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DOMAIN EXTENSION GUIDE

.private Domain Names

Not available for registration

.private is a reserved special-use string associated with private-use DNS discussion, not a live public registration extension. ICANN and IANA materials show that the private-use top-level name being assessed is.INTERNAL, with the stated aim of reserving a string for private-use and internal network applications; the proposed string is described as one that must never be delegated. That means.private should be treated as an unsupported, illustrative label rather than a domain space for public registration. (icann.org)

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Application and status facts

Verified status information is kept separate from illustrative naming ideas.

Extension
.private
Root-zone delegation status
No root-zone delegation confirmed in recorded public sources.
Announced applicant or applicants
Link Freedom Group, Endpoint Domains, Inc.lfg.link - lfg.link endpointdomains.com - endpointdomains.com
Number of publicly announced claims
2
Contested
Yes
Public disclosure date
2026-08-13lfg.link - lfg.link
Application round/programme
ICANN application programme information recorded.ICANN 2026 Round Closes with More Than 1,600 New gTLD Applications - ICANN
Registry operator
Not verified
Registration availability
Public registration is not confirmed by this guide.
Last fact checked
2026-08-25

A public application, applicant identity, approval, registry operation, root-zone delegation and live registration availability are separate facts.

Illustrative uses

What could a .private domain be used for?

If you are exploring a private-use namespace concept, the following examples show how.private might be used in internal naming examples only.

Internal service namingIllustrative names for services used inside a company network, such as authentication, monitoring or admin tools.
Lab and staging environmentsA convenient pattern for separating pre-production systems from public-facing websites and services.
Private DNS experimentsA controlled namespace for testing resolver behaviour, naming conventions and client compatibility.
Intranet portalsA clear label for internal portals, dashboards and staff-only resources.
Device and asset referencesA naming pattern for printers, appliances, sensors and other managed assets on closed networks.
Security and policy testingUseful for simulated environments that need policy checks, filters or access controls.
Sovereign or air-gapped networksA naming convention for isolated environments that should not depend on public DNS delegation.
Documentation examplesA placeholder style for explaining private namespace patterns in training, guides and technical materials.

Domain name ideas

Example names only. Illustrative examples only. Availability has not been checked.

auth.privatestatus.privatelab.privateprinter.privatevpn.privatedocs.private

Possible audiences

Who is .private for?

  • Network engineers
  • Platform and SRE teams
  • Security teams
  • Enterprise IT departments
  • Test and QA teams
  • DNS policy researchers
  • Technical trainers

Benefits and considerations

Benefits

  • Clear private-use signalling
  • Useful for examples and testing
  • Supports structured internal naming

Considerations

  • Not a public registration space
  • Delegation is not supported
  • Compatibility should be checked

Related domain extensions

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Frequently asked questions

Is.private a live public domain extension?

No public registration basis is supported by the evidence reviewed, so it should be treated as a reserved or illustrative concept rather than a normal live extension.

Can I register a.private domain today?

There is no verified public registration pathway for.private.

What is the private-use string discussed by ICANN and IANA?

The published materials identify.INTERNAL as the provisional candidate string for private-use and internal network applications.

Why would someone use a private-use namespace example?

It can help teams describe internal naming, testing and documentation patterns without implying public availability.

Should private-use names be delegated?

The published ICANN material says the proposed private-use string must never be delegated.

Sources and review information