If you are building a serious presence in Turkey, choosing the right .TR domain and managing its documentation correctly is almost as important as your hosting architecture or application stack. Whether you run an e‑commerce project on a tuned VPS, a small NGO website, or a personal professional brand, extensions like com.tr, org.tr and av.tr come with specific rules and paperwork. If you do not plan this at the beginning, you can easily lose weeks between rejected documents and extra bureaucracy. In this guide, I will walk through how .TR domain registration works in practice, which extensions require which documents, and how to align all this with your DNS, SSL and hosting setup. The goal is simple: you should be able to decide which .TR extension fits you, prepare the right documents on the first try, complete registration smoothly, and then configure your DNS and server side securely and correctly.
How the .TR Domain System Works
.TR is Turkey’s country-code top-level domain (ccTLD). Unlike most generic extensions such as .com or .net, .TR has historically been managed with document-based rules and many second-level extensions like com.tr, org.tr, edu.tr, gov.tr and av.tr. This structure is designed to protect brand names, professional titles and institutional credibility.
Today the registry infrastructure is operated under national authority, and accredited registrars interact with the central system on your behalf. For you as the domain holder, this means:
- You choose a registrar, search and request the domain.
- For many .TR extensions, you upload supporting documents (trade registry, trademark, association charter, professional license, etc.).
- The request is reviewed according to current .TR rules; if accepted, the domain is activated and delegated to your name servers.
Because rules and accepted documents may change over time, always double‑check the current requirements with your registrar. In this article I will focus on typical documentation and practical points that rarely change in essence.
.TR Extensions Overview: com.tr, org.tr, av.tr and Others
Before talking about documentation, it is essential to pick the right .TR extension for your use case. Choosing correctly will save you trouble later when updating documents or handling brand disputes.
Business‑oriented extensions
- com.tr: The most common extension for companies and commercial activities. Ideal for e‑commerce, SaaS projects or any for‑profit business.
- biz.tr: Also used by businesses, often as an alternative when com.tr is taken.
- net.tr: Traditionally for network providers and technical services, but in practice also used by tech companies and ISPs.
If you are building a company brand, I almost always recommend starting from com.tr and treating others as defensive registrations or secondary brands.
Non‑profit and community extensions
- org.tr: For associations, foundations, chambers and other non‑profit or community organizations.
- bel.tr: Typically reserved for municipalities.
- k12.tr: For K‑12 education institutions such as primary and secondary schools.
- edu.tr: Reserved for higher education institutions like universities.
If you are setting up a website for an association or foundation, using org.tr immediately signals your status and builds trust.
Professional and sector‑specific extensions
- av.tr: For lawyers registered with a bar association.
- dr.tr: For medical doctors and some healthcare professionals.
- pol.tr, tsk.tr, gov.tr: For public institutions and specific official bodies.
Extensions like av.tr and dr.tr are not only branding tools; they are also a trust signal for end‑users, since registration requires professional proof.
Individual and general‑purpose extensions
- name.tr: For personal domains (e.g. firstname.lastname.name.tr), often used as personal websites, portfolios or email domains.
- gen.tr, info.tr, web.tr, tv.tr: General‑purpose alternatives to com.tr, sometimes with more flexible rules.
If you are building a personal brand, I often suggest combining a name.tr domain with a more brand‑oriented com.tr for your projects when budget allows.
Documentation Requirements by .TR Extension
Now to the part where most people get stuck: which documents are required for which .TR extension? Requirements can vary slightly between registrars, but they all follow the core policies of the .TR registry. Think of the following as a practical checklist.
com.tr, biz.tr and net.tr: For Companies and Commercial Use
For business‑oriented .TR extensions, the goal is to prove either your company existence or your right to the brand name. Commonly requested documents include:
- Trade Registry Gazette showing the full company name.
- Tax plate with the company details.
- Trademark registration or application certificate if the domain is based on a registered brand different from the company name.
- In some cases, a signature circular or similar proof of authorized representative.
In practice, if your desired com.tr domain exactly matches your registered company name (or a clear abbreviation), the trade registry and tax plate are usually enough. If the domain is a product name or brand name, a trademark document can be critical.
Before you start, align your naming with your overall domain strategy. For a deeper look at how naming impacts branding and SEO, you can check the article “Alan Adı Uzantıları: Hangisini Tercih Etmelisiniz?”.
org.tr and similar: For Associations and Foundations
For org.tr and some institution‑focused extensions, registrars typically ask for documents proving your legal status as a non‑profit or public entity. Examples:
- Association charter (dernek tüzüğü) or foundation deed.
- Official registration document from the relevant authority.
- Minutes or decision document showing the domain demand, in some cases.
Here the domain name usually must be closely related to your registered association or foundation name. If the name is generic or very short, be ready for additional review or even objections from others.
av.tr, dr.tr and professional extensions
Professional extensions like av.tr and dr.tr are designed to protect titles and prevent abuse. Typical requirements include:
- Proof of membership in the relevant professional chamber (e.g. bar association, medical chamber).
- Professional license or certificate authorized by the relevant body.
- Identity information matching the registrant data.
Many professionals use formats like name-surname.av.tr or clinicname.dr.tr. Even in clinic or group scenarios, at least one licensed professional usually needs to be clearly tied to the request. If you are registering for a law or medical practice, double‑check with your registrar what exact proof is needed for your province and chamber.
edu.tr, k12.tr, gov.tr and other restricted extensions
Some .TR extensions are strictly controlled and often not open to the general public at all:
- edu.tr: Universities and higher‑education institutions.
- k12.tr: Primary and secondary schools.
- gov.tr, bel.tr, pol.tr, tsk.tr: Government bodies and specific official entities.
In these cases, registration is usually handled through official channels inside the institution, backed by formal letters and ministry‑level approvals. If you are in charge of IT for such an institution, talk directly to your existing registrar and your legal/administrative department; they will usually have an established internal process.
name.tr and general‑purpose extensions
For name.tr and some more flexible extensions like gen.tr or web.tr, requirements can be lighter. It is often enough that the domain corresponds to your personal name or a legitimate use, combined with your ID information. Still, some registrars may ask for basic identification documents to avoid impersonation or abuse.
If you plan a serious personal brand, investing a few minutes in reading about “Alan Adı Koruma Yöntemleri” can help you build a safer long‑term strategy with defensive registrations around your main name.
Step‑by‑Step: .TR Domain Registration and Validation
Let us put everything into a concrete workflow. This is roughly how I plan .TR domain registrations when defining architecture and rollout plans for a new project.
1. Decide the naming strategy and extension
Start from your business or project plan, not the domain search box. Answer questions like:
- Is this a company, NGO, personal brand or institutional project?
- Do we have an existing registered company or trademark?
- Will the domain be used for public‑facing services, internal tools or just email?
Based on this, pick your primary .TR extension (e.g. com.tr or org.tr) and then list potential defensive or secondary domains. For deeper guidance on naming, SEO and common domain mistakes, the article “Alan Adı Tescilinde Sık Yapılan Hatalar” is worth a look.
2. Check availability and potential conflicts
Use your registrar’s search tool to see if the domain is free. At this step, think about:
- Similar domains already registered with other extensions (e.g. same name with .com or another .TR extension).
- Existing trademarks or company names that might conflict with your choice.
- Whether the name is too generic, which may trigger objections later.
For brand‑critical projects, I often do a quick cross‑check of company and trademark records before freezing the domain decision.
3. Prepare your documentation
Once you know which extension you are going for, prepare a single, clean PDF set with all required documents. Typical best practices:
- Use clear, readable scans; avoid photos with reflections or shadows.
- Highlight the parts where the company name, brand or personal name matches the domain.
- Ensure that registrant data (name, company title, tax number) exactly matches your documents.
If you want a more detailed explanation of .TR document flows in Turkish, you can also read “.TR Alan Adı Kaydı ve Belge Süreçleri Rehberi”, which complements this article nicely.
4. Place the order and upload documents
At this stage you:
- Order the domain on your registrar’s panel.
- Enter registrant information and contact details carefully.
- Upload your document set through the control panel or submit via ticket/email depending on the registrar’s process.
Double‑check the email address you use here; all notifications about approval, rejections or additional requests will come to this address.
5. Wait for review and respond to feedback
Review times vary depending on registrar workload and the complexity of your case. Simple com.tr requests that match a clear company name can be approved quickly, while generic names, trademarks or professional extensions may take longer.
If you receive a rejection or a request for additional information:
- Read the explanation carefully, do not just re‑upload the same file.
- Correct mismatched information (e.g. wrong company type, old address, outdated trade gazette).
- Ask support clearly which specific part is insufficient if the message is vague.
In my experience, most delays come from tiny mismatches between the registrant data and the official documents, not from any real legal issue.
6. Activation and DNS delegation
Once the registration is approved, the domain is activated and delegated to the name servers you specified. From this point on, you should switch your focus to DNS configuration, security and hosting performance.
Technical Configuration After .TR Domain Registration
Getting the .TR domain approved is only half the work. The other half is to ensure that it points to the right servers, uses secure DNS, and serves content over HTTPS with good performance.
1. Name server and DNS record setup
First, decide whether you will use your registrar’s DNS, your hosting provider’s DNS or a third‑party DNS service. For most small to medium projects, your hosting provider’s DNS or the registrar panel is sufficient.
Then configure your DNS records:
- A / AAAA records for your web server IPs.
- MX records if you run email on this domain.
- CNAME records for subdomains like www or cdn.
- TXT records for SPF, DKIM and other verifications.
If you want a step‑by‑step explanation of DNS record types and best practices, see “What Are DNS Records? A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT and SPF Explained” and the extended management guide “Domain DNS Management Guide: How to Point Your Website, Email and Subdomains”.
2. Enable DNSSEC for better security
For public‑facing .TR domains, I recommend enabling DNSSEC whenever possible. It adds a cryptographic layer to DNS responses and reduces the risk of cache poisoning and man‑in‑the‑middle attacks.
Many registrars and modern DNS panels support DNSSEC. You usually:
- Enable DNSSEC on your DNS provider and obtain DS or key data.
- Submit this data to your registrar’s panel for that domain.
For a full walkthrough with screenshots and explanations, the article “What Is DNSSEC? Step-by-Step Guide to Enabling It on Your Domain” is a solid reference.
3. Configure SSL/TLS and HTTP security
Once DNS is in place, you should immediately install an SSL/TLS certificate on the server or hosting account serving your .TR domain. Most control panels support free Let’s Encrypt certificates or similar options.
If you are using cPanel or Plesk, you can follow the steps in “How to Install a Free Let’s Encrypt SSL Certificate on cPanel and Plesk”. After HTTPS is enabled, do not forget to configure HTTP security headers (HSTS, X‑Frame‑Options, Content‑Security‑Policy, etc.) to harden your site; this is covered in detail in “What Are HTTP Security Headers? Setup Guide on cPanel and Nginx”.
4. Choose appropriate hosting and infrastructure
Your .TR domain will only feel “fast and reliable” to users if it is backed by a properly sized and well‑configured hosting environment. For simple projects, a quality shared hosting or managed VPS is enough. For heavier workloads (e‑commerce, high‑traffic content sites), I usually recommend a tuned VPS or dedicated server with a datacenter location close to your primary audience in Turkey.
If you prefer working with an infrastructure provider focused on solid server management and datacenter practices, you can consider services from DCHost or a similar provider, and then map your .TR domain there using the DNS methods described above.
Common Mistakes and Practical Tips for .TR Domains
Over the years, I keep seeing the same patterns when people struggle with .TR registrations. Avoiding these issues will save you time and protect your brand.
1. Mismatched registrant and document data
One of the most frequent mistakes is entering a company name or person in the order form that does not match the trade gazette, tax plate or ID. Even details like “Ltd.” vs “Limited” can trigger additional questions. Always copy the company name exactly as written in your official documents.
2. Using generic or high‑risk names without research
Overly generic domain names may cause objections or conflicts, especially when trademarks or prior rights exist. Before investing in design, content or infrastructure, do a quick research on related trademarks and existing domains. You can also review broader market dynamics in “Alan Adı Pazarında Trendler” to understand how competition shapes domain availability.
3. Ignoring renewal and ownership hygiene
.TR domains are not “register and forget” assets. Make sure you:
- Enable auto‑renew where available.
- Keep your contact email up to date.
- Periodically check whois or registrar panels to verify that the domain is still registered under the correct person or entity.
This is especially critical if you later transfer the domain between registrars. For general transfer mechanics and pitfalls, see “Alan Adı Transfer İşlemleri Nasıl Yapılır?”.
4. Not aligning domains with long‑term brand strategy
Many businesses register a single com.tr and stop there, only to discover later that someone else bought the .com or name.tr version and is riding on their reputation. When you are serious about a project, plan your domain portfolio from day one: primary domains, defensive registrations, local vs international extensions, and how they tie into your marketing.
5. Neglecting technical hardening after registration
A validated .TR domain without DNSSEC, HTTPS, proper DNS records or security headers is a half‑finished job. Think of registration and documentation as the “legal” and “administrative” half, and technical hardening as the “operational” half. Both are needed if you want to avoid outages, phishing risks and SEO penalties.
Conclusion: Building a Strong .TR Domain Strategy
.TR domains carry more weight than a typical global extension when you operate in or target Turkey. They bring local trust, better alignment with Turkish users, and often cleaner brand protection – but they also require you to respect documentation rules and plan a bit more carefully. By choosing the right extension (com.tr, org.tr, av.tr or another), preparing your documents once in a clean structure, and understanding how validation works, you remove 90% of the friction in the registration phase.
From there, your real work is on the infrastructure and security side: solid DNS records, DNSSEC, HTTPS, security headers, and a hosting environment that matches your traffic profile and growth plans. Use your .TR domain as the stable anchor of that architecture, not as an afterthought. If you need to expand your knowledge further, explore the other domain and hosting articles on this blog; they connect the legal, DNS and server layers into a single, coherent picture. With a properly planned .TR strategy, you can focus your time where it matters most: building reliable, fast and secure services for your users.
