How to register .BH Domain – Guide

The Kingdom of Bahrain has its own national domain extension, .bh, and its Arabic counterpart البحرين. (pronounced “dot Al-Bahrain”). If you sell to Bahraini customers, run a local business, or simply want a name that ties your brand to the Kingdom, a .bh domain is the most direct way to do it.

This guide walks through everything a beginner needs to know: who runs the registry, who is allowed to register, what the rules say about names, how much it costs, and the exact step-by-step process to get your own .bh domain live. If you are comfortable with domains in general, jump straight to the How to register section. If this is your first domain, start with what is a domain name for the basics and come back here.

About the .bh Domain

Who Runs the .bh Registry

Two organisations sit behind every .bh domain, and it helps to understand the difference before you register:

1. The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) of Bahrain is the government body that owns and governs the .bh namespace. TRA writes the rules, approves registrations, resolves disputes, and can suspend or reject domains that break its policies. It was appointed registry manager by Resolution No. 3 of 2008, with an updated framework under Resolution No. 11 of 2018.
2. CentralNic, a London-based registry services company, operates the technical platform that powers the .bh registry database. They run the nameservers, the EPP system, and the backend that accredited registrars connect to.

As a registrant, you will rarely deal with either one directly. You register through an accredited registrar, and the registrar handles everything downstream with CentralNic and TRA on your behalf. AEserver is one of those accredited .bh registrars, verified by the TRA.

Who Can Register a .bh Domain

This is the question that trips up most first-time registrants, because the answer depends on which Bahraini domain you want.

🌍 Top-level .bh and البحرين. (open to everyone)

Since the 2021 registry overhaul, the top-level .bh and its Arabic IDN variant البحرين. are completely open. Any individual or company, anywhere in the world, can register one. You do not need:

• A Bahraini trade licence
• A Bahraini address
• A local representative
• Proof of residency
• Any other document at the time of registration

Registration is real-time and online. TRA reserves the right to audit registrations and suspend names that provide false information, so always use accurate details.

🇧🇭 Second-level subdomains (.com.bh, .net.bh, etc.)

Most subdomains under .bh are restricted. They were designed for specific categories of Bahraini entities, so eligibility requirements and supporting documents apply.

Naming Rules: What You Cannot Register

The TRA rules set limits on which names are allowed, regardless of who is applying. Based on the current “Rules of Domain Names of the Kingdom of Bahrain” (published on register.bh/rules/), a .bh domain must not:

1. Infringe the intellectual property rights of any person or entity, including registered trademarks.
2. Violate Bahraini law, public morals, or public order.
3. Be used for illegal purposes.
4. Offend the name of any country, city, celebrity, family, or well-known trademark.
5. Compromise national security, military secrets, or the dignity and prestige of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
6. Match technical terms or names reserved by TRA that could cause confusion (under Articles 28 and 30 of the rules).

TRA decides on approval or rejection during a grace period of up to 5 working days after registration. If your application is rejected, most registrars will refund or offer reconsideration for an additional fee.

How to Register a .bh Domain, Step by Step

The whole process takes a few minutes on the AEserver website and does not require paperwork for the top-level .bh. Here is exactly what to do.

Go to the AEserver .bh domain page and type the name you want into the search box. Leave off the extension, the search tool adds .bh automatically and will also show you the Arabic variant and related alternatives.

The tool will tell you whether your name is available, show the price for 1 to 5 years, and suggest similar names and alternative extensions (.com, .ae, .qa, .me) in case your first choice is taken. Pick the one that fits your brand best.

Click “Add to cart” on the name you want. You can add more than one, for example your .bh and the Arabic البحرين. variant together, or a matching .com for international branding.

Click the shopping cart icon at the top right of the page, then choose “View cart” to see everything you are about to buy.

Review the registration term (the default is 1 year, you can extend up to 5), remove anything you do not want, and hit the Checkout button at the bottom right.

Enter the registrant information (this becomes the WHOIS contact, though most fields are redacted in the public WHOIS) and choose a payment method. AEserver accepts international credit cards and other UAE payment options.

Once payment clears, AEserver registers the domain in real time and emails you a confirmation with a link to your domain control panel. For the open .bh zone, activation is immediate. For a restricted SLD like .com.bh, the domain goes live but remains subject to TRA post-registration review for up to 5 working days.

After Registration: What Happens Next

Owning the domain is only the first step. To actually use it, you still need to point it somewhere and set up the services behind it. A typical first-week checklist looks like this:

1. Point your domain to a hosting service, either by changing the nameservers in your AEserver control panel to your host’s, or by creating A and CNAME records in the DNS zone. If you do not have a host yet, see our UAE web hosting plans or managed WordPress hosting.
2. Install an SSL certificate so your site runs on HTTPS. Most modern hosting plans include free SSL, or you can add a paid one from our SSL certificates catalogue.
3. Set up email with MX records for a mail provider like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or AEserver Mail.
4. Enable auto-renewal in your account so you do not lose the domain by accident (see lifecycle below).
5. Turn on registrar transfer lock, which prevents anyone from moving the domain to another registrar without your authorisation.

.bh Domain Lifecycle: Renewal, Expiry, Redemption

.bh domains follow the standard gTLD lifecycle. Once you register, the domain moves through a predictable sequence of states, and understanding them helps you avoid losing your name.

Transferring a .bh Domain

If you already own a .bh domain at another registrar and want to move it to AEserver (or the other way around), the process is a standard EPP-based transfer:

1. Log in to your current registrar and unlock the domain.
2. Request the Auth Code (sometimes called EPP code or transfer code).
3. Start a transfer request at the new registrar and enter the Auth Code.
4. Confirm the transfer by replying to the authorisation email sent to the registrant contact.
5. Wait 5 to 7 days for the transfer to complete. The domain keeps working throughout, and the original expiry date is preserved (some registrars add a free year, others do not).

A registrant transfer (changing the owner of the domain) is a separate process. The new registrant must meet all applicable eligibility criteria, which matters especially for restricted SLDs.

A Short History of .bh

Context helps: understanding how .bh ended up where it is today makes the current rules easier to follow.

1. 1994, .bh is first delegated to the University of Bahrain Computer Center, one of the earliest ccTLD delegations in the Gulf.
2. 1999, the delegation moves to Batelco (Bahrain Telecommunications Company), which still remains the sponsoring organisation in IANA records.
3. 2002, the TRA is established under the Kingdom of Bahrain’s Telecommunications Law.
4. 2008, Resolution No. 3 formally assigns TRA as the governmental agency responsible for .bh management.
5. 2011 to 2012, TRA files an ICANN redelegation request, completed in March 2012, bringing .bh fully under TRA control.
6. 2018, Resolution No. 11 amends the rules and lays the groundwork for a modern, policy-based registry.
7. 2021, a full registry overhaul launches on the CentralNic platform. New policies open .bh globally, launch the Arabic IDN البحرين., and introduce standard lifecycle and transfer mechanics. Sunrise (Nov 2021, Jan 2022), Grandfathering (Nov 2021 to May 2022), Local Priority (Jan 2022 to May 2022), and General Availability (from May 3, 2022) phases all run through this period.
8. 2022 onward, .bh operates under open General Availability, which is the regime in effect today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be in Bahrain to buy a .bh domain?

No, not for the top-level .bh or its Arabic variant البحرين.. These are open zones and anyone globally can register one. Local presence is only required for restricted SLDs like .com.bh and .net.bh.

How long can I register a .bh for?

From 1 to 5 years at a time. You can renew in 1-year increments to keep the name indefinitely as long as you continue to meet any applicable eligibility criteria.

Can I hide my details with WHOIS privacy?

The .bh policy does not allow paid WHOIS privacy add-ons. However, most registrant fields are automatically redacted in the public WHOIS at whois.nic.bh by default, so your personal data is not exposed to scrapers.

What happens if my .bh application is rejected?

TRA reviews registrations during an add grace period of up to 5 working days and can reject names that breach the rules. Your registrar will typically offer a refund or a paid reconsideration option.

Can I register both .bh and البحرين. for the same brand?

Yes, and for a bilingual audience it is often a good idea. The Arabic IDN is the same brand rendered natively, which matters for Arabic speakers typing directly into mobile keyboards.

How do I resolve a dispute over a .bh domain?

TRA publishes a “Standard Proceedings for Resolving Domain Name Registration Disputes” document and works with WIPO as the arbitration body. Details are on domains.bh/domain-name-dispute.

Where can I read the official rules?

The full, current rules are published by TRA at register.bh/rules. This is the authoritative source and should override any third-party summary, including this guide, if there is ever a conflict.

Summary

The .bh namespace is one of the cleanest ccTLDs to register in the Gulf. The rules are clear, the process is quick, and since the 2021 overhaul, most of the old friction for international registrants is gone.

1. .bh is operated by TRA and technically run by CentralNic, you register through an accredited registrar, not directly.
2. The top-level .bh is open to anyone worldwide, with no local presence or paperwork for the basic registration.
3. Most second-level subdomains are restricted, .com.bh is the most flexible, but .net.bh, .org.bh, .edu.bh, and others require Bahraini presence and documents.
4. Naming rules apply to everyone, no trademark infringement, no offensive or restricted terms, TRA can reject a name within the first 5 working days.
5. Registration is real-time, terms from 1 to 5 years, renewable, with a lifecycle that ends in full release roughly 45 days after expiry.
6. Set up auto-renewal and transfer lock right after you register, these two settings prevent the most common ways to lose a valuable domain.
7. Consult the official rules at register.bh/rules for anything legally important, and use your accredited registrar for day-to-day management.

Ready to check whether your preferred name is free? Start with the AEserver .bh search, or explore other extensions in the Gulf countries domain guide.

×