The top-level domain (TLD) .BE is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Belgium. This basically indicates the domain’s affiliation with Belgium. This domain extension has been distributed since 1989.
According to the domain name registry DNS Belgium, the organization that manages the .BE, .VLAANDEREN and .BRUSSELS domain extensions, as of 2021 there were more than 1.6 million registered .BE domain names. The majority of these are used by residents, public institutions, and businesses in Belgium, but it is not restricted to Belgium and can be registered by anyone, just like .COM and .NET domains.
There are also third-level domains available under the .BE ccTLD, although the use of these is less common. These are: .AC.BE for academic institutions like universities and colleges, .GOV.BE for Belgian government institutions, and .PERSO.BE for personal use.
The TLD .BE can be beneficial for businesses or individuals targeting Belgium or Belgian customers, helping the website to stand out in local search results. For instance, a Belgian business selling handmade chocolates might choose a .BE domain to emphasize its connection to Belgian chocolate-making traditions and to make itself more distinctive in searches for Belgian chocolates.
The management of the .BE TLD is quite liberal. Unlike some country-specific domains, there is no residency requirement and any person, company, or organization can register a .BE domain. It is also one of the few ccTLDs that allows domain-level IDN (Internationalized Domain Name), giving Internet users the possibility to use their domain in their native language, such as French, Dutch, German, or any other language of their preference.
Registration for .BE domains can be done through many online domain registrars, like GoDaddy, Namecheap, or EuroDNS, often for a fairly low cost. DNS Belgium also provides a list of recognized agents on their website who can register a .BE domain on your behalf.
In sum, .BE is a valuable domain extension that provides a connection to Belgium. Whether you’re a small business looking to attract local customers, a large company looking to expand into the Belgian market, or an individual looking to show off your Belgian heritage or interests, a .BE domain can be a great choice.
Sources:
- DNS Belgium. n.d. “Numbers and Trends.” DNS Belgium.
https://www.dnsbelgium.be/en/numbers-and-trends
- ICANN. n.d. “IANA — .be Domain Delegation Data.“
https://www.iana.org/domains/example/be
- World Intellectual Property Organization. n.d. “.be Domain Name Dispute Resolution.“
https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/cctld/be/index.html
- Komputer Świat. n.d. “.be Domain. What Is .be and What Is It For?“
https://www.komputerswiat.pl/slownik-internetu/be-domena-co-to-jest-be-i-do-czego-sluzy/cdzq7hc
- GoDaddy. n.d. “.be Domain Names.“
https://www.godaddy.com/domains/be-domain.
