With TRABIS taking over the management of .TR domains and many extensions now being available without documentation (belgesiz), the popularity of the .tr domain extension has grown rapidly in Türkiye.

However, not all .TR domains follow the same rules. Some names are classified as restricted .TR domains, meaning they cannot be freely registered by anyone and are subject to stricter Türkiye domain registration rules.

These restrictions mainly apply to:

• Domains containing “Turkish / Türkiye / Atatürk / T.C.”,
• Province and district names,
• Names of public institutions,
• Names and keywords related to banks and financial institutions.

In this guide, we’ll explain what restricted .TR domains are, which names fall into this category, and what you need to register them legally and safely.

What Are Restricted .TR Domains?

Restricted .TR domains are domain names that can only be registered under specific conditions, by specific types of organizations, or with prior approval from the relevant authority.

The main purpose of these restrictions is to:

• Protect national identity and public institutions,
• Prevent misuse or impersonation of official organizations,
• Reduce the risk of fraud, phishing, and consumer confusion,
• Ensure that some sensitive terms are used in line with public interest.

If you are planning a .tr domain registration that includes words like “Türkiye”, “bank”, or a city name, you may fall into this restricted category and must comply with TRABIS and regulatory guidelines.

Domains Containing Turkish – Türkiye – Atatürk – T.C.

Certain words related to the Republic of Türkiye and national symbols are highly protected. Domain names that include:

• “Turkiye”, “Türkiye”
• “Ataturk”, “Atatürk”
• “Turk”, “Türk”
• “Türkiye Cumhuriyeti” / “Turkiye Cumhuriyeti” (Republic of Türkiye)
• “T.C.”

and their derivatives or similar forms are, by default, expected to be allocated under the “.gov.tr” subdomain and used by official public institutions.

For any registration request that uses these names under a different .TR extension (such as .com.tr, .org.tr, .net.tr):

• The Authority (regulator) evaluates:
  • Whether the applicant is suitable,
  • Whether the domain name will be used in line with public interest,
• Approval is not automatic, and many such requests may be rejected if they risk misleading the public or abusing national values.

Province and District .TR Domains

City (province) and district names in Türkiye are also considered sensitive within the .tr domain space.

• Province names (e.g., Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir) are allocated under the “.gov.tr” subdomain to provincial governorships.
• District names are allocated under “.gov.tr” to district governorships.

If there is more than one application for a given city or district name under .gov.tr, the “first come, first served” rule applies.

For non-gov.tr extensions (such as .com.tr or .org.tr) using a province or district name:

• The Authority evaluates whether the domain will be used in the public interest,
• The applicant’s relevance and legitimacy are taken into account,
• Misleading or abusive usage can be rejected.

In other words, registering a city or district name as a .TR domain for commercial use is not always straightforward and is often treated as a restricted domain registration.

Domains Containing Public Institution Names (DETSIS)

Domain names that include:

• The full official names of public institutions listed in DETSIS, or
• Abbreviations of these institutions that are widely known by the public,

are, in principle, reserved only for the relevant public institution itself.

If a third party (a private company or individual) applies for such a domain:

• The Authority evaluates the eligibility of the application,
• In most cases, these names will not be allocated to non-official entities,
• The goal is to prevent impersonation of government bodies and avoid public confusion.

Domains Containing CMB and BRSA Regulated Institution Names

Some financial sector domains are tightly regulated due to their impact on consumers and markets.

CMB (Capital Markets Board) – Investment Institutions

Domain names that contain the names of investment institutions authorized by the CMB can only be allocated to those specific institutions.

BRSA (Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency) – Financial Institutions

Similarly, domain names containing the names of organizations authorized by the BRSA can only be allocated to those organizations. These include:

• Banks
• Financial leasing (leasing) companies
• Factoring companies
• Financing companies
• Financial holding companies
• Asset management companies
• Representative offices of foreign banks in Türkiye
• Organizations granted an operating permit under the Debit Cards and Credit Law No. 5654

This prevents unofficial entities from using domains that may make them appear like a licensed financial institution.

Domains Containing “Finance”, “Bank”, “Leasing”, “Factoring”

Beyond official institution names, some financial keywords in .TR domains are also sensitive. Domain names containing words such as:

• “finans”, “finance”, “financing”
• “bank”, “banka”
• “lease”, “leasing”, “financialleasing”, “finansalkiralama”
• “factoring”, “faktoring”

are, as a rule, expected to be allocated to the types of institutions mentioned in the previous sections (CMB and BRSA authorized entities).

For applications made by parties outside these regulated institutions:

• The Authority reviews eligibility,
• It evaluates whether the domain might mislead users by implying a regulated financial activity,
• Approval is not guaranteed and often depends on clear, legitimate use.

How to Register a Restricted .TR Domain

If you plan to register a restricted .TR domain name, you should be prepared to submit supporting documents. Typically, you will need:

1. Trademark Registration
   • A trademark certificate containing the same name as the domain,
   • This proves that you have a legal right to use that brand or name OR
2. Recent Company Activity Certificate
   • A company activity / registry certificate obtained within the last 6 months,
   • This shows that your business legitimately operates under the same or a closely related name.
3. Application Form
   • A completed domain application form provided by your accredited .TR domain registrar or the relevant interface,
   • All information must be accurate and consistent with your documents.

Submitting complete and accurate information greatly increases the chance of your restricted .TR domain registration being approved and reduces delays in the evaluation process.

Final Thoughts: Plan Your .TR Domain Strategy Carefully

The .TR domain extension is becoming more valuable for brands targeting Türkiye, thanks to TRABIS and the growing trust in local domain names. However, if your desired name includes:

• “Türkiye”, “Turk”, “Atatürk”, “T.C.”,
• A province or district name,
• A public institution name,
• Or financial terms like “bank” or “finance”,

you may be dealing with a restricted .TR domain.

Understanding .TR domain registration rules, preparing the right documents, and working with a reliable domain registrar will help you:

• Protect your brand,
• Avoid legal or regulatory issues,
• And secure a strong, compliant online presence in Türkiye.