Lao (.la) domain-name registration (new / change / renewal / transfer / subdomain) in Laos: statutory documents, competent authority and legal basis
Who can apply
Both Lao citizens and foreigners may apply; the documents differ.
Competent authority: Through a licensed registrar (Art.8); administered by the internet centre LANIC.
At a glance
Where to apply: Through a licensed registrar (Art.8); administered by the internet centre LANIC.
Steps:
- Pick a licensed registrar (Art.8)
- Prepare owner info + three contacts + technical info (Art.8)
- Submit via the registrar; mind relevance (Art.7)
How long: Per the registrar and LANIC notice.
Cost: Fees per the tariff agreement (#197) and the registrar notice.
Statutory document list
Register a new domain
- Domain owner: name, address, email, phone (Art.8.1) (required)
- Three contacts — administrative, finance, technical (Art.8.2) (required)
- Technical information (DNS / hosting, Art.8.3) (required)
- A statement of the domain relevance to the applicant (Art.7: priority for the first, but only if relevant) (required)
- Institutional proof for restricted groups (.gov/.mil/.edu/.org, Art.7) (optional)
Change domain information
- Domain owner: name, address, email, phone (Art.8.1) (required)
- Institutional proof for restricted groups (.gov/.mil/.edu/.org, Art.7) (optional)
Renew a domain
- Domain owner: name, address, email, phone (Art.8.1) (required)
- Institutional proof for restricted groups (.gov/.mil/.edu/.org, Art.7) (optional)
Transfer a domain
- Domain owner: name, address, email, phone (Art.8.1) (required)
- Institutional proof for restricted groups (.gov/.mil/.edu/.org, Art.7) (optional)
Add a subdomain
- Domain owner: name, address, email, phone (Art.8.1) (required)
- Three contacts — administrative, finance, technical (Art.8.2) (required)
- Technical information (DNS / hosting, Art.8.3) (required)
- A statement of the domain relevance to the applicant (Art.7: priority for the first, but only if relevant) (required)
- Institutional proof for restricted groups (.gov/.mil/.edu/.org, Art.7) (optional)
Other domain-service request
- Domain owner: name, address, email, phone (Art.8.1) (required)
- Institutional proof for restricted groups (.gov/.mil/.edu/.org, Art.7) (optional)
Statutory requirements
- How (Art.8): register through a registrar licensed by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, not by filing paper directly.
- Domain != trademark (Art.7): a registered domain without IP registration is not protected under IP law, and a registered trademark without a domain is not protected in the internet system. Do both to be covered both ways.
- First-registered priority, but only if relevant (Art.7); names tied to ministries, party-state bodies or national heroes are restricted.
- Expiry and return (Arts.11, 13): a domain is returned by surrender, lapse or non-payment; non-payment at expiry counts as a request to return it.
Common issues
- Registering only the domain (or only the trademark) leaves a gap (Art.7)
- Forgetting to renew counts as returning it (Art.13)
Legal basis (Lao Official Gazette texts)
Excerpt: **Third-Level Internet Domain Name Usage Format** The National Internet Center, as the administrator, has defined the classification of third-level internet domain names to provide registration services according to the …
Excerpt: Principles for Registration and Use of Lao Domain Names. The principles for registering and using Lao domain names are as follows: 1. Individuals, legal entities, and organizations have the right to register and use Lao …
Excerpt: Lao Domain Name Registration Procedure. Individuals, legal persons, or organizations wishing to register a Lao domain name shall apply for registration through the service counter or other service channels of a Lao domai …
Excerpt: Return of Lao Domain Name Usage. The return of a Lao domain name occurs under the following circumstances: 1. The domain name owner requests a return; 2. …
Frequently asked questions
Who can apply for a Lao (.la) domain-name registration (new / change / renewal / transfer / subdomain) in Laos?
Both Lao citizens and foreigners may apply; the documents differ. Competent authority: Through a licensed registrar (Art.8); administered by the internet centre LANIC..
What documents are required for a Lao (.la) domain-name registration (new / change / renewal / transfer / subdomain) in Laos?
4 statutory items: Domain owner: name, address, email, phone (Art.8.1); Three contacts — administrative, finance, technical (Art.8.2); Technical information (DNS / hosting, Art.8.3); A statement of the domain relevance to the applicant (Art.7: priority for the first, but only if relevant). Competent authority: Through a licensed registrar (Art.8); administered by the internet centre LANIC..
What is the legal basis for a Lao (.la) domain-name registration (new / change / renewal / transfer / subdomain) in Laos?
Based on Decree on the Management and Use of the Internet and Internet Domain Names in the Lao People's Democratic Republic Article ; Agreement on Management and Use of Internet Domain Names Article 6; Agreement on Management and Use of Internet Domain Names Article 7; Agreement on Management and Use of Internet Domain Names Article 8; Agreement on Management and Use of Internet Domain Names Article 11; Agreement on Management and Use of Internet Domain Names Article 13; Agreement on Fees for the Use of Telecommunications Numbers and Internet Codes Article . The full texts are available in the LaoPaniti law library, sourced from the Lao Official Gazette.
Are there time limits or hard requirements for a Lao (.la) domain-name registration (new / change / renewal / transfer / subdomain) in Laos?
How (Art.8): register through a registrar licensed by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, not by filing paper directly. Domain != trademark (Art.7): a registered domain without IP registration is not protected under IP law, and a registered trademark without a domain is not protected in the internet system. Do both to be covered both ways. First-registered priority, but only if relevant (Art.7); names tied to ministries, party-state bodies or national heroes are restricted. Expiry and return (Arts.11, 13): a domain is returned by surrender, lapse or non-payment; non-payment at expiry counts as a request to return it.
How much does a Lao (.la) domain-name registration (new / change / renewal / transfer / subdomain) cost in Laos and how long does it take?
Cost: Fees per the tariff agreement (#197) and the registrar notice.. How long: Per the registrar and LANIC notice..
Can LaoPaniti obtain the Lao (.la) domain-name registration (new / change / renewal / transfer / subdomain) for me?
LaoPaniti organises the document list, offers online form filling, document upload and pre-check hand-off by staff. It is not a government filing, does not represent acceptance or approval by any authority, and promises neither results nor expedited handling. Formal processing follows the current requirements of the Through a licensed registrar (Art.8); administered by the internet centre LANIC..
Organise documents online and submit for pre-check →
Other matters
Taxpayer identification number (TIN) · tax registration · China-Laos double-tax relief (treaty reduced rates / tax credit) · VAT registration and filing (enter the VAT system / monthly return / credit & refund) · Annual tax clearance and tax-payment certificate (annual financial report / clearance certificate) · Land title (land use certificate): registration / transfer / inheritance / mortgage / reissue · Business licence (enterprise registration certificate): new / change / reissue / dissolution · Business operating licence (sector licence) · Driving licence (civil vehicle) · Investment licence · Construction (building) permit: new build / extension / change of use / repair / rebuild / demolition · Environmental certificate · Environmental impact assessment of an investment project (IEE / detailed ESIA) · Social security registration (employer registering the unit and its workers / individual voluntary enrolment) · Social security benefit claim (pension / disability / work-injury / sickness / maternity / unemployment / death / survivor / caregiver) · Precious-items (incl. gold) import/export permit · central-bank track · Certificate of Origin for exports (preferential origin: Confirmation of Product Originality + preferential Certificate of Origin / exporter self-certification) · Employment registration and foreign-worker permit (quota · entry approval · work permit · renewal) · Import-export licence and trader registration certificate · Mineral licences: field data collection, prospecting, exploration, feasibility study and mining · Tourism business licence: accommodation, restaurants, entertainment, guiding, travel agency and other categories · Electricity business licence: general electricity services, specific power generation, and transmission line concessions · Food registration certificate for industrial plants, family-scale workshops and imported food · Road transport business licence: passenger transport, freight, terminals, vehicle hire and logistics · Licence for a pharmaceutical or medical product business, and product registration · Sign permits: use, installation and the sign business licence · Animal & animal-product import/export/transit quarantine (IET) · Plant & plant-product import/export/transit quarantine · Patent / petty patent (utility model) registration · Trademark registration (register / renew / change / assign / licence / oppose) · Industrial design registration (register / renew / assign / licence / change / oppose) · Copyright & related-rights registration (information filing / certificate copy / cancellation) · New plant variety protection (breeder's right registration) · Foreign company representative office (set up / renew / amend / close) · FDI foreign-exchange registration (investment account / capital-inflow certificate / repatriation) · External-borrowing & trade-credit forex registration (offshore account / lending abroad / borrowing from abroad / trade credit) · Payment service provider licence (new / renew / add service / cross-border) · Electronic signature / digital certificate (personal / legal-entity seal / staff / CA licence) · Private education institution setup (school / vocational / training) · Fire safety acceptance / permit (building · hotel · mall · factory · warehouse · gas) · Financial institution setup (bank/branch · microfinance · payment) · Veterinary clinic / animal-drug shop licence · Insurance business licences: insurer, reinsurer, broker and agent · Printing and publishing: the printing permit and the licences for publishers, print shops and distributors · Internet service business licence: domestic, international and satellite · Postal service business licence: international, nationwide, provincial and postal financial or product services · Setting up and operating a wood-processing factory: sawmills, processing plants and furniture factories · Divorce registration and the divorce certificate, by agreement or by court judgment · Inheritance: opening a will, certifying estate documents and registering the transfer of property · Tourist visa T-B3: where to apply, how it may be extended, and when it is the wrong visa · Health checks and health certificates: who must be examined, and how often · Economic dispute mediation (apply for mediation / file a defence at the Economic Dispute Resolution Centre) · Notarisation (documents / contracts / certified copies; in Lao, foreign-language papers must be translated) · Household book reissue / update · Birth certificate · Single / marital status certificate · Marriage registration · No-criminal-record certificate · Residence / address certificate · Kinship certificate · Land / house basic documents · Vehicle sale / transfer documents · Stay permit / residence permit card · Work visa / work permit pre-check