Published: 17.10.2026
The .ws extension is the country-code domain of Samoa, an independent state of islands in the South Pacific Ocean with Apia as its capital. The two letters come from the country's former name, Western Samoa. Although the code belongs to Samoa, websites from many countries have used .ws for many years as a short general address. Use the availability form just below this text to see whether your name in .ws is still free.
Check if a .ws domain is available .ws Check
A short history
The code dates from the early years of the internet, when each country and territory was given a two-letter zone. Samoa was known as Western Samoa for a long time, and the code reflects that earlier name. Over the years the zone has been used not only by organisations in Samoa, but also by businesses, blogs and communities in other countries that wanted a short address.
Who runs it
The .ws zone is run by a registry operator that is recorded for this code in the IANA root database. The operator sets the registration policies and keeps the register of names, while accredited registrars sell names to customers and send the orders on. Because the policies are the operator's to set, the terms published by the registry and by your registrar are the reference for eligibility, contact details and renewal.
Rules in practice
- Eligibility: conditions for holders are set by the operator, so check whether they apply to your situation before you order.
- Contact details: the holder's information must be correct, and the registrar may ask you to confirm it.
- Length and characters: labels use letters, digits and hyphens, and can be up to 63 characters long.
- Transfers: moving a name to another registrar follows the operator's procedure, so check it before you start.
Who uses .ws
- Organisations and businesses in Samoa that want a national address.
- Companies, blogs and online projects in other countries that want a short, general name.
- Community groups and clubs with members in several countries.
- Creators and small teams who like a two-letter form for a brand name.
Strengths
- Two letters make the address very short, which suits printed cards, product labels and social profiles.
- The ending is not tied to a business sector, so it can serve many kinds of project.
- The name points to a real country, which gives you a simple story to tell when you introduce the address.
Things to keep in mind
- Some visitors may take the ending for a link to Samoa, so explain your project on the home page.
- Short two-letter names are often taken, so the obvious combinations may already be registered.
- Many people still type .com first, so consider whether you need both addresses.
- Contact and holder rules can change, so keep your registration data up to date.
Tips before you register
- Check the name in .com and in the national zone of your main market, and decide which matters most.
- Enter the holder details exactly as they appear in your official papers.
- Give the site a clear contact page, so that visitors can see who stands behind it.
- Set up mail authentication records before you use the domain for newsletters.
- Enable auto-renewal and keep the expiry reminder active.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be based in Samoa to register .ws? Conditions for holders are set by the operator. Check the current rules before you order, because they decide who may register a name.
Is .ws only for Samoan websites? No. The ending points to Samoa as a country, but the language and audience of the site are your own choice.
Does a .ws name help a site rank better? No ending can promise a ranking. Relevant content, good pages and genuine links carry far more weight than the ending.
