Previously tied to Freenom, the free domain registrarFreenom shut down in February 2024 after a settlement with Meta12.6 million .tk, .cf, and .gq domains eliminated at once

.cf Domain

.cf is the ccTLD of the Central African Republic, registered with IANA on April 24, 1996. For a decade it was associated with Freenom, which offered it for free worldwide; after Freenom's shutdown in February 2024 — which eliminated 12.6 million .tk, .cf, and .gq domains — it is now managed through standard commercial channels.

1996 Year created
ccTLD Extension type (IANA)
On request Registration price / year
Open Registration restrictions

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About the .CF domain

What is the .CF domain?

.cf is the country-code top-level domain (ccTLD) of the Central African Republic, registered with IANA on April 24, 1996. It is formally administered by the Societe Centrafricaine de Telecommunications (SOCATEL), although for more than a decade technical and commercial support was provided by Centrafrique TLD B.V., based in Amsterdam — the same entity tied to Freenom, the company that between 2012 and 2014 secured agreements to operate .cf alongside .tk, .ga, and .gq, offering them for free to anyone in the world with no genuine connection to those countries required.

That business model ended abruptly: on February 12, 2024, Freenom announced its complete withdrawal from registry operations following a settlement with Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram), which had sued the company over the massive use of these free extensions to create phishing and brand-impersonation domains. The shutdown eliminated around 12.6 million domains across the .tk, .cf, and .gq extensions at once. Since then, registering new .cf domains happens through standard commercial channels, without the free model that characterized it for over a decade.
Extension .CF
IANA type ccTLD
Created in 1996
Registry Societe Centrafricaine de Telecommunications (SOCATEL), with historical technical support from Centrafrique TLD B.V. (Amsterdam) — the same operator that marketed .cf, .ga, .gq, and .tk for free through Freenom until its shutdown in 2024
Country / territory Central African Republic
Restrictions None
Registration On request
Renewal On request

Uses of .CF

Who is the .CF domain for?

These are the most common situations where .CF is the ideal extension.

Business and projects in the Central African Republic

The most direct, geographically coherent use, now under a standard commercial registration model.

International projects (paid registration)

After Freenom's end, anyone can register .cf through conventional commercial registrars.

Recommended security verification

Given the extension's history of abuse under Freenom, it is worth checking the reputation of any older .cf link.

.CF vs other extensions

Which extension suits you best?

Each extension has its own profile. Here we compare .CF with the most common alternatives to help you choose.

Extension Best for Restrictions Registration price
.cf This page Any project, now via commercial registration None formal Check price
.com Any project None $14.99/year

Registration process

How to register your .CF domain at miHosting

01

Check availability

Type the name you want in the search bar. We show you in seconds whether it's available or if you need to look for alternatives.

02

Complete registration

Fill in the registrant details and choose whether to add hosting. The entire process takes less than 5 minutes.

03

Your domain is live

Within minutes your .CF domain is active and visible from anywhere in the world. DNS propagates in under 24 hours.

Frequently asked questions about the .CF domain

Is it still free to register a .cf domain?

No. Since Freenom's shutdown in February 2024, .cf registration happens through standard commercial channels, like any other paid ccTLD.

What was Freenom?

A company that between 2012 and 2014 secured agreements to operate the .tk, .cf, .ga, and .gq extensions for free, allowing domain registration with no genuine connection to those countries.

Why did Freenom shut down?

Following a 2024 settlement with Meta, stemming from a lawsuit over the massive use of these free extensions to create phishing and brand-impersonation domains.

What happened to existing .cf domains after the shutdown?

The shutdown eliminated around 12.6 million combined domains across the .tk, .cf, and .gq extensions.

Who currently manages the .cf domain?

Societe Centrafricaine de Telecommunications (SOCATEL), administratively. It was registered with IANA on April 24, 1996.

Can I register my .cf domain with miHosting?

Yes. Contact our team to confirm availability and the current price for this extension under the current commercial model.

Register your .CF today

Your .CF domain.
Your online identity.

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The .cf domain is the ccTLD of the Central African Republic, registered with IANA on April 24, 1996. For over a decade it was tied to Freenom, which offered it for free worldwide alongside .tk, .ga, and .gq; after Freenom's shutdown in February 2024 — which eliminated 12.6 million combined domains — it is now managed through standard commercial channels. Check with our team for the current price and pair it with our professional hosting.