It was created to provide localized digital identities for commercial businesses operating inside East Africa’s leading economic hub.
Unlike restricted country extensions, .co.ke registration is open to local individuals, companies, and international entities without requiring citizen checks or physical local address verifications, making it the most trusted and widely adopted corporate namespace in the country.
- Localized SEO Search Priority. Gives your website native rank priority in Google.co.ke search results, driving highly targeted local traffic.
- Native Transactional Trust. Kenyan consumers naturally trust local businesses. The .co.ke extension signals that pricing, shipping, and currency are native.
.KE Registry Market Share Breakdown
.co.ke Domains
113,173 Domains (88.9% Share)
Other .KE Subdomains
14,159 Domains (11.1% Share)
Scale Your Digital Venture Beyond Domain Registration
A domain name is just step one. Truehost delivers the complete cloud hosting stack with local currency billing and 24/7 support.
Unrestricted & Locally Accessible
Registering a .co.ke domain is open to everyone with zero residency checks. Secure your local brand space instantly.
Open Globally
Any individual, business, startup, or organisation worldwide can register a .co.ke domain. There are no address verifications, residency requirements, or citizen checks.
DNSSEC Secured
Truehost supports advanced cryptographic security signatures (DNSSEC) directly on the .co.ke zone, verifying domain identity and preventing site hijackings or phishing redirects.
Instant Provisioning
Our flow links directly to the KeNIC registry database. Your .co.ke domain is registered and propagates globally across root DNS nodes in under 60 seconds.
Launch Your Local Website Free for 1 Year
Truehost is committed to bringing Kenyan businesses online. Register your .co.ke domain today and get our basic web hosting plan free for the first 12 months.
Free Web Hosting with Every .co.ke Domain
Perfect for launching a local business, blog, or showcasing a personal portfolio. Our Webhosting Lite FREE plan is bundled with every .co.ke domain registration. Powered by SSD, hosted on cPanel, and includes automated SSL certificates.
Standard domain renewal at KSh 1,200 / yr. Free hosting requires domain active at Truehost.
Register Domain & Claim HostingWho is .co.ke Designed For?
A country-specific domain is key to targeting customers inside Kenya. Securing a .co.ke domain is highly recommended for local operations.
Small Businesses & Local SMEs
Establish regional legitimacy. Local shoppers, service seekers, and wholesale buyers search for companies using regional qualifiers. A local domain boosts your brick-and-mortar credibility.
lawfirm.co.keE-commerce Stores & Retailers
Drive transactional confidence. Kenyan shoppers paying via M-Pesa expect localized checkout layouts. The extension signals that pricing, shipping, and currency (KES) are native.
shop.yourbrand.co.keFreelancers & Independent Consultants
Differentiate your personal portfolio. Running local consulting operations or digital freelance agencies under a country domain highlights regional expertise and accessibility.
design.co.keMultinational Brands & Corporations
Protect your regional trademarks. Global companies entering East Africa secure local domains to prevent cybersquatting and establish localized portals for Kenyan offices.
brand.co.keJoin the Elite
Over 113,000 active domain registrations establish .co.ke as the primary extension for local businesses, media houses, and banking services.
Six Free Tools Included with Every .co.ke Registration
We don’t lock domain management behind extra fees. Every .co.ke domain comes with a full suite of management tools from day one.
DNS Management
Full control over your records. Add or modify A, MX, CNAME, TXT, and SRV records from your Truehost dashboard anytime.
Free Email Forwarding
Route incoming mail from your .co.ke address to any inbox — your personal email or a shared team address — at no extra cost.
Registrar Lock
Prevent unauthorized domain transfers. Keep your .co.ke address locked to stop accidental or malicious hijacking of your brand’s digital identity.
URL Forwarding
Point your .co.ke domain to your main website or social media store. Redirect visitors wherever you need them to go.
DNSSEC Protection
.co.ke fully supports DNSSEC (DNS Security Extensions). Enable it to protect your visitors from DNS spoofing and cache poisoning attacks.
Nairobi-Based Support
Get fast support from experts based in Nairobi. Available 24/7/365 via phone call, live chat, or email tickets.
Localized SEO Search Advantage
Securing a localized ccTLD ranks your business substantially higher for queries originating inside Kenya than generic global extensions.
Claim Your Regional Digital Space
Search algorithms target domestic IP blocks and prefer localized domain tags to direct consumers to verified local businesses.
A .co.ke domain gives your business native rank priority on Google.co.ke and maximizes click-through rates (CTR) from Kenyan buyers.
Which Extension is Best for Your Brand?
Compare how .co.ke stands up against traditional and alternative local extensions.
.co.ke vs .com
LOCAL SEO vs GLOBAL BRAND.com is a global baseline but carries no local search priority in Kenya. .co.ke is highly recognized by local users, provides instant ranking authority, and simplifies local payments.
.co.ke vs .ke
MARKET ESTABLISHMENT.co.ke is the standard commercial sub-class, hosting 88.9% of local registrations. .ke is the newer second-level domain extension that offers shorter names but at a higher cost index.
Explore Other Popular Extensions
If you want to protect your trademark or explore other options, Truehost provides 200+ alternative extensions.
The direct second-level country code domain for Kenya. Short, memorable, and premium, representing the peak of local online branding.
The default global domain for commercial entities. Highly recognized, but extremely competitive to acquire premium names.
The standard choice for non-profit organisations, community projects, charities, foundations, and educational groups.
Historically used for internet infrastructure providers, developers, network systems, API backbones, and database systems.
Who Manages the .co.ke Domain Database?
Operated by the Kenya Network Information Centre (KeNIC)
The Kenya Network Information Centre (KeNIC) is a non-profit company formed in 2002 under a collaborative partnership between the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) and the local IT community to manage the national ccTLD registry database.
KeNIC governs all registry zones and authoritative nameservers for the .ke namespaces. The registry does not sell domain names directly to the public; instead, they accredit registrar companies like Truehost to manage customer accounts, billing, support, and domain lifecycle renewals.
What Happens If Your .co.ke Domain Expires?
To maintain stability, the KeNIC registry enforces a strict lifecycle timeline. If you miss a renewal date, your domain is locked before being permanently deleted.
Ensure auto-renewal is active to prevent brand loss.
Active State
1 – 5 Year TermYour domain is fully active. You can host, route emails, and renew at standard rates anytime during this period.
Auto-Renew Grace
1 – 30 Days Post-ExpiryResolution stops. Web and email services go offline. You can still renew at standard pricing with no penalty fees.
Redemption Grace
31 – 75 Days Post-ExpiryLocked by the registry. Restoring the domain requires a renewal fee plus a premium restore penalty fee from the registry.
Deletion Phase
5 Days After RedemptionThe domain is placed in queue for deletion. It cannot be recovered or restored at this point.
Released to Public
ImmediateThe domain is deleted from the registry and made available for public registration on a first-come, first-served basis.
Renewal & Redemption Cost Matrix
Understanding the financial lifecycle of your .co.ke domain helps you manage renewal budgets and avoid premium recovery costs.
| Lifecycle Phase | Standard Cost | Penalty Fee | Total Cost | Action Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active Registration | KSh 999 / yr | None | KSh 999 / yr | Renew early to secure peace of mind |
| Auto-Renew Grace | KSh 1,200 / yr | None | KSh 1,200 / yr | Renew immediately to bring site back online |
| Redemption Grace | KSh 1,200 / yr | Registry Restore Fee (Ksh 6,500) | Standard Fee + Restore Fee | Contact support to process recovery manually |
| Pending Delete | Unavailable | Unavailable | Unavailable | Monitor registry drop lists to re-register |
Register Your .co.ke Domain in 3 Steps
Our registration flow is fully automated. Secure your domain name in under five minutes.
Search for Your Domain
Type your brand name in our search tool above. Select `.co.ke` and check its availability instantly.
Consider variations: yourbrand.co.ke, yourbrand-group.co.ke.
Pay via M-Pesa or Card
Add your domain and optional web hosting bundle to your cart. Complete payment instantly via M-Pesa STK push or Credit Card.
No administrative forms. Immediate processing.
Deploy and Go Live
Your domain updates in global DNS root servers within minutes. Access your client area to set up your professional email or link it to your website.
Start marketing your brand locally immediately.
Transfer Your .co.ke Domain to Truehost
Already own a .co.ke domain with another registrar? Move it to Truehost for simplified local M-Pesa billing and 24/7 support.
Request Your EPP Code
Log in to your current domain provider. Disable the registrar transfer lock and request your EPP authorization code. This is legally required to be released to you.
Submit Transfer Order
Enter your EPP code and domain on our transfer portal. Complete the transfer fee payment — KSh 1,000. This automatically adds 1 year of registration.
Confirm Domain Transfer
Click the verification link in the transfer approval email. The transition process takes 1-5 days, with zero website or mail downtime.
.co.ke Domain FAQs
Common questions about registering, managing, and utilizing your .co.ke domain answered clearly and directly.
Do I need a business registration certificate to buy a .co.ke domain?
No. Anyone can register a .co.ke domain name. You do not need to submit any business registration certificate, tax identification PIN, or certificates of incorporation. The extension is open to local individuals, companies, and international brands on a first-come, first-served basis. Unlike restricted sub-domains:
- ✗No NGO Board certificates required (unlike
.or.ke) - ✗No University/College charters required (unlike
.ac.ke) - ✗No Government ICT authorization letters required (unlike
.go.ke)
How much does a .co.ke domain cost at Truehost?
At Truehost Cloud, .co.ke registration and renewals are transparent with no hidden setup surcharges:
- 1New Registration: Starts at KSh 999 for the first year (which includes a complimentary 12-month Webhosting Lite plan).
- 2Annual Renewal Rate: Standard renewal pricing is KSh 1,200 per year to maintain domain ownership.
- 3EPP Transfer In: Transferring your domain to Truehost is priced at KSh 1,000, extending validity by 1 additional year.
How do I pay for my domain registration via M-Pesa?
Yes, you can pay instantly using M-Pesa. During checkout, select M-Pesa to trigger an automatic STK push directly to your phone. Simply enter your M-Pesa PIN to complete payment. We also support Credit/Debit Cards, direct bank transfers (EFT/RTGS), and PayPal.
How do I connect my new .co.ke domain to Shopify or WooCommerce?
Connecting your `.co.ke` domain to Shopify, WooCommerce, or Squarespace requires editing your DNS records inside the Truehost dashboard:
- 1Access DNS zone editor: Log in to the Truehost Client Portal, navigate to Domains, and select the Zone Editor.
- 2Point the A record: Edit your root A record (`@`) to point to your commerce host’s IP address (e.g.,
23.227.38.65for Shopify). - 3Point the CNAME record: Edit your `www` CNAME record to point to your store subdomain (e.g.,
shops.myshopify.com). - 4Verify platform: Go to your Shopify or WooCommerce settings page, click “Connect Existing Domain”, and wait for propagation to complete.
What is the difference between a .co.ke and a .com domain?
Both extensions serve commercial purposes but target different geographic scopes and carry different pricing structures:
| Metric | .co.ke (Kenyan ccTLD) | .com (Global gTLD) |
|---|---|---|
| Target Market | Local Kenyan consumers and search queries | Global and international audiences |
| SEO Advantage | Higher ranking in localized Google.co.ke searches | Neutral global search visibility |
| Availability | High (greater chance of securing brand names) | Extremely saturated (most short names are taken) |
| First-Year Price | KSh 999 | KSh 999 |
What happens if I forget to renew my .co.ke domain on time?
To prevent loss of domain ownership, the KeNIC registry enforces the following lifecycle steps post-expiry:
- 1Auto-Renew Grace (Days 1–30): Domain is suspended and goes offline, but can be renewed at the standard rate of KSh 1,200 with zero penalty.
- 2Redemption Period (Days 31–75): Locked by KeNIC. Restoring the domain requires paying the renewal fee plus a registry restore penalty fee (Ksh 6,500).
- 3Released Pool (Day 81+): Purged from registry databases and made available to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis.