Published: 17.10.2026
The .az extension is the country-code domain of Azerbaijan, a country in the South Caucasus on the western shore of the Caspian Sea. Baku is the capital, and Azerbaijani is the official language. Businesses, schools, cultural projects and local services that serve people in Azerbaijan use .az to show where they are based and who they are for. Use the availability form just below this text to see whether your name in .az is still free.
Check if a .az domain is available .az Check
A short history
Like other national codes, .az was assigned in the early years of the internet. It has grown alongside the country's own online activity, first with universities and technology users, and later with a wider range of companies, public bodies, hotels, media outlets and local services. Today it is used across many sectors. The rules are set by the national registry and can be updated, so the current conditions are the ones to read before you order.
Who runs it
The zone is run by a national registry that keeps the database of names and sets the rules for registration. Accredited registrars sell names to customers and pass the orders on to the registry. The registry's published conditions are the reference point for questions about who may hold a name, how contact data is handled and how renewals work.
Rules in practice
- Holder conditions: requirements for who may register a .az name can depend on the holder's location and status, so check them before you pay.
- Contact details: the information you give must be accurate and up to date, and the registry may check it.
- Technical rules: the standard DNS rules on length and characters apply, so keep the name short and easy to spell.
- Renewal: enable auto-renewal and keep the expiry date visible in your calendar.
Who uses .az
- Azerbaijani companies of every size, from family firms to larger organisations.
- Hotels, travel agencies and restaurants that welcome visitors to Baku and other regions.
- Schools, cultural centres, museums and music groups with a local audience.
- Professional services such as consultants, clinics and legal offices working with local clients.
Strengths
- The ending gives a clear signal of Azerbaijani origin, which helps local visitors trust the business.
- Search engines can treat a country-code ending as one geographic hint, so local-language content may match searches made in Azerbaijan.
- The two-letter ending is short and works well on signs, vehicles and printed materials.
Things to keep in mind
- A .az name points to one country, so a business with customers in many places may also want a generic address.
- Holder rules can exclude some applicants, so a name you like may not be open to everyone.
- Many visitors expect a site to be in their own language, so plan the language of the site early.
- Good short names may already be registered, so prepare alternatives that describe your activity.
Tips before you register
- Check the same name in .com and decide whether a second address is worth owning.
- Register with the exact business name and details that appear in your official records.
- Choose the language of the site, whether Azerbaijani, English or another language, and prepare the contact and legal pages.
- Host the site close to your visitors so that pages load quickly.
- Set SPF, DKIM and DMARC records before the domain sends any e-mail.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a local company to register .az? Not always, but holder conditions apply. Read the current rules before you order.
Is .az only for sites in Azerbaijani? No. The ending points to Azerbaijan, while the language of the site is your choice.
Does .az help a site rank in local search? It is a useful location signal. Relevant local content, fast pages and good links usually matter more.
