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ContactContact us via chat or emailRegister the .go.ke Domain for Your Department
Citizens can’t tell a real government site from a fraudulent one. A .go.ke domain
stops that at a source.
Explore Other Kenyan Extensions
.co.ke
Get for KSh 999 / 1st Year.or.ke
Get for KSh 1,000 / 1st Year.ac.ke
Get for KSh 199 / 1st Year.go.ke Domain Pricing
You pay exactly what you see. We do not charge setup fees or add hidden administration costs.
New Registration
Enter your agency name above to check availability.
Once paid, submit your signed authorization letter and our compliance team will route it to KENIC.
- Fast submission to KENIC
- Free DNS management suite
Annual Renewal
Renew your domain annually before the expiry date to keep your government portal online.
You can configure auto-renewals in your client area.
- Renew for up to 10 years
- Automatic renew warnings
Transfer In
Migrate your existing domain to Truehost.
Transfers include a one-year renewal added to your registration term at no extra cost.
- Free 1-year renewal extension
- Zero database downtime
What is .go.ke Domain
The .go.ke domain is the official country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) extension
reserved exclusively for government entities in Kenya.
Unlike open extensions, it cannot be registered by individuals or commercial businesses, making it a secure trust signal for citizens.
KENIC administers the registry under strict eligibility guidelines, ensuring that only verified state corporations, ministries, county governments, and constitutional bodies can hold these addresses.
- Restricted Namespace. Unauthorized commercial registrations are blocked at the registry level.
- Citizen Trust. Citizens instantly recognize the domain as an official government source.
- High Availability. Most official agency names are available for immediate reservation.
.KE Registry Market Share Breakdown
.go.ke Domains
923 Active Domains (0.72% Share)
Other .KE Extensions
126,409 Active Domains (99.28% Share)
.go.ke domain in Kenya. Scammers can’t get in.
Your .go.ke Domain is Step One. Here’s What Comes Next.
A domain name is the address. You still need secure email, reliable hosting, and a professional website. Truehost provides all of it on your terms.
.go.ke Domain Requirements
To register, you’ll need an authorization letter signed by your agency head.
Upload it through your Truehost client portal after checkout and we take it from there.
- An authorization letter. Get it signed on official letterhead by your Director, Cabinet Secretary, or Head of Department. Scan it and keep it ready to upload after checkout.
- An accredited registrar. Registrations must go through an accredited KENIC registrar. Truehost handles the submission and coordinates verification on your behalf.
- An official admin email. Provide an active email address from your government department to serve as the contact point on your domain record.
GO.KE Quick Facts
Free Domain With Hosting
Get your domain registered for free when you purchase one of our select web hosting plans. Choose the plan that fits your website’s traffic and scale.
Webhosting Starter with FREE DOMAIN
- FREE DOMAIN .go.ke/.club/.top/.buzz/.xyz/.shop
- Hosts 10 Websites
- WordPress Hosting & other CMS
- ~25,000 visits monthly
- Free Website Migrations
- 30 GB SSD Storage
- 1-click Installer
- FREE DOMAIN .go.ke/.co.ke/.club/.top/.buzz/.xyz/.shop
- Hosts 30 Websites
- WordPress Hosting & other CMS
- 50 GB SSD Storage
- 1-click Installer
- Free automated SSL
- Unlimited bandwidth
Webhosting Unlimited with FREE DOMAIN
- FREE DOMAIN .go.ke/.co.ke/.com/.club/.top/.buzz/.xyz/.shop
- Hosts Unlimited Websites
- WordPress Hosting & other CMS
- Free Website Migrations
- Unmetered SSD Storage
- 1-click Installer
- Free automated SSL
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Sign up with confidence. If our service isn’t what you expected, cancel within 30 days for a full refund. No questions asked.
Who Uses .go.ke?
KENIC defines exactly which institutions qualify. Check yours below. If your department appears in one of these categories, you’re eligible to apply today.
Government Ministries
National ministries, state departments, and cabinet office databases.
Example: ministry.go.keCounty Governments
All 47 county administrations, local departments, and regional service hubs.
Example: county.go.keState Corporations
Parastatals, regulatory bodies, public utilities, and state commissions.
Example: agency.go.keJudicial & Parliamentary Organs
Courts, tribunals, assembly halls, and parliamentary offices.
Example: judiciary.go.keKenya’s Biggest Government Portals Already Run on .go.ke
From the Office of the President to the Kenya Revenue Authority, the country’s most visited state portals all use this extension.
Your department belongs in that list.
Six Free Tools Included with Every .go.ke Registration
We don’t lock domain management behind extra fees. Every .go.ke domain comes with a
full suite of tools from day one.
DNS Management
Full control over your records. Add or modify A, MX, CNAME, TXT, and SRV records from your dashboard client portal.
Free Email Forwarding
Redirect incoming emails from your official domain to your personal or agency inbox at no extra cost.
Registrar Lock
Prevent unauthorized domain transfers. Keep your nameservers locked and prevent accidental or malicious hijacking.
URL Forwarding
Easily forward visitors to your main corporate website or direct them to social media business pages at no extra cost.
Custom Nameservers
Create branded nameservers (e.g. ns1.yourbrand.go.ke) using our private nameservers
service. Increase business professionalism for agency and reseller setups.
Nairobi-Based Support
Get fast support from experts based in Nairobi.
Available 24/7/365 via phone call, live chat, or email tickets.
Your .go.ke Portal Ranks Higher for Kenyan Searches than a .com Site
Google gives country-code domains a built-in local relevance signal. A .go.ke portal
starts ranking for Kenyan searches from day one.
A .com site has to earn that local authority over years. Look at the difference below.
Local Domain, Local Rankings
Google reads your .go.ke URL as a
direct signal that your portal serves Kenyan users.
You don’t need years of backlinks or Search Console geo-targeting settings to get that.
The extension does it automatically.
What you get from day one:
- Higher organic ranking when Kenyans search for your department by name or service
- Better click-through rate because citizens click government URLs they already recognise
- Lower ad spend if you run digital campaigns targeting Kenyan users
.go.ke Domain vs. Other Extensions
Each .ke extension serves a different purpose. Compare them below so you register the right one
for your department or institution type.
.go.ke vs .ke
RESTRICTED VS OPENBoth are Kenyan domains but they serve different purposes. Here’s how they differ on the things that actually count.
.go.ke vs .co.ke
GOVERNMENT VS COMMERCIALOne is for government. One is for business.
If you’re a state body
running on a .co.ke, you’re missing the trust signal citizens expect from official portals.
Alternatives to .go.ke Domains
Not all government initiatives are or should be hosted on .go.ke.
Depending on your corporate structure, public-private status, or audience scope, these extensions are the standard alternatives.
For commercialized government boards, state-owned enterprises, and public-private partnerships.
Ideal for high-visibility national campaigns, short-form portal names, or citizen-facing digital services that need to be short and memorable.
For public-private foundations, charitable trusts, and government-affiliated NGOs.
For government boards aiming for global reach or foreign trade.
Who Manages .go.ke?
KENIC is a non-profit company formed in 2002 to manage Kenya’s national ccTLD registry.
It operates as a partnership between the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) and the local ICT industry.
KENIC manages the authoritative DNS database for all .ke namespaces — but they do not sell
domains to end users.
Here’s how it works: KENIC licenses accredited registrars like Truehost to submit orders, handle billing, verify documents, and provide technical support on their behalf.
ccTLD Chain
What Happens If Your .go.ke Domain Expires?
Government departments miss renewals. When that happens, there is a strict clock.
Act before the redemption window closes.
Active State
1 – 5 Year TermThe domain is fully functional, resolving to your servers. You can renew it at normal price anytime.
Auto-Renew Grace
1 – 30 Days Post-ExpiryResolution stops.
Web/email go offline. Owner can renew at normal cost without penalties.
Redemption Grace
31 – 75 Days Post-ExpiryLocked by KENIC.
Requires a restore penalty plus renewal fee to recover.
Pending Delete
5 DaysQueued for deletion. Cannot be restored, renewed, or transferred at this stage.
Released
Day 81+Completely purged. Re-released into the public registry for fresh registrations.
Renewing On Time Costs KSh 1,000. Restoring Late Costs Ksh 6,500.
The numbers speak for themselves. Here is exactly what renewing early versus recovering from a lapsed domain costs your department.
| Status Period | Timeline | Action Required | Total Cost (Ksh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-Time Renewal | Before Expiry Date | Standard Renewal | KSh 1,000 |
| Auto-Renew Grace | 1 – 30 Days Post-Expiry | Standard Renewal | KSh 1,000 |
| Redemption Recovery | 31 – 75 Days Post-Expiry | Registry Restore Order | Ksh 6,500 (Includes Restore + 1-Yr Renewal) |
| After Day 81 | Post-Deletion | Fresh Public Registration | KSh 31,560 (Risk of losing name) |
Register Your .go.ke Domain in Four Steps
The process is straightforward. You check domain name availability, submit your letter, complete payments, and we handle KENIC verification directly.
Most departments are live within 72 hours of document approval.
Search Your Name
Type your department or agency name in the search bar at the top of this page.
With only 923 .go.ke domains registered, your preferred name is almost certainly free.
Upload Your Letter
After checkout, upload your official authorization letter in your Truehost client portal.
Our compliance team reviews it within 1 hour and submits it to KENIC on your behalf.
Pay via M-Pesa or Card
Complete payment instantly via M-Pesa STK push, credit card, or bank transfer.
Government offices using LPOs are also accommodated — just contact our accounts team.
Go Live in 24 Hours
KENIC completes the registry audit within 12–24 hours of document submission.
Once approved, your domain resolves globally. Point it to your portal and go live.
Transfer Your .go.ke Domain
Already hold a .go.ke domain with another registrar?
Here’s how to move it — without any DNS downtime and with an automatic 1-year renewal extension when you transfer.
Unlock and Get Your EPP Code
Log into your current registrar. Disable the transfer lock and request your EPP authorization code.
Your current registrar is legally required to release it without delay.
Submit the Transfer at Truehost
Go to our domain transfer portal, enter your domain and EPP code, and complete payment — KSh 37,299.
Your purchase automatically includes a free 1-year renewal extension added to your current term.
Confirm and You’re Done
Click the confirmation link in the approval email from KENIC.
The transfer completes in 1–5 days. Your website and email continue running without a single second of interruption.
Built for Fast Access Across Kenya
Website performance depends on many factors including hosting infrastructure, DNS configuration, caching, and application optimization.
We also offer Kenya VPS plans on demand from just KSh 1,400 / month
DNS Query Resolution Latency
Every time a visitor clicks your link, their device asks DNS servers for your IP.
Hosting your nameservers on local Anycast infrastructure ensures the resolution happens within milliseconds.
SEO Impact of DNS Latency
A fast website starts before the first byte loads. Slow DNS lookups introduce latency that search engines penalize.
Truehost routes all .go.ke queries through local server nodes to bypass slow undersea cable routes.
.go.ke Domain FAQs
Everything you need to know about the authorization process, payment options, verification timeline, and eligibility rules — without bureaucratic language.
Do I need an authorization letter to register a .go.ke domain?
Yes. The .go.ke domain registry has strict verification standards to protect public services. To complete your registration, you must provide:
- ✓ An official authorization letter on the agency’s official letterhead.
- ✓ A clear signature from the Head of the Institution, Director, or Head of IT.
- ✓ The official stamp or seal of the government body.
You can upload this document directly through your Truehost client portal immediately after placing your order.
Can I pay for my .go.ke domain using M-Pesa?
Yes, you can pay instantly using M-Pesa. During the checkout process, select M-Pesa as your payment method. You will be prompted to enter your phone number to receive an STK push directly to your phone, where you will enter your PIN to authorize the payment.
For government offices requiring formal procurement documentation, we also accept:
- 1 Direct Bank Transfers (EFT/RTGS) to our local corporate bank accounts.
- 2 Local Purchase Orders (LPOs) from verified government agencies.
- 3 Major Credit and Debit Cards.
What is the document checklist for .go.ke registration?
The requirements differ slightly depending on the type of government entity registering the name. Use the table below to check your required documents:
| Entity Type | Required Document | Key Details Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Ministries & State Departments | Authorization Letter | Signed by the Principal Secretary or Head of Agency. |
| Parastatals & State Corporations | Authorization Letter & Gazette Notice | Signed by the Director General/CEO; mentions the establishing Act. |
| County Governments | Official Request Letter | Signed by the County Secretary, Governor, or County CEC. |
How long does verification and activation take?
Once you upload your authorization letter, our compliance officers review it within 1 hour. If correct, we submit it immediately to KENIC, who takes between 12 to 24 hours to perform the official registry audit and activate the domain name globally.
Can a private business register a .go.ke domain?
No. Private companies, individuals, and commercial entities are strictly prohibited from holding .go.ke
domains. If you are registering a domain for a commercial business, you must select the open
.co.ke extension instead.