.cern
.cern is a brand extension, run by European Organization for Nuclear Research ("CERN") since 2014. Only European Organization for Nuclear Research ("CERN"), its affiliates and trademark licensees can register .cern names; they are not for sale to the public.
| Type | Brand |
|---|---|
| Registry operator | European Organization for Nuclear Research ("CERN") |
| Who can register | Brand owner only Brand extension: only the registry operator, its affiliates and trademark licensees register names. |
| In the root zone since | 16 August 2014 |
| DNSSEC | Signed |
| RDAP server | https://rdap.identitydigital.services/rdap/ |
| WHOIS server | whois.nic.cern |
| IANA record | iana.org/domains/root/db/cern |
Look up a .cern domain
The .cern registry publishes registration data over RDAP. The free domain report reads it and shows a .cern domain's registrar, dates, status and DNS in one place. For the raw record, use the WHOIS lookup.
New to extensions? The guide to how domain extensions work covers generic, country-code and brand extensions. For who sells extensions in general, see the list of domain registrars.
Sources: the IANA root zone database and the ICANN list of generic extensions (refreshed 2026-10-24). Something out of date? Tell us.
Frequently asked questions
Who runs the .cern extension?
European Organization for Nuclear Research ("CERN") is the registry operator for .cern. The registry keeps the list of every .cern name; registrars sell the names to the public.
Can anyone register a .cern domain?
Only European Organization for Nuclear Research ("CERN"), its affiliates and trademark licensees can register .cern names; they are not for sale to the public.
When was .cern created?
.cern was added to the DNS root zone on 16 August 2014, according to IANA.
How do I look up who owns a .cern domain?
The .cern registry publishes registration data over RDAP at https://rdap.identitydigital.services/rdap/ and over WHOIS at whois.nic.cern. The free domain report on lemon.domains reads it for you and shows the registrar, dates and status.
Is .cern signed with DNSSEC?
Yes. The .cern zone is signed, so a .cern domain can turn on DNSSEC once its registrar adds a DS record.