.free Top Level Domain Reference
brand gtld delegated.free is an authoritative top-level domain administered by Amazon Registry Services, Inc..
.free Key Facts
- .free is an authoritative top-level domain administered by Amazon Registry Services, Inc..
- Classified as brand gtld under IANA root delegation.
- Authoritative root zone database maintained by IANA.
Registry Operator and Technical Backend
| Role | Designated Organization | Entity Type | Jurisdiction | Official Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registry Operator | Amazon Registry Services, Inc. | Contracted Registry Operator | Global | https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/free.html |
| Technical Backend RSP | Amazon Registry Services | Registry Service Provider (RSP) | Global DNS Infrastructure | N/A |
ICANN Registry Agreement and Contract Provisions
Contract Terms
- Base Contract Version: 2013-standard
- Signing Date: 2014-01-01 (Wednesday, January 1, 2014)
- Effective Date: 2014-01-01 (Wednesday, January 1, 2014)
- Agreement Expiration: 2029-01-01 (Monday, January 1, 2029)
- Official ICANN Contract: View Agreement Documentation →
Wholesale Price Provisions and Amendments
Governed by standard ICANN registry specifications and wholesale terms.
Wholesale Price Changes and Historical Caps
Official FilingsNo historical wholesale price cap changes or adjustments recorded in the curated repository for .free.
Registry Operational Timeline
| Date | Event Type | Description | Authoritative Source |
|---|
Authoritative Root Nameservers and Registry Endpoints
Root Delegation Nameservers
- a.nic.free 192.0.2.1
- b.nic.free 192.0.2.2
Directory Registration Services
- WHOIS Server: whois.nic.free
- RDAP Endpoint: https://rdap.nic.free
- IANA Delegation Record: iana.org/domains/root/db/free.html
Delegation Vintage, DNS Architecture & Governance Assessment
Wave V-VI (2012 New gTLD Program Cohort)Root Zone Infrastructure & Protocol Support
First delegated into the authoritative DNS root zone on 2014-01-01 (Wednesday, January 1, 2014), .free belongs to the Wave V-VI (2012 New gTLD Program Cohort). Its top-level resolution path publishes 2 authoritative root nameservers backed by 2 IPv4 and 0 IPv6 glue records in the IANA root file.
For registration directory queries under RFC 7480 through 7484, .free supports both modern JSON-based Registration Data Access Protocol (RDAP) queries via https://rdap.nic.free and legacy port-43 WHOIS queries via whois.nic.free.
Governance Model & Commercial Exposure
.free operates as a brand gtld under the 2013-standard ICANN Registry Agreement managed by Amazon Registry Services, Inc. on the Amazon Registry Services technical backend.
Absent bilateral legacy price caps, wholesale renewal and premium tier pricing for .free follow the operator's published registrar fee schedule subject to ICANN's standard 180-day price increase notice period.
.free Frequently Asked Questions
Audited FAQ ReferenceQ1. What kind of top-level domain is .free?
.free is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) delegated in the authoritative IANA root zone database, with official registry filings overseen by ICANN.
Q2. Who operates the .free domain registry?
The contracted registry operator for .free is Amazon Registry Services, Inc.. Technical registry backend services and DNS infrastructure are supported by Amazon Registry Services.
Q3. How many domains are currently registered under .free?
As of the latest audited reporting cycle, .free has official IANA records active registered domains according to official registry filings.