A beginner's guide to registering a .pk domain

A .pk domain is the online version of a Pakistani address. It tells visitors, at a glance, that your business belongs here — and for a lot of local customers, that recognition counts for more than you would expect. This guide covers what a .pk domain is, who runs it, what you need to register one, and how the process actually works, without the jargon.

What is a .pk domain, and who controls it?

.pk is Pakistan's country-code top-level domain — the national equivalent of .uk for Britain or .in for India. It is administered by PKNIC, the body that has run Pakistan's domain registry since the 1990s. Every .pk, .com.pk, .net.pk and .org.pk name ultimately passes through PKNIC's system, which is why registering one behaves a little differently from grabbing a .com off the shelf.

Which extension should you pick?

• .com.pk — the default for most businesses. If you are a company, a shop or a service, this is almost certainly the one you want.
• .pk — shorter and cleaner, and increasingly the one brands compete over. If it is free for your name, it is worth holding.
• .org.pk — the natural fit for non-profits, associations and community projects.
• .net.pk — used by some technology and network businesses, or as a backup when .com.pk is taken.
• .edu.pk / .gov.pk — restricted. These are only for recognised educational institutions and government bodies, and they need supporting documents.

If the budget stretches to it, plenty of businesses register both the .com.pk and the matching .pk, simply so nobody else can take the other one later.

What you actually need to register one

For the common extensions, this is simpler than people fear. You need accurate contact details — a name, an address, a working email and a phone number — and for most names that is it. The restricted extensions are where documents come in: an .edu.pk needs proof that you are a recognised educational institution, and .gov.pk is limited to government departments.

One thing worth getting right up front: keep the registrant details accurate and the contact email live. That inbox is where any verification or renewal notice lands, and losing access to it makes everything harder down the line.

How the process works, step by step

1. Search the name. Check whether your preferred name is free across the extensions you care about. If the exact match is gone, try a short variation before you settle.
2. Pick the extension. Choose .pk, .com.pk, .net.pk or .org.pk. These PKNIC names register for a minimum of two years, not a single year.
3. Give your details and pay. Provide the contact information and complete checkout. Some .pk registrations go through a short review before they are confirmed.
4. Point it at your hosting. Update the domain's nameservers or DNS to your hosting, and once it propagates, your site is live on its new name.

What the .pk price actually covers

.pk, .com.pk, .org.pk and .net.pk are Pakistan country-code names administered by PKNIC. The minimum registration package is two years. Checkout currently lists Rs 4,699 / two years for .pk and Rs 4,699 / two years for .com.pk. Those figures are the package total, not a one-year rate you can renew twelve months later. A .com is a different product: Rs 3,999 / year on the current catalogue, with its own term. The live domain search overrides any example in this article.

Choose a name people can repeat

Prefer a short name that is easy to spell over the phone and does not rely on punctuation. Check it with the WHOIS lookup before you fall in love with it. Register the name in the real owner's name, with an email address that will stay reachable. That inbox receives verification and renewal notices. If you also want the matching .com, register it as well and point both at one site with a redirect so customers and search engines see a single address. The .pk versus .com.pk guide compares the extensions in more detail.

Renewals and transfers

A domain is a registration you keep alive, not a one-off purchase. The current recurring price is shown before purchase. Future prices may change with notice under the Terms. Set a reminder well before expiry. Use the domain renewal checklist so the hosting invoice and the domain expiry are not treated as the same date. If the name is already registered elsewhere, a transfer changes the registrar. It is not the same job as moving the website. Start from the transfer page and keep the site's DNS untouched until the transfer is prepared.

A few common mistakes to avoid

• Using an email you no longer check as the domain contact. If you lose access to it, recovering the name gets far harder than it should be.
• Registering only one extension for a name you care about, then finding someone else has grabbed the rest.
• Leaving renewal to the last day. Give yourself a buffer.

When you are ready, start from our PK domain registration page to search .pk, .com.pk, .net.pk and .org.pk names — or pair the name with hosting so the site and email can use it. Pointing the name is a separate step: how to point a domain at PK Hosting.

Price checked September 18, 2026. Current checkout price takes precedence.