.cm domain name registration policy

This page summarises the rules applied by ZoomLab, a service of Honowa Technologies, an ANTIC-accredited registrar. It does not replace ANTIC's official naming charter, which prevails in case of conflict.

Framework

The .cm top-level domain is managed by the National Agency for Information and Communication Technologies (ANTIC), under Law No. 2010/013 of 21 December 2010 governing electronic communications in Cameroon. ANTIC sets the registration policy, runs the root servers and accredits registrars, including Honowa Technologies.

Who can register a .cm?

Any individual or organisation, Cameroonian or foreign, living in Cameroon or abroad. The registrant agrees that the registration, use of the name and its content are subject to Cameroonian law.

Syntax rules

• Allowed characters: letters (a to z), digits (0 to 9) and hyphen (-).
• Length: 2 to 63 characters (excluding the extension).
• A hyphen cannot appear at the start or end of the name.
• No accents, spaces or special characters.

Available zones

• .cm: open to all.
• .com.cm, .co.cm, .net.cm: open to all, on request.
• .gov.cm, .edu.cm and other restricted zones: proof of the applicant's status required (government body, educational institution, etc.).

Supporting documents

ANTIC may require additional documents. We confirm the exact list when you order.

Prohibited or reserved names

The following cannot be registered, among others: names contrary to public order or morality, names infringing third-party rights (trademark, trade name, surname), and names reserved by ANTIC or the State (institutions, local authorities, protected terms).

First come, first served

Subject to the rules above, an available name is allocated to the first applicant whose file is complete and payment received. The availability check on our website is indicative: only the registry's confirmation is binding.

Term and renewal

• A name is registered for one year, renewable.
• The official price is 7 000 FCFA per year for Cameroonian registrants.
• We send reminders before the due date. We recommend renewing at least one week before expiry.

Expiry

If not renewed, the name is suspended (website and email stop working), then enters grace and recovery periods during which it can still be renewed (a restoration fee may apply), before being deleted and released to the public. The length of each period is set by the registry.

Transfers

The registrant may transfer their name to another accredited registrar at any time, except during the sixty (60) days following a registration or previous transfer if the registry requires it. A transfer does not change the registrant.

Change of registrant

Assigning a domain name to a new registrant requires the written consent of both parties and the new registrant's documents.

Disputes

Any dispute relating to a .cm domain name is handled under ANTIC's dispute resolution procedure or, failing that, before the competent Cameroonian courts.

Registrant data (WHOIS)

Registrant data is passed on to the registry. Some information may be published in the .cm WHOIS directory, within the limits set by personal data protection regulations.