Can a UK business use .org.uk legally?

[confusedowner]

I have started up a business in the UK and bought a domain name ending in .org.uk which my website now sits on

Someone has now told me that this is restricted to not-for-profit organisation in the United Kingdom and therefore I need to change it. However searching online seems to show that this is suggested use and there is no actual legal restriction on a company using the .org.uk ending

Can anyone help me clarify the exact legal position? I have printed business cards, headed paper etc so I am obviously keen to avoid the cost of starting over again if I legally do not have to.

Any help appreciated

 

[cav]

.org.uk

Hi and welcome

I'm sure more experienced members here may have a better idea but to put your mind at rest email nominet:

[email protected]

Best of luck in your new venture

 

[monaghan]

Originally (going back 20+ years!) there were a nice set of guidelines, .com, .org were for global entities, and others would use their country codes, any .org(.uk) was indeed for non-profit use, however, domain registration got opened to the masses within the last 10 years and these guidelines got diluted and relaxed to the point where now virtually anyone can register and use any domain for any purpose.

To my knowledge there are only a handful of .uk tld's (.sch.uk, .ltd.uk, .gov.uk and possibly a few others I can't remember off the top of my head) where there's a restriction on use and these can't be registered by the usual means.

 

[Edwin]

Nominet states it's a fully open domain...
http://www.nominet.org.uk/registrants/aboutdomainnames/sld/org.uk/

 

[scooter]

You are absolutely fine. Nomimet would "prefer" the use of org.uk to be for non profit organisations etc, but place NO restrictions on it.


4.4 We do not impose restrictions on your status as applicant for the registration of a Domain Name in the following SLDs ("Open SLDs"):

1. 4.4.1 .co.uk; or
2. 4.4.2 .org.uk.

In the SLD Charter of the SLD Rules for the Open SLDs we do set out certain intentions regarding the class of applicant or use of registrations of the Domain Name which we assume you will comply with when applying for a registration of a Domain Name within an Open SLD. However, we do not forbid applications, and will take no action in respect of registrations that do not comply with the SLD Charters. We may request certain information from you regarding your legal identity when you make an application for or seek to amend the registration of a Domain Name in the Open SLDs.

http://www.nominet.org.uk/registrants/aboutdomainnames/rules/

.

 

[mally]

great explanation, thanks! I read the first post and began to worry

 

[confusedowner]

thanks for the info guys. top quality

i am relieved i dont have to start again. thanks again