All TLDs / .cern

What is .cern?

The short answer
.cern is a brand top-level domain, operated by European Organization for Nuclear Research ("CERN"). It's a “dot-brand” registry (ICANN Spec 13) — reserved for the operator's own use, so it isn't open for the public to register. It's live in the official IANA DNS root zone.
Type
Brand (dot-brand)
Registration
Closed (brand)
In DNS root
Yes
Operator
European Organization for Nuclear Research ("CERN")

Source: IANA root zone database, checked October 18, 2026.

Is .cern a real domain extension?

Yes — .cern is a real top-level domain. It's present in the official IANA DNS root zone, which is the authoritative list of every live TLD on the internet.

Who runs .cern?

.cern is operated by European Organization for Nuclear Research ("CERN"), per the IANA root database.

What is .cern used for?

.cern is a dot-brand registry — it's reserved for European Organization for Nuclear Research ("CERN") and isn't used for third-party websites.

Can anyone register a .cern domain?

No. .cern is a closed brand registry, so it isn't available for public registration. A registrar search will confirm the current policy for any specific name.