Understanding the .CL Top-Level Domain

The .cl top-level domain (TLD) is the Internet country code for Chile, a country in South America with over 19 million population. Like most country-code TLDs, .cl represents the digital identity of Chilean government bodies, businesses, and individuals.

What Does .CL Domain Represent?

As the designated ccTLD of Chile, the .cl domain represents a connection with the country. Any website that ends with a .cl extension may be considered to originate from Chile. That’s why it’s a popular domain extension in the country, with organizations from different industries using it to cater to their Chilean audience.

The domain is administered by the Network Information Center (NIC) Chile.

Timeline of the Key Developments of the .CL TLD

Since the beginning of domains, the domain extension .cl has completed many milestones. Here’s a timeline of the critical developments in the journey of Chile’s ccTLD.

What Extensions Can be Registered in Chile?

Unlike most other TLDs from South America, only the .cl domain extension can be registered since its inception. It is not possible to register .com.cl, .net.cl or .org.cl domains. There are no hierarchies or special designations as such.

What Are the Requirements for Registering .CL Domain?

Any business or individual in or outside Chile can register a .cl domain. There are no requirements for residency or local contact to register a .cl domain.

Previously, local contact with a Chilean identity number was required. However, this requirement was lifted in 2013, opening the registration to foreigners and making the process easier.

What Can Be Registered as a Domain Under the .CL TLD?

NIC Chile has established certain rules for the characters and length of domains with the extension .cl. Here are the rules:

• Characters: As such, two groups of characters can be used in the .cl domain names. The first is the letters-digits-hyphen or LDH, which includes the Latin alphabet, digits, and the hyphen (a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 -). The second group covers additional alphabets with accents that are commonly used in the Spanish language (á é í ó ú ü ñ). Domain names with these particular characters are called Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs.).

• Length: The minimum length of a .cl domain name is 3 characters, whereas the maximum length can be 63 characters. It should be noted that this maximum length applies to the encoded ACE version, not the original name for IDN names. In general, this means that the number of actually available characters decreases.

• Hyphen Usage: A .cl domain name can’t begin or end with hyphen. Also, domain names can’t begin with the prefix xn–, or any other prefix with a hyphen at the third and fourth position.

NIC may expand the allowed characters to accommodate future user needs.

Who Can Register .CL TLDs?

Any natural or legal entity, national or foreign, can register domain names with .cl extension.

That said, NIC Chile reserves the right to request information that verifies the holder's identity when necessary.

To register a .cl domain, the applicant must include the entity's contact details that will manage the domain name. Designating an administrative contact who will act as the domain owner/representative for regulatory purposes and answer any disputes is mandatory.

As mentioned earlier, the owner/administrator does not have to have a local contact or residency in Chile.

How Many .CL Domains Have Been Registered?

Since the first registration of a .cl domain name, the number of registered and active .cl domains has grown exponentially. As of July 2023, the number of registered .cl domains are 712,665, per NIC data.

The highest ever number of registered .cl domains were 736,931 in October 2021. In years 2022 and 2023 domains have decrease because of economic depression.

What are the Benefits of Registering a .CL Domain in Chile?

There are several benefits of registering a .cl domain in Chile. Here’s why you should consider using a .cl domain:

• Link with Chile: If you’re an individual or business operating in Chile, the easiest way to establish your local presence is through a registered .cl domain. As it’s recognized as the country code of Chile, most of your audience would be able to establish that you’re a Chile-based business. It can create trust with the local userbase.

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Having a domain name with .cl extension in Chile can also help with SEO, giving you an edge over competitors that don’t have .cl at the end of their domain.

• Higher Availability and Cheap Prices: You may be able to find a domain name with your business name easily with .cl extension, compared to more common extensions like .com. Similarly, you may get it at an affordable price compared to more sought-after extensions. It’s best to have a domain with your business as it makes it easier for people to find you.

• Access Chilean Market: International businesses can benefit from registering as .cl domain for their Chilean audience. They can establish trust and target the market better. It also shows commitment to the local customers.

• Use of Special Characters: With the .cl domain, you’re allowed to use several special characters used in Spanish language. If your business name features such characters, you can easily use them with a .cl extension.

Conclusion

The .cl TLD is important to Chile’s digital identity and helps distinguish Chilean entities online. The domain extension has come a long way, crossing over 700,000 registrations. You can register a .cl domain easily without requiring a local address. For businesses targeting the Chilean market, having a .cl domain can do wonders.