Guides
How to Register a .gay Domain (Price, Rules, and Who Can Buy One)
2026-07-30 · OSIR Team
Summary: To register a .gay domain, search for the name you want, choose a term of 1 to 10 years, and complete checkout - .gay is open to anyone worldwide, with no eligibility requirement, no verification, and no restriction to LGBTQ+ registrants. Standard names cost $30.00/yr at OSIR (registration, renewal, and transfer are the same price). Two things make .gay unusual among domain extensions: the registry has pledged 20% of revenue from new registrations to LGBTQ+ nonprofits (GLAAD and CenterLink are the named beneficiaries), and its registry policy bans anti-LGBTQ hate content outright - offending domains can be suspended. This guide covers the exact steps, pricing, the community protections, and how to automate registration with an API or AI agent.
How to register a .gay domain (step by step)
- Search the name. Enter your desired name on the .gay extension page to check availability. Names can be 2 to 63 characters.
- Choose a registration term.
.gayregisters for 1 to 10 years at a time; checkout shows the total up front. - Provide registrant details. No eligibility check, no documentation - anyone, anywhere, can register.
- Check out and configure. Point the domain at your site, set up email, and enable WHOIS privacy, DNSSEC, and registrar lock - all supported on
.gay. - Automate it (optional). Search, register, renew, and manage
.gaynames programmatically through the OSIR REST API and MCP tools - an AI agent can do the whole flow.
Standard names activate immediately - there is no manual review queue.
What is a .gay domain?
.gay is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) that launched in 2020, created by Top Level Design and operated today by GoDaddy Registry, which acquired it in 2023 along with .design, .ink, and .wiki. It exists to give LGBTQ+ people, businesses, creators, and community organizations - and the brands that support them - an address that says who the site is for before a visitor reads a word.
Define: a gTLD is a top-level domain not tied to any country (unlike ccTLDs such as
.alor.io). gTLDs operate under ICANN rules, which is why a small ICANN fee applies at checkout. Read more in Domain Registries Explained.
What makes .gay different from other extensions
Most TLDs are just namespaces. .gay ships with two registry-level commitments:
| Commitment | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| 20% give-back | The registry has pledged 20% of revenue from new .gay registrations to LGBTQ+ nonprofit organizations, with GLAAD and CenterLink named as beneficiaries. Registering a .gay name funds community work by default. |
| Anti-hate policy | The registry's Rights Protections policy prohibits using a .gay domain for anti-LGBTQ hate speech or harassment. Violating domains can be suspended at the registry level - a protection almost no other TLD offers. |
That second point matters for anyone worried about the namespace being weaponized: the rules are written into the registry agreement, not left to individual site owners' goodwill.
Who can register a .gay domain?
Anyone. There is no identity, orientation, residency, or membership requirement - .gay has no registration restrictions at all. It is used by:
- LGBTQ+ creators and individuals - personal sites, portfolios, link-in-bio pages
- Community organizations - pride events, support groups, advocacy nonprofits
- Businesses and venues - bars, bookshops, travel, healthcare, and services for the community
- Allied brands - companies that want their support to be visible in the address itself
The one thing you cannot do with a .gay domain is use it against the community - that is the point of the anti-hate policy above.
How much does a .gay domain cost?
At OSIR a standard .gay domain is $30.00/yr, and the price is flat: registration, renewal, and transfer all cost the same, so there is no first-year teaser that doubles at renewal. At checkout, a gTLD also carries the $0.20/yr ICANN fee and payment processing (3%, minimum $0.30), so a one-year registration totals about $30.50.
A small number of short or high-value names are registry premiums and price individually - the search on the .gay extension page always shows the real price before you commit. Current pricing for every extension is on the pricing page.
Is .gay a good choice for my site?
| Good fit for .gay | Consider an alternative |
|---|---|
| LGBTQ+ creators, personal sites, link-in-bio | Projects with no community connection |
| Pride events, nonprofits, community groups | Names already taken in .gay |
| Bars, shops, travel, and services for the community | Brands wanting the broadest mainstream reach of .com |
| Allied brands making support visible | Very price-sensitive projects (commodity gTLDs cost less) |
If the name you want is taken, the .gay extension page suggests close alternatives during search.
.gay domain FAQ
How do I register a .gay domain?
Search the name on the .gay extension page, choose a term of 1 to 10 years, enter your details, and check out. There is no eligibility check and standard names activate immediately.
Who can register a .gay domain?
Anyone, anywhere. .gay has no orientation, identity, residency, or membership requirement - individuals, businesses, nonprofits, and allied brands can all register.
How much does a .gay domain cost?
$30.00/yr at OSIR for standard names, with registration, renewal, and transfer at the same flat price. Adding the $0.20/yr ICANN fee and payment processing (3%, minimum $0.30), a one-year registration totals about $30.50. Premium names price individually and are shown at search time.
Is .gay only for LGBTQ+ people?
No. The extension was created for the LGBTQ+ community, but registration is open to everyone - many registrants are community organizations, venues, and allied brands. What is not allowed is anti-LGBTQ hate content.
Can a .gay domain be used for hate content?
No. The registry's Rights Protections policy prohibits using .gay domains for anti-LGBTQ hate speech or harassment, and violating domains can be suspended at the registry level.
Does registering a .gay domain support LGBTQ+ causes?
Yes. The registry has pledged 20% of revenue from new .gay registrations to LGBTQ+ nonprofits, with GLAAD and CenterLink as the named beneficiaries - the donation happens automatically, at no extra cost to you.
Can I register and manage .gay domains with an API or AI agent?
Yes. .gay supports the full OSIR REST API and MCP tool set, so an AI agent can search, register, renew, and configure .gay domains automatically.
Register your .gay domain
.gay says who you are - or who you stand with - before a visitor reads a word, and every new registration funds LGBTQ+ community work. Check availability on the .gay extension page and claim your name today. Want to understand how extensions like this are run? Read Domain Registries Explained or browse the Domain Mastery series.
Image generated with AI (Higgsfield).