.co.za Domain Name Checker
Type your business name and this tool checks whether the .co.za, .com, .net and .org versions are already taken, plus up to eight name ideas. A .co.za costs R250 a year with us, the same price every year you renew.
"Likely available" means the name is not in public DNS right now. The cart confirms with the registry before you pay. "Taken" names are registered to someone; we never look up or show the owner.
.co.za rules in plain English
- Anyone can register one. No registered company, VAT number or South African ID is needed.
- First come, first served. A trading name or trade mark does not reserve the domain; registering does.
- Letters, numbers and hyphens only. No spaces, underscores, ampersands or other symbols, and a hyphen cannot be the first or last character.
- Capitals make no difference. MyBusiness.co.za and mybusiness.co.za are the same domain.
- Up to 63 characters before .co.za, the limit for any part of a domain name. Shorter is easier to type and remember.
- Renewal costs the same as registration with us: R250 a year for a .co.za. Let it lapse and it can be deleted and registered by someone else.
How it works
When you press Check names, your browser turns what you typed into a valid domain label. "Smith & Sons Plumbing" becomes smithandsonsplumbing, a web address like https://www.mybusiness.co.za/ becomes mybusiness, and spaces give you a hyphenated version too. It then builds up to 12 names: the .co.za, .com, .net and .org, plus short .co.za variations such as adding "sa" or "online", or "get" and "the" in front.
Our server looks each name up in public DNS (the internet's address book) using Cloudflare's DNS service. If the .co.za registry's zone has nameservers for the name, someone has registered it and it shows as Taken. If DNS answers that the name does not exist, it shows as Likely available. Anything in between, such as a lookup that times out, shows as Unclear.
Why "likely" available
DNS only knows about domains that are switched on. A name can be registered but missing from DNS, for example while it is on hold or while it waits to be deleted after expiring. That is rare, but it is why we never promise a name is free. The Register button opens our domain cart, which checks with the registry itself before you pay.
What to do next
- Register the name you like best now. Names go first come, first served, and a .co.za costs R250 a year. Many businesses also take the .com (R350 a year) so nobody else can use it.
- Check the name is safe to use. Registering a domain does not give you rights to a name, and the owner of a matching trade mark may be able to challenge it. Before you print signs, search the CIPC (Companies and Intellectual Property Commission) website for registered company names and trade marks that match yours. If you find a close match, get advice from a trade mark attorney.
- Be the registrant. Put the domain in your own name or your business's name, with an email address you will always be able to read. Our help article on registering a .co.za domain walks through the cart.
For taken names we link to ZARC WHOIS for .za domains and the ICANN lookup for .com, .net and other generic domains. We never fetch or display owner details ourselves.
Related services and guides
- Domain registration: register or transfer a .co.za, .com and more
- How to choose a domain name: length, spelling and trade marks
- What is a .co.za domain?: rules, cost and who can register
- .co.za vs .com: which one a South African business needs
- How to transfer a domain: move a .co.za or .com to a new provider
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does it say "likely available" and not "available"?
The checker looks the name up in public DNS. A name that is not in DNS is almost always free, but a registered name can be missing from DNS, for example while it is on hold or waiting to be deleted. The Register button opens our domain cart, which asks the registry directly, so you get a definite answer before you pay anything.
What does a .co.za domain cost?
At Web Design Hosting SA a .co.za costs R250 a year to register, and renewals and transfers in are the same R250. A .com is R350 a year. A .co.za is also included free with our Unlimited hosting plans, WordPress Pro and higher, and every Business hosting plan.
Who can register a .co.za domain?
Anyone. You do not need a registered company, a VAT number or a South African ID; sole traders, freelancers and foreign businesses can all register one. Names are first come, first served, so register yours as soon as you settle on a business name. Our guide What is a .co.za domain? covers the rules in more detail.
The .co.za I want is taken. What can I do?
Try one of the variations the checker suggests, such as adding "sa" or "online", a hyphenated version or a different extension such as .com or .net. You can look a .za name up on ZARC WHOIS. Some owners will sell, but only pay through a trusted process where the domain moves to you before the money is released. If the name matches your registered trade mark, speak to an attorney about your options.
Does this checker store the names I search?
No. The names you type are only used for the lookup. To stop abuse we record a scrambled (hashed) version of your IP address and the time of each search, used only to limit everyone to 40 searches an hour. We never look up or show who owns a domain.
Need the website and email to go with it?
We register the domain, set up your email and build the site, at a fixed price. Tell us what you need or chat to us on WhatsApp.