https://lab.avl.la/dotless/ Dotless Domains The term "dotless domain" usually refers to top-level domains (TLDs) - think com, gov, etc - that are reachable themselves using a web browser or email server. That is, they are working domains that consist of a single label: http://com/, as opposed to http://example.com/; or contact@gov, as opposed to [email protected]. This can happen if the domain's DNS zone contains A/AAAA or MX records in its apex.[1] Both the ICANN and the IAB are notoriously against the practice,[1] [2] so ICANN prohibits it where it can - namely, on gTLDs.[3] However, ccTLDs (country code TLDs) fall largely under their own country's jurisdiction! As such, there currently are and historically have been examples of active dotless ccTLDs. For email, the protocol itself would need to allow a dotless domain as a destination address. According to ICANN's SSAC,[1] SMTP requires at least two labels (i.e. domain.tld) to deliver an email, so it is unlikely Mauritania would receive an email sent to contact@mr, for example. For completeness' sake, however, apex MX servers are listed below as well. Table of Contents: 1. A or AAAA 1. Current 1. Screenshots 2. New TLDs 3. Historical 1. Screenshots 2. MX only 1. Current 2. Historical 3. Bonus: Dotless Dot? 4. Special Thanks 5. References --------------------------------------------------------------------- # A or AAAA # Current These are TLDs that, as of the last check, contain apex A or AAAA records. Many have had those records since the IETF compiled a list in 2013;[5] other dates indicate an observation by me, directly. IP Email server First Territory ccTLD URL (A/AAAA) (MX) Status seen on http:/ HTTP/S Mar. Bangladesh .bd /bd/ 203.112.194.232 No Timeout 2025 HTTP/S http:/ Timeout Cameroon .cm /cm/ 195.24.205.60 No Other 2013 SSH open Tokelau http:/ HTTP/S (NZ) .tk /tk/ 217.119.57.22 No Timeout 2013 HTTP 500 Internal Server Uzbekistan .uz https: 91.212.89.8 No Error 2013 //uz/ HTTPS Alive ( cctld.uz mirror) HTTP/S http:/ Timeout Samoa .ws /ws/ 64.70.19.33 mail.worldsite.ws Other 2013 SSH timeout Last checked: 31 Mar. 2025. # Screenshots [2023-08-21] cm:22 as of 21 Aug. 2023. [2021-08-13] tk:443 on 13 Aug. 2021. [2021-08-13] https://uz/ as of 13 Aug. 2021. (mirror of cctld.uz) # New TLDs In order to prevent local aliases from colliding with newly registered TLDs (think programmers using foo.bar as a test domain before the creation of the gTLD .bar), ICANN published a resolution in 2014 requiring new TLDs to include a few apex DNS records on their TLDs for at least 90 days.[4] As of the last check, no TLDs had informational apex records. This is what they usually look like: TLD IP Email server Text record (A/AAAA) (MX) (TXT) "Your DNS configuration needs .example 127.0.53.53 your-dns-needs-immediate-attention.example immediate attention see https:// icann.org/ namecollision" Last checked: 31 Mar. 2025. # Historical These are TLDs that previously had apex records, but no longer do so. Much of it comes from a list compiled by the IETF in 2013;[5] other dates indicate an observation by me, directly. IP Email server Known Territory ccTLD URL (A/AAAA) (MX) working date Ascension .ac http: 193.223.78.210 No 2013 (UK) //ac/ Anguilla http: 2013-- (UK) .ai //ai/ 209.59.119.34 mail.offshore.ai Jan. 2024 Aug. Bahrain .bh http: 88.201.27.211 No 2021-- //bh/ 10.10.10.10 Jan. 2022 Denmark .dk http: 193.163.102.24 No 2013 //dk/ [2a01:630:0:40:b1a:b1a:2011:1] Guernsey .gg http: 87.117.196.80 No 2013 (UK) //gg/ British Indian http: Ocean .io //io/ 193.223.78.212 mailer2.io 2013 Territory (UK) Jersey (UK) .je http: 87.117.196.80 No 2013 //je/ Cambodia .kh http: 203.223.32.21 ns1.dns.net.kh 2013 //kh/ Aug. Pitcairn .pn http: 139.162.17.173 No 2021-- Islands (UK) //pn/ Aug. 2023 Saint Helena .sh http: 193.223.78.211 No 2013 (UK) //sh/ Turkmenistan .tm http: 193.223.78.213 No 2013 //tm/ Tonga .to http: 216.74.32.107 No 2013 //to/ Aug. Vatican .va http: [2a01:b8:0:1:212:77:0:2] No 2021-- //va/ [2a01:b8:0:1:212:77:0:110] Jan. 2024 Virgin .vi http: 193.0.0.198 No 2013 Islands (US) //vi/ # Screenshots [2022-10-23] http://ai/ as of 23 Oct. 2022. [2021-08-13] http://ai/ on 13 Aug. 2021. (mirror of offshore.ai) [2021-08-13] http://bh/ on 13 Aug. 2021. [2023-08-21] http://pn/ on 21 Aug. 2023. --------------------------------------------------------------------- # MX only # Current These are TLDs that, as of the last check, contain only MX apex records; that is, they could, in theory, send and receive email, but have no reachable website. Many have had those records since the IETF compiled a list in 2013;[5] other dates indicate an observation by me, directly. Territory ccTLD Email server First seen on (MX) Central African Republic .cf mail.intnet.cf 2013 Guadeloupe (FR) .gp ns1.nic.gp 2013 aspmx2.googlemail.com aspmx4.googlemail.com Guatemala .gt aspmx5.googlemail.com 2013 aspmx.l.google.com alt1.aspmx.l.google.com alt2.aspmx.l.google.com Croatia .hr alpha.carnet.hr 2013 Comoros .km mail1.comorestelecom.km 2013 Martinique (FR) .mq mx1-mq.mediaserv.net 2013 Mauritania .mr mail.nic.mr Aug. 2021 Trinidad and Tobago .tt aspmx.l.google.com 2013 alt1.aspmx.l.google.com Ukraine .ua mr.kolo.net 2013 Last checked: 31 Mar. 2025. # Historical Similarly to the historical A/AAAA records, these are TLDs that previously (only) had apex MX records, but no longer do so. Many come from a list compiled by the IETF in 2013;[5] other dates indicate an observation by me, directly. Territory ccTLD Email server Known (MX) working date Aland Islands (FI) .ax mail.aland.net 2013 Dominica .dm mail.nic.dm 2013 Cambodia .kh ns1.dns.net.kh Jan. 2022-- Oct. 2022 Sri Lanka .lk malithi-slt.nic.lk 2013-- malithi-lc.nic.lk Jan. 2024 Panama .pa ns.pa 2013-- Jan. 2024 mx1.sendnow.ph mx2.sendnow.ph Aug. 2021-- Philippines .ph mx3.sendnow.ph Oct. 2022 mx4.sendnow.ph mx5.sendnow.ph Suriname .sr spsbbank.sr Aug. 2021-- Jan. 2024 raphaelmx1.posta.va Vatican .va raphaelmx2.posta.va 2013 raphaelmx3.posta.va Yemen .ye mail.yemen.net.ye 2013 --------------------------------------------------------------------- # Bonus: Dotless Dot? Dotless domains work because top-level domains (TLDs) are just as much nodes in the DNS tree as second-level domains (SLDs), or any other level beneath them. That means there is no technicaly limitation to their DNS records, and they may contain A, AAAA and MX records. Another, often forgotten node in the DNS tree is the root, represented by a single dot, .. It's the parent of all TLDs! Though it's usually omitted, every domain terminates with a dot: example.com is, in fact, example.com.; example is a child of com which, in turn, is a child of .. Followed to its logical conclusion, this means the root domain could also contain A, AAAA and MX records! That is, accessing http://./ or emailing example@. is, at least in theory, possible. Sadly, the odds of that ever happening are very nearly zero. The root doesn't have A, AAAA or MX records and likely won't, ever. [2023-09-03] http://./ as of 3 Sep. 2023. # Special Thanks Thanks to Jan Schaumann for writing about quirks of TLDs (on their blog, at netmeister.org/blog/tlds.html, and on Twitter at twitter.com /i/status/1426003590997495812), which is what inspired the creation of this page in the first place! # References 1. SSAC Report on Dotless Domains (2012). Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. Relevant quote: `As a result, the SSAC recommended that the use of DNS resource records such as A, AAAA, and MX in the apex of a Top-Level Domain (TLD) should be contractually prohibited where appropriate, and strongly discouraged in all cases.' 2. IAB Statement: Dotless Domains Considered Harmful (2013). Internet Architecture Board. Relevant quote: `1. The IAB strongly recommends against considering, implementing, or deploying dotless domains; 2. The IAB believes that dotless domains are inherently harmful to Internet security.' 3. Approved Resolutions | Meeting of the New gTLD Program Committee (2013). New gTLD Program Committee. Relevant quote: `[...]the NGPC affirms that the use of dotless domains is prohibited.' 4. Atallah, Akram (2014). Name Collision Occurrence Assessment. Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. 5. Levine, John; Hoffman, Paul (2013). Top-Level Domains That Are Already Dotless. Internet Engineering Task Force. Made with [?] by Matheus Avellar Last updated on Mar. 2025