Introduced | 25 March 1994 |
---|---|
TLD type | Country code top-level domain |
Status | Active |
Registry | Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority |
Sponsor | Zambia Information and Communications Technology Authority |
Intended use | Entities connected with![]() |
Actual use | Gets some use in Zambia, although .com is more widely used. |
Registration restrictions | Legal entities with a presence in Zambia. |
Structure | Registrations are made at the third level beneath established sub-domains; registered ISPs can register at the second level, although there are some unexplained exceptions to this rule.[1] |
Registry website | ZICTA |
.zm is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Zambia. Registrants of .zm domains must "have a presence in Zambia".[2]
Registrants are required to register domains at the third level under an existing second-level domain (SLD). There are eleven second-level domains:[3]
The designations above are assumed based on observed practices and standard conventions, as ZICTA (the ccTLD registry) do not maintain online documentation codifying this. Most entities will generally register either a .co.zm or .org.zm domain, if they choose to use the ccTLD rather than a generic top-level domain.
The one documented exception to the requirement to register at the third level is that "registered ISPs"[2] may register at the second level—e.g., zamnet.zm. However, there are several undocumented variances to this rule—e.g., the Bank of Zambia's domain is boz.zm Archived 2010-06-21 at the Wayback Machine, and the regulator (ZICTA) operates under zicta.zm.
ISPs are required to be registered with ZICTA,[2] and only registered ISPs may be accredited as registrars. ZICTA lists ISPs on their website.[4]