When does a .ch domain expire and drop?
- Expiry to drop
- 40 days
- Grace
- None
- Redemption
- 40 days
- Pending delete
- None
A deleted .ch is released about 40 days after deletion. It first passes a transition period in which only its previous holder may register it again. If they do not, it is released and anyone can register it. .ch is the country code of Switzerland, run by SWITCH, and open to register worldwide.
Watch a .chThe .ch timeline, stage by stage
The single stage a deleted .ch passes through before release.
| Stage | Window | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Transition period: about 40 days | Day 0 to 40 after expiry | The name has been deleted. During this period only its previous holder may register it again; nobody else can. At the end of the period it is released and open to anyone. |
| Released: registrable by anyone | From about day 40 | The name leaves the registry's deletion pipeline and returns to the public pool, registrable at the standard price on a first-come basis through any registrar. Availability monitoring exists to catch this moment. |
.ch at a glance
- Registry
- SWITCH
- Backend
- SWITCH
- Type
- ccTLD
- Country
- Switzerland
- Delegated
- 1987-05-20
- DNSSEC
- Yes
- IDN
- Yes
- Restrictions
- Open
- Label length
- 1–63 chars
- Redemption
- 40 days
- Expiry to drop
- 40 days
Reserved for the holder, then released
.ch has a single post-deletion stage. A deleted name enters a transition period of about 40 days in which only the previous holder can take it back. Then it is open to everyone.
There is no grace or pending-delete stage, so the whole wait is that one reserved window. The same registry runs .li on the identical process.
Who runs .ch, and since when
.ch is the country code of Switzerland, delegated in 1987 and run by SWITCH, the Swiss foundation that has operated it since the early days of the internet in Switzerland.
The transition period comes from the registry's published terms, and our engine re-verifies the stage against the live record.
How to register a .ch domain
A .ch is open to anyone worldwide with no Swiss presence requirement. It is the default extension for Swiss businesses and reads as neutral across the four national languages.
- Open registration: anyone worldwide can hold a .ch domain, with no local-presence requirement.
- Register through any accredited registrar; the registry sells wholesale, not direct to the public.
- Labels run up to 63 characters using letters, digits and hyphens, never starting or ending with a hyphen.
- Registration is annual and renewable; an unrenewed name enters the deletion timeline below.
Because only the previous holder can act during the transition period, a lapsing .ch cannot be taken by anyone else until it ends. Watch it so you hear the moment it opens.
.ch technical profile
How .ch publishes registration data, secures its zone, and handles non-Latin names.
WHOIS lookups
Registration data for a .ch domain is queryable over WHOIS at whois.nic.ch, which limits personal data under Swiss privacy rules. Status and dates are read from that record, which is what our monitoring reads.
DNSSEC
The .ch registry supports DNSSEC, so a domain can publish DS records and let resolvers cryptographically validate its DNS answers against tampering.
Internationalized names
The .ch registry supports internationalized domain names, so labels in non-Latin scripts register as punycode alongside ordinary ASCII names.
- WHOIS
- whois.nic.ch
The registry signs the .ch zone for DNSSEC and supports internationalized names, so accented Swiss names register alongside plain ASCII ones.
Is .ch a good domain?
Where .ch fits, and its trade-off.
A Swiss address
For a business serving Switzerland, .ch signals local presence and the trust customers associate with Swiss brands.
One name, four languages
Because .ch belongs to no single language region, it works for a brand serving German, French, Italian and Romansh speakers alike.
A holder-first release
The previous holder keeps first claim through the transition period, so a lapsing .ch is only catchable once that period ends.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about .ch domains.
What is a .ch domain?
.ch is the country code top-level domain of Switzerland, delegated in 1987 and run by SWITCH. It is open to register worldwide.
How long does it take for a deleted .ch to drop?
About 40 days. The name passes a transition period in which only the previous holder can take it back, then it is released to everyone.
Can I get my deleted .ch back?
Yes, if you were its holder and act during the transition period. After that, anyone can register it.
Do I need to be in Switzerland to register a .ch?
No. Anyone can register a .ch through an accredited registrar.