How to Register a Domain Name in Tanzania: Step-by-Step Guide

Did you know that many Tanzanian small businesses still don’t have a website? Yet, most customers now search online before buying anything even before visiting a physical shop. Imagine someone Googling your business name but finding nothing. Feels like watching a customer walk past your door, right?

Many entrepreneurs get stuck at the first step of registering a domain name. It sounds technical, complicated, or even expensive. But here’s the truth! It’s not.

In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how to register a domain name in Tanzania from picking the perfect name to paying easily using M-Pesa, Tigo Pesa, or Airtel Money. l’ll also show you how to get a free domain name, and have your business attract more customers online.

Why Register a Domain Name

The internet is booming in Tanzania! In fact, by early 2025 there were about 49.3 million internet subscriptions in the country. So if you don’t have your own web address, you could be missing out on a big wave of potential customers. 

Below are key reasons why having your own domain is crucial, especially for your business or brand in Tanzania.

1. Builds your brand and trust: When you use a domain like myshop.tz or yourbrand.co.tz, people see you as serious. For example, if someone in Dar es Salaam spots safaribookings.tz, they’ll likely trust you more than a generic name.
2. Better for search engines and local reach: Using a Tanzanian domain extension like .tz or .co.tz helps your website show up for Tanzanian customers and local search results.
3. You own your web address: Your domain is like having your own shop front online, instead of renting space in someone else’s marketplace.
4. Professional email and online presence: With your domain, you can create an email like [email protected]. That looks much more professional than using a free email account.
5. Flexibility & future growth: Once you own the domain, you’re free to build, add an online store, blog, showcase your work and expand to other markets. In other words, you’re not locked into someone else’s limitations.
6. Protection of your brand: Registering a domain with your business name prevents other people from grabbing it. As a result, this protects your brand name while also boosting your online identity. 

What Are the Requirements of Registering a Domain Name?

So, you’re ready to register your own domain name in Tanzania. Great move! But before you jump in, you’ll need to make sure you meet a few basic requirements. Think of this as your checklist before opening a shop online.

1. Domain name availability: First, your chosen name must be available. If mybrand.tz is already taken, you’ll need to come up with another idea or try a variation like mybrandafrica.tz. You can learn how to check domain availability here on Truehost.
2. A registrar that supports Tanzanian domains: You must buy your domain from an accredited registrar that offers Tanzanian domain extensions such as .tz or .co.tz. For example, Truehost is a reliable company to buy your domain name.
3. Valid contact information: You’ll be asked to provide your full name (or business name), email address, phone number, and physical address. These details appear in domain records and prove that you are the legitimate owner. Always use real and active contact details as it helps with verification and recovery if needed.
4. Payment method and renewal setup: Domains are usually registered for one year at a time. You’ll need to pay the registration fee and set up auto-renewal to avoid losing your domain when it expires. In Tanzania, registrars like Truehost accept mobile money M-Pesa, Tigo Pesa, Airtel Money, bank transfer, or credit/debit cards, making it easy for you to pay locally.
5. Compliance with local rules: Some domain extensions come with specific rules. For example, .or.tz is meant for organizations, and .ac.tz is reserved for academic institutions. Always double-check that your chosen extension matches your purpose before registering.
6. Domain name format and character rules: Domain names must follow certain rules. For example, you can only use letters (a–z), numbers (0–9), and hyphens (-). The name cannot start or end with a hyphen, and it must be between 3 and 63 characters long. Keep it short, simple, and easy to remember.

Once you’ve checked off all these requirements, you’re officially ready to register your domain name as follows.

How to Register a Domain Name on Truehost in Tanzania

Registering your own domain name in Tanzania is easier than it seems. Truehost makes it simple, even if you’ve never done it before. Follow these steps carefully, and you’ll have your website address ready to use.

Step 1: Pick Your Domain and Check Availability

The first step is choosing the name you want for your website. Go to Truehost’s domain registration page, and in the search bar, type your desired domain, for example, yourbrand.tz or myshop.co.tz. The system will immediately check if the name is available. If it’s already taken, Truehost will suggest alternatives, or you can try a different variation.

When picking your domain, aim for something short, simple, and memorable. Avoid numbers, complicated hyphens, or long strings of words that are hard to spell. A clean, professional domain helps customers trust your business at first glance.

Step 2: Choose the Right Extension

Next, decide on the domain extension.This is the ending of your web address, like .tz, .co.tz, .or.tz, or .ac.tz. In Tanzania, .co.tz is widely recognized for commercial businesses and gives your site a local, professional look. If you want a clean, general-purpose address, .tz works well. For non-profit organizations usually go for .or.tz, while for an academic institution use .ac.tz.

Choosing the right extension is important because it affects your brand’s credibility, search engine visibility, and how customers perceive your website locally.

Step 3: Fill in Your Registration Details

After selecting your domain and extension, you’ll be prompted to complete the registration form. Here, you’ll provide your full name or business name, physical address , active email address, and phone number for verification. Accurate contact information is essential because it ensures you can receive updates about your domain, including renewal reminders and security alerts.

This is also where you enter your payment details. Ensure everything is correct before proceeding to avoid delays in registration.

Step 4: Choose Payment Method and Confirm Registration

Truehost supports multiple payment options for Tanzanian users. You can pay via mobile money platforms such as M-Pesa, Tigo Pesa, or Airtel Money. Bank transfers and international payments via credit cards or PayPal are also available. 

Note that domains are usually registered for one year. But also paying for multiple years is an option if you want to secure your domain long-term.

Once payment is successful, Truehost will confirm your registration via email. At this point, the domain officially belongs to you. Keep this confirmation safe for your records.

Step 5: Set Up DNS and Hosting

Owning a domain is only the first step. To make your website accessible online, you need to connect your domain to a hosting service using Domain Name System(DNS) settings. If you’ve purchased hosting together with your domain, Truehost will provide nameservers, which you can enter in your domain settings.

If you don’t have hosting yet, you can park your domain. This ensures no one else can claim it, and you can set up your website later. Truehost offers a variety of hosting plans and packages that suit both small businesses and larger websites. Remember that, setting up DNS properly ensures visitors reach your site without issues.

Step 6: Protect and Renew Your Domain

Once your domain is active, it’s important to protect it and ensure it remains yours. Therefore, ensure you enable auto-renewal if available and keep your contact information current. Also, implement any security features Truehost offers, such as domain privacy protection.

The other thing is you need to regularly check your domain’s expiry date and consider multi-year registration to avoid the risk of losing your web address.

How to Register a Free Domain Name

Sometimes, especially when starting out, you may want a “free” domain bundled with hosting. This is a smart way to save costs while testing your idea or launching a small business in Tanzania. 

However, a free domain doesn’t mean it’s permanent. Usually the cost is waived for the first year as part of a hosting package, and renewal fees apply afterward. Therefore, you’ll still register it, but the domain fee is waived for the first year as part of the hosting deal. After the first year you may pay renewal.

Interesting? The steps below shows how to get a free domain:

1. Visit the Truehost hosting page and select a hosting plan that offers “free domain”. For example, the Windows hosting business packages offer a free domain worthy that you can grab. 

2. Choose your plan and sign up, ensuring the plan has a free domain included. Incase you are not sure, always reach out to the customer support available 24/7 for clarifications. 

3. In the process you’ll be asked to pick your domain name (for example yourbrand.tz or yourbrand.com). Because you are in Tanzania or targeting Tanzanian audiences, pick a relevant domain like yourbrand.tz or yourbrand.co.tz.

4. The system will check availability. If the domain is available, you will be shown “Domain available.” Click the “Continue” button to proceed. 

5. Choose a billing cycle from the next page. Note that longer billing cycles have huge discounts that make the prices more affordable. Then, you need to click “Continue” to complete the payment. 

6. From the next page, enter your personal details such as contacts, address, and names. Likewise, you’ll need to select a preferred payment method and proceed to checkout.

7. That’s all! You have your domain plus hosting. The next thing is to set up your website and have your customers reach you online. But remember to add reminders in your calendar so you don’t lose the domain when the free period ends.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

1) Can I register a Tanzanian domain if I don’t live in Tanzania?

Yes, you can. Many registrars, including Truehost, allow international clients to register Tanzanian domains such as .tz or .co.tz. You don’t need to live in Tanzania, but make sure your registrar supports foreign registrations for local extensions.

2) What if someone else already has my favourite domain name?

If your preferred domain, like mybrand.tz, is taken, you have a few options. You can try a variation, such as adding a word or hyphen, switch to another extension like .co.tz, or consider a completely different name. If the current owner’s contact details are public, you could also reach out to see if they are willing to sell.

3) What’s the difference between .tz and .co.tz domains?

.co.tz is the traditional third-level domain commonly used by businesses in Tanzania. On the other hand the .tz domain allows registration directly at the second level, resulting in a shorter and cleaner address. Both work for local websites, but .tz often looks more modern, and .co.tz is widely recognized by Tanzanian users.

4) How do I protect my domain so I don’t lose it or someone else takes it?

Keep your domain secure by using a strong password, enabling two-factor authentication, and locking the domain to prevent unauthorized transfers. Also, always keep your contact information up to date to receive renewal notices, monitor your domain’s expiry date, and set reminders. You can also prioritize enabling domain privacy protection features for extra protection.

Conclusion

Registering a domain name in Tanzania is simpler than you think. Pick a name that reflects your brand, choose a trusted registrar like Truehost, follow the registration steps carefully, and keep your domain protected. 

Once done, your website becomes your home on the internet, ready to reach more customers in Tanzania and beyond. Don’t wait to take control of your online presence

Grab your Truehost domain offer now and make your brand visible to more customers online!