.tr domain — meaning, price and how to register

What does .tr mean?

.tr is the ISO 3166-1 country code for Türkiye (Turkey), and it was delegated as a country-code top-level domain in 1990. For decades the namespace was administered by Middle East Technical University (METU), through the operation widely known as Nic.tr. More recently that responsibility has migrated to TRABIS — the national registry system operated under BTK, the Information and Communication Technologies Authority. The .tr space has long been organised around structured second levels such as com.tr, org.tr, net.tr, gov.tr and edu.tr, each tied to a category of registrant. Direct second-level registrations (registering yourname.tr itself) opened more recently and are now available alongside those traditional second levels.

Who uses .tr?

.tr is the trusted local extension inside Türkiye. Turkish businesses typically register under com.tr, public institutions use gov.tr, universities use edu.tr, and media outlets and non-profit organisations use the second levels that match their type. Because the regulated second levels signal what an organisation is, the namespace is widely recognised and trusted by a Turkish audience. The Turkish-speaking diaspora abroad sometimes prefers a .tr or com.tr name to keep a clear link back to Türkiye, though many also use global extensions for international reach.

.tr registration rules and requirements

Registration is handled through TRABIS-accredited registrars rather than through every global registrar. Historically, many second levels — most notably com.tr — required documentation tied to the name or business being registered, so a company would supply paperwork supporting its right to a given name. That documentation model still applies to certain second levels. Direct second-level .tr registrations (yourname.tr) are now available and broaden the options, but it remains sensible to confirm with an accredited registrar which second level fits your case and what, if any, documents are needed.

How much does a .tr cost?

A .tr name typically costs around $10 per year, though the exact figure varies by registrar and by which second level you choose. Some documented second levels may also carry their own requirements. The table below gives a rough guide; treat it as indicative and confirm live pricing at checkout.

Is .tr good for SEO?

.tr is a genuine geo-targeted ccTLD, so Google associates it with Türkiye. That is a strength if your audience is in Türkiye: the extension sends a clear local signal and is recognised and trusted there. The trade-off is that the same signal can be limiting for a global audience, since the domain reads as Türkiye-specific. There is no inherent SEO penalty for using .tr — it simply ties your site to one country. If you are weighing options, see our guide on how to compare and choose a TLD.

.tr vs alternatives

Compared with .com, which is global and carries no local rule or documentation, .tr is the natural choice when your focus is Türkiye. Against .eu, which targets a pan-European audience, .tr is narrower but more locally trusted inside Türkiye. .de can be relevant for the large Turkish community in Germany, but it signals Germany rather than Türkiye. For a Türkiye-focused site, .tr (or com.tr) is the local extension that best matches the audience.