A domain name being available is not enough: the Saudi domain name registration regulations require a link between the domain name and the registrant. Here we explain these criteria in plain language with the official accepted and rejected examples, and test your understanding before you register.
Search for the name and choose the extension, complete the order on the checkout page, then contact us on WhatsApp so we complete the registration and Nafath verification with you until activation.
These domains follow special registration criteria set by the Saudi Network Information Center (nic.sa).
After completing your order, contact us on WhatsApp (the button below or the WhatsApp button at the bottom of the page) to complete registration through the Nafath platform.
Complete the steps on WhatsAppWhy do these criteria exist? Because a Saudi domain carries the national identity, tying the name to its real owner protects trade names and trademarks from being registered for bargaining or impersonation, and lets visitors trust the site really belongs to the entity it is named after. That is why a name can look available in search and still be rejected at review.
Choose the criterion that applies to you to see its conditions and the official accepted and rejected examples.
The clearest path is a domain name linked to the name the registrant used to prove eligibility, in Arabic or English, in one of three forms:
Example: the official name is "شركة السعادة الأبدية للتجارة - Eternal Happiness Company for Trading", known as "Ehco إهيكو".
A domain name is accepted if it exactly matches a registered trademark owned by the registrant, with nothing added or removed, except symbols not usable in domains such as $, @ and ?. It may also be derived by removing letters or words, adding a word or symbol, or transliterating it, but abbreviations are not accepted under this criterion, and an explanation of a derived name may be requested.
First trademark: "وطني" (Watany), registered to Eternal Happiness Company for Trading under food products.
Second trademark: "Eternal Happiness", registered to the same company.
This criterion gives flexibility to registrants who want a name not tied to their official name or trademark, but which points to something of theirs clearly, without abbreviation or infringing others' rights. Examples of a close relationship:
At registration you may be asked to prove this relationship in detail, covering three points:
Individuals can register under .pub.sa, .sa and .السعودية as set out in the registration regulations:
Example: the individual's name is "Ahmad Alfulani" (أحمد الفلاني).
A logical abbreviation of the registrant's name is accepted under criterion 1, and is more common in English because Arabic words rarely split. These are the accepted forms:
The simplest form.
| meter | m |
| page | p |
| Fahrenheit | F |
| North | N |
Provided it is common practice.
| Continued | cont |
| International | Inter |
| volume | vol |
| Network | Net |
Provided it is common practice.
| assistant | asst |
| department | dept |
| kilometer | km |
| sergeant | Sgt |
The first letter of each word in a phrase.
| Network Information Center | NIC |
| compact disc | CD |
| very important person | VIP |
| Bachelor of Science | BSc |
Words ignored when abbreviating:
Forms may be combined or a substitute word used (like 4u for "For you"), as long as the result reflects the registrant in sound and meaning. An official example is SaudiNIC.net.sa, formed from Saudi Network Information Center. In Arabic abbreviation is rare, for example ص ب for P.O. Box and س ت for commercial registration.
Most Saudi domain rejections or delays come from a name not clearly linked to the registrant. This quick list lets you apply the criteria yourself:
Eight examples from the official document. Pick your answer and we will explain why.
Guiding criteria issued by the Saudi Network Information Center to determine the link between a domain name and its registrant, under paragraph (4/4) of the Saudi domain name registration regulations. They set four ways: the registrant's name, a trademark they own, a close relationship, or a personal name for individuals under conditions.
No. The name must also be linked to the registrant under the criteria, the registrant must prove the link, and the center may verify it even after registration.
Yes, if it is a logical abbreviation reflecting the registrant's name in sound and meaning, such as ehc.sa for Eternal Happiness Company. Abbreviations are not accepted under the trademark criterion, though.
Per the official examples, writing the trademark in another script is accepted, like watany.sa for "وطني", while translating it into another word, like National.sa, is not.
A first or family name alone must be followed by one or more digits, such as ahmad7.pub.sa, or two names can be combined without digits, such as أحمد-الفلاني.السعودية.
The domain name points to something of the registrant's, such as a product they make, a service they provide, an event they organize, a project they run or a profession they practise, without ambiguity or abbreviation; you may be asked to explain its purpose, services and audience.
No. Each request is assessed on its own, without linking it to earlier decisions.
Words such as company, establishment, group, limited, co., ltd. and the Arabic "al", activity phrases like "for trading", and words like the and of.
The criteria define how the domain name relates to the registrant for Saudi domains, and in addition each extension is reserved for a category: for example .com.sa for commercial businesses, .pub.sa for individuals, .edu.sa for education and .med.sa for health providers.
Yes, we review the name and your documents before submitting so the request is not rejected or delayed, then follow the Nafath verification until activation. Renewal is 99 Saudi riyals a year, and the first year includes registration and verification fees.
We review your domain name and documents before submitting and follow Nafath verification until activation. Renewal is 99 a year, and the first year includes registration and Nafath verification fees.
Source: the "criteria for determining the relationship between a domain name and the registrant" issued by the Saudi Network Information Center. The criteria may be updated; the latest official version always applies.
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