How to Register a .us Domain — And the Citizenship Rule Explained

A .us domain is the country-code TLD for the United States, restricted to entities with a verifiable connection to the country. Registration takes about three minutes and costs ₹349/year at REXO HOST. The catch is the nexus requirement — you have to attest you qualify under one of three categories.

What the .us nexus requirement is

When you register a .us domain, you affirm one of these three categories applies:

1. A natural person (i) who is a US citizen, (ii) a permanent resident of the US, OR (iii) whose primary place of domicile is in the US
2. An entity organized in the US (corporation, LLC, partnership, nonprofit, etc.)
3. A foreign entity or organization that has a bona fide presence in the US (US office, US employees, US-targeted activity)

The third category is the broad one — most international SaaS companies that actively serve US customers can claim it. You self-attest at registration time; no documentation upload required.

False attestation can result in domain cancellation if challenged. In practice, the registry (Neustar, soon to be GoDaddy Registry) almost never audits unless triggered by a complaint.

Who should pick .us over .com

• US-only businesses — local services (plumbers, restaurants, lawyers) where geo-targeting helps
• US-government-adjacent projects — civic tech, voter info, public benefit sites
• Brands that want a strong "American" signal — heritage products, regional brands
• Anyone whose .com is taken AND who can claim US nexus

Not for: international SaaS, global e-commerce, anything where non-US visitors are the primary audience.

Pricing 2026

Registrar	Year 1	Renewal	Notes
REXO HOST	₹349	₹349	Same price every year
GoDaddy	₹169 (intro)	₹1,899	First-year teaser
Namecheap	$5.98 (~₹500)	$7.48 (~₹630)	Stable pricing
Cloudflare	$8 (₹672)	At-cost	US nexus required

The wholesale .us price ($7.50/year in 2026) is the lowest of the major TLDs — Neustar keeps the registry cheap because it's positioned as a public service.

The WHOIS privacy limitation

Here's the gotcha most guides skip: the .us registry doesn't allow full WHOIS privacy. Your registrant name, email, and address get published in the WHOIS database without an obfuscation layer.

Workarounds:

• Use a business address, not your home (PO box or shared workspace)
• Use a role email (info@yourcompany.com) instead of personal
• Some registrars offer "WHOIS proxy" — they put their address but show your name; this complies with .us policy

REXO HOST passes through the registrant info as required. If WHOIS exposure is a deal-breaker, .us isn't the right TLD — pick .com (full privacy available) instead.

How to register a .us domain (step-by-step)

Step 1 — Search availability

Search at REXO HOST — type your name, all extensions including .us appear with availability status.

Step 2 — Add to cart

Click "+ Add" next to the .us result. Cart shows total ₹349.

Step 3 — Confirm nexus at checkout

A US-nexus checkbox appears in the address step. Tick the box that applies. We don't ask for proof; you're self-attesting.

Step 4 — Pay

Standard Razorpay checkout. UPI / cards / netbanking all work.

Step 5 — Set nameservers

Same as any other domain — point at Cloudflare, your hosting provider, or leave default.

Step 6 — DNS propagates

Usually under an hour. Check at whatsmydns.net.

What happens if my nexus claim is challenged?

Rare but real. If a complaint is filed (typically by a competitor or trademark holder):

1. The registry asks REXO HOST to verify your nexus claim
2. REXO HOST forwards the request to you
3. You provide documentation (US tax ID, US address proof, US incorporation papers)
4. If you can't substantiate, the domain is suspended

For US-based registrants this is trivial. For "bona fide US presence" claims, have something to back it up (a US LinkedIn presence + US customers usually suffices).

Frequently asked questions

Can I register .us if I'm not a US citizen?

Yes — under category 3 (bona fide US presence). If you have US customers, US employees, or US-targeted business, you qualify. If you have none of those, no.

Can I have both .com and .us for the same brand?

Yes, very common. Register both, pick one as canonical (usually .com), 301-redirect the other. ~₹748 total per year at REXO HOST.

Does Google rank .us domains higher in US searches?

Marginally — ccTLDs (country codes) carry geo-targeting hints. Your .us domain ranks slightly better in US-only searches and slightly worse in non-US searches. Net positive if your audience is US-only.

Can I transfer my .us out later if I lose nexus?

Yes — transfers don't re-check nexus. You can transfer freely between registrars. But if your nexus claim becomes false (you stop having any US presence), the registry could suspend if challenged.

Search a .us now

Check availability at ₹349 flat — same price every year, no first-year teaser, simple checkout with the nexus attestation built in.