Published: 17.10.2026
The .cg extension is the country-code domain of the Republic of the Congo, a country in Central Africa with a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean. Its capital is Brazzaville, and French is the official language. Businesses, schools and organisations that work with people in the country use the ending to show where they are based. Use the availability form just below this text to see whether your name in .cg is still free.
Check if a .cg domain is available .cg Check
A short history
The national code was set up in the early years of the internet, when the network was used mainly by universities, government offices and early technical users. The zone grew as businesses, media and public services began to publish their own sites. Public information about its early history is limited, so the operator's own published pages are the best source for dates and rules.
Who runs it
The zone is managed by a registry operator that keeps the database of names and sets the rules for registration. Registrars take orders from customers and pass them to the registry. The operator's published terms are the reference for eligibility, contact details and renewal, and because they can change, the version in force at the time of your order is the one that counts.
Rules in practice
- Holder conditions: conditions on who may hold a .cg name can apply, so check them before you pay.
- Contact details: the holder information must be accurate and may be verified when the registrar asks.
- Characters: names use letters, digits and hyphens, and each label can be up to 63 characters long.
- Renewal: renew on time and enable auto-renewal, because an expired name can be registered by someone else.
Who uses .cg
- Businesses in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire and other towns that serve local customers.
- Hotels, transport companies and tradespeople with clients in the country.
- Schools, universities and cultural or religious groups with a Congolese audience.
- Foreign companies that want to show a clear link to the Republic of the Congo.
Strengths
- The ending links the site to the Republic of the Congo at a glance, which helps local customers find it.
- The name is short and country-specific, so it works well on signs, vehicles and business cards.
- A local ending suits sites written in French, the official language, or in other languages that the audience uses.
Things to keep in mind
- Do not confuse .cg with .cd, the code of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Brazzaville lies across the river from Kinshasa, the capital of the other country, so the two are easy to mix up.
- The zone points to one country, so a business with a wider audience may also need a generic address.
- Good short names are often taken, so a place name or a clear activity name can help.
- Holder rules can change, so keep the registration details current.
Tips before you register
- Check the same name in .com and decide whether you need both addresses.
- Enter the company or personal details exactly as they appear in the official documents you hold.
- Publish the site in French and in any other languages your visitors use, with clear contact details.
- Set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC records before you use the domain for e-mail.
- Keep two trusted people with access to the registrar account and turn on two-factor login.
Frequently asked questions
Is .cg the same as the code for the Democratic Republic of the Congo? No. The Republic of the Congo uses .cg, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo uses .cd. The two countries are separate, so the endings are not interchangeable.
Do I need to live in the Republic of the Congo to register a .cg name? Conditions for holders can apply. Check the current rules at the time of the order.
Does .cg help a site appear in search results in the country? It is one geographic signal. Clear local content, a fast site and genuine links usually matter more.
