.gb Domain
.gb is the ccTLD of the United Kingdom, registered with IANA on July 24, 1985, but virtually unused since the 1990s in favor of .uk. Only one domain is registered, hmg.gb, inactive and tied to the British government.
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About the .GB domain
What is the .GB domain?
Originally, .gb was used for several years, mainly by British government bodies and commercial email services based on X.400 infrastructure, which simplified translation between DNS domains and X.400 addresses. With the demise of X.400 email and IANA's general goal of maintaining a single TLD per country, use of .gb declined until it became practically inactive. Currently, the domain's administrative and technical contacts are managed by Jisc, a non-profit organization supporting the UK's education and research networks, based in Bristol. The only domain registered under .gb, though inactive, is hmg.gb, referencing "His Majesty's Government."
The .gb domain is technically delegated but virtually unused since the 1990s: the United Kingdom uses .uk as its effective ccTLD. The only registered domain, though inactive, is hmg.gb ("His Majesty's Government"). New registration is neither possible nor recommended, since no standard commercial process exists.
Uses of .GB
Who is the .GB domain for?
These are the most common situations where .GB is the ideal extension.
Not available for commercial registration
The current status: there is no standard process for the public to register new .gb domains.
Symbolically reserved for the British government
The only existing registration, hmg.gb, is tied to the government, though inactive.
Effectively replaced by .uk
Any project seeking the British national extension should use .uk instead.
.GB vs other extensions
Which extension suits you best?
Each extension has its own profile. Here we compare .GB with the most common alternatives to help you choose.
| Extension | Best for | Restrictions | Registration price |
|---|---|---|---|
| .gb This page | Not available for standard commercial registration | Yes — virtually unused | Not available |
| .uk | United Kingdom (effective national extension) | None significant | Check price |
| .com | Any project | None | $14.99/year |
Registration process
How to register your .GB domain at miHosting
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.
Complete registration
Fill in the registrant details and choose whether to add hosting. The entire process takes less than 5 minutes.
Your domain is live
Within minutes your .GB domain is active and visible from anywhere in the world. DNS propagates in under 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions about the .GB domain
Can I register a .gb domain?
There is no standard commercial process. The domain has been virtually unused since the 1990s, replaced by .uk.
Why does the United Kingdom use .uk instead of .gb?
.gb was registered in 1985, but .uk had been created independently shortly before and ended up being the extension effectively adopted by the country.
What is hmg.gb?
The only domain registered under .gb, tied to the British government ("His Majesty's Government"), though currently inactive.
Who manages the .gb domain?
Jisc, a non-profit organization based in Bristol that supports British education and research networks. It was registered with IANA on July 24, 1985.
What extension should I use instead?
If you are looking for the British national extension, use <a href="/en/domains/uk/">.uk</a>, the option effectively adopted by the United Kingdom.
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