In the recent period, we have received information and indications that certain registrars may still be acting according to outdated practices that are not aligned with the currently valid Rulebook on the Organization and Management of the National Top-Level Internet Domains issued by MARnet.

This is not a minor technical issue. It is a matter of legal certainty, validity of registration, and protection of the registrant. A domain registered without a properly submitted request, without appropriate identification, and without complete documentation represents a real risk for the user, even if it is technically active at the moment. The rulebook clearly states that for domain registration each registrant must submit a request, and a separate request must be submitted for each domain name.

The new rulebook was adopted by the MARnet Management Board on 25 November 2024. The text itself states that it enters into force and applies from the date of publication, while authorized registrars were given 60 days to align with it and with MARnet’s special acts. In practical terms, this means that from 11 February 2025, acting contrary to the new rulebook becomes a serious compliance issue.

Who is allowed to register a .mk domain?

The rulebook provides that the right to register a name under the primary .mk domain belongs to all natural persons with residence or temporary residence in the Republic of North Macedonia and to all legal entities. For legal entities registered outside the country, the rulebook requires proper identification through the national registers of the country in which they are registered.

Who is allowed to register secondary .mk domains?

In addition to the primary .mk domain, the rulebook regulates the secondary domains .gov.mk, .edu.mk, .org.mk, .com.mk, .net.mk and .inf.mk. Each of them has clearly defined eligibility conditions.

.gov.mk

The right to register a name under .gov.mk belongs to state administration bodies, institutions and other organizations established by the Constitution and law, public enterprises, local self-government units, and the City of Skopje. In addition, the rulebook provides that MARnet has the right for its own needs and for the needs of state bodies and the public sector to register primary .mk, all secondary domains and .мкд, and to remain registrar for them. In practice, this means that MARnet is the registrar for government institutions, that is, for .gov.mk domains, while private registrars operate with businesses and citizens and may register all other domains for which the applicants meet the requirements.

.edu.mk

The right to register a name under .edu.mk belongs to legal entities registered for educational or scientific research activity, as well as foreign educational organizations authorized to perform such activity in the Republic of North Macedonia.

.org.mk

The right to register a name under .org.mk belongs to nonprofit organizations, associations, foundations, centers, institutes, political parties, trade unions, public and private healthcare institutions, funds, as well as foreign embassies and missions and foreign nonprofit organizations authorized to perform nonprofit activity in the Republic of North Macedonia.

.com.mk, .net.mk and .inf.mk

The right to register a name under these secondary domains belongs to commercial companies, sole proprietors, entities with public authority, chambers, cooperatives, financial organizations, legal entities, and individuals registered to perform commercial activity. The rulebook does not expressly prohibit foreign legal entities here.

In short for foreign applicants: foreign legal entities may register .mk, and may also register .com.mk, .net.mk, and .inf.mk if they fall within the permitted categories, while foreign natural persons may not directly register .mk unless they have residence or temporary residence in the Republic of North Macedonia.

What does the rulebook require for registration?

The rulebook is clear: for domain registration, each registrant must submit a request, and a separate request must be submitted for each domain name. The request is a prescribed form publicly published on the MARnet website and on the websites of authorized registrars.

The request must contain the core domain data, registrant data, administrative and technical contact data, and at least two nameservers with properly configured records for the domain. More importantly, the rulebook expressly provides that the request must be submitted in written or electronic form, in accordance with the Law on Electronic Management and Electronic Services and the Law on Electronic Documents, Electronic Identification and Trust Services.

Appropriate supporting documentation must also be attached. For natural persons, the rulebook requires either inspection of a personal identification document or appropriate electronic identification under the applicable law. Only the change of nameservers is treated as an operation that may also be requested via email or a dedicated web application. For all other changes, a proper and legitimate request must exist.

What are the risks if a domain is registered contrary to the rulebook?

The rulebook gives MARnet significant authority where there is suspicion that a domain has been registered or managed contrary to its provisions. MARnet may carry out temporary deactivation of a domain where there is serious suspicion that the domain was registered contrary to the rulebook. MARnet may also terminate registration and the domain may be deleted from the Register if it clearly establishes that the data are inaccurate or incomplete. In addition, if the authorized registrar or MARnet determines that the submitted data are inaccurate or the documentation unreliable, the domain may be deleted without the registrant’s consent.

This means that domains registered contrary to the rulebook applicable after 11 February 2025 are unsafe from the standpoint of legal certainty. They may be active today, but if MARnet requests access to the documentation and determines that there is no properly submitted request, valid identification, or credible archival record, such a domain may become subject to corrective measures, deactivation, or deletion.

Zemi.mk as a fully compliant registrar

At Zemi.mk, we have worked from day one toward full compliance with MARnet’s rules and the applicable legal framework for electronic submission, identification, and signing. For that purpose, Zemi.mk integrates an accredited electronic identification and signing scheme such as Evrotrust, enabling users to submit requests in a modern, secure, and legally compliant way.

This means that when you register a domain through Zemi.mk, you do not receive only an active domain. You also receive the assurance that the registration is backed by a properly submitted request, valid identification, and a process aligned with MARnet’s applicable rulebook.

Conclusion

A .mk domain is not merely a technical service, but a formal registration within the national domain system. That is why the manner of submission, the method of identification, and the quality of domain documentation are of fundamental importance.

If certain registrars are indeed still registering domains under outdated and invalid practices, that represents a serious risk for registrants. Such domains may be technically active, but legally and procedurally unstable.

At Zemi.mk, .mk domain registration is structured as a fully compliant process from day one — with a properly submitted request, valid identification, accredited electronic signing, and full compliance with MARnet’s applicable rulebook.