Nareit has been designated by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to operate the .reit top-level domain (TLD) registry. Registration is now open for all qualifying REITs at register.reit where you will also find complete information on the .reit registration process including the .reit registration form.
Key takeaways
- Only qualifying REITs may apply for and register a .reit domain name. Domain names are available only to actual REIT entities and not to REIT sponsors, holding companies, or other affiliated entities.
- Nareit serves as the global administrator and operator of the .reit TLD for the benefit of the global REIT community.
- Qualifying REITs operating pursuant to governmentally established REIT regimes are eligible.
- There is no limit to the number of eligible domain names for which an eligible REIT can apply.
- Domains must correspond to a REIT’s legal trade name or name by which it is commonly known, which may include acronyms, registered and common law trademarks, and exchange ticker symbols.
- Certain commonly used legal suffix terms or abbreviations that are in the REIT’s legal trade names may be excluded or abbreviated provided that the requested domain name is still sufficiently unique as to clearly identify the domain name to the specific REIT.
- Commonly known names by which the REIT is identified must be sufficiently unique as to clearly identify the domain name to the specific REIT.
- Names which may be confusing to the public because they correspond too closely to the name of a REIT’s sponsor, holding companies, or other affiliated entities are not eligible.
- Domain name registrations and renewals are limited to a one year registration period.
- Domain name holders must renew each year subject to reapplying to confirm they continue to meet the qualifications for holding the .reit domain name.
Following ICANN’s 2011 announcement of its new gTLD program, opening the Internet to new TLDs beyond .com, .org, etc., Nareit submitted a community-based application “on behalf of and for the benefit of the REIT community worldwide” to operate .reit for the purposes of educating the global internet public about REITs and offering REITs the opportunity “to obtain the most appropriate domain name(s) possible as their web address in addition to assuring Internet users that any domain name ending in .reit belongs to a REIT.”
Nareit’s proposal to operate .reit for the purpose of promoting global REIT awareness and consumer trust and security in the .reit space was supported by a variety of international REIT member organizations.
Nareit intends the .reit TLD to provide an online identity for the worldwide community of REITs – permitting REITs (regardless of what acronym they are known by in their home country) to register a secondary domain ending in .reit that corresponds to their legal trade name or name by which they are commonly known, which may include acronyms, registered and common law trademarks, and exchange ticker symbols. A stringent validation process will verify that only genuine members of the global REIT community are able to register. The .reit TLD platform presents an opportunity to showcase REITs as a globally recognized approach to real estate investment while protecting the reputation of REITs and providing global recognition to internet users that any domain name ending in .reit belongs to a REIT.
The .reit TLD registry is operated by Nareit and is available exclusively to the global community of real estate investment trusts (REITs). The .reit trademark and all related names, logos, product and service names, designs and slogans are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Nareit in the United States and/or other countries. You must not use such marks without the express written permission of Nareit.