.ma Domain Names
13 registrars compared — cheapest from $16.09 at Infomaniak
Delegated in November 1993, .ma is Morocco's country-code domain, a quiet workhorse of the North African web with a local-contact rule that keeps it grounded.
| # | Registrar | Registration | Renewal | Transfer | 5-Year Cost | 10-Year Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Infomaniak Cheapest | $16.09 | $16.09 | $16.09 | $80.45 | $160.90 | Visit |
| 2 | Regery | $16.49 | $19.99 | $1.99 | $96.45 | $196.40 | Visit |
| 3 | Netim | $28.50 | $28.50 | $17.00 | $142.50 | $285.00 | Visit |
| 4 | OnlyDomains | $51.99 | $58.99 | $46.49 | $287.95 | $582.90 | Visit |
| 5 | INWX | $60.40 | $60.40 | $60.40 | $302.00 | $604.00 | Visit |
| 6 | Directnic | $73.49 | $88.99 | $73.49 | $429.45 | $874.40 | Visit |
| 7 | Marcaria | $74.00 | $74.00 | $74.00 | $370.00 | $740.00 | Visit |
| 8 | 101domain | $80.99 | $97.99 | $80.99 | $472.95 | $962.90 | Visit |
| 9 | EuroDNS | $95.87 | $95.87 | $95.87 | $479.35 | $958.70 | Visit |
| 10 | Regtons | $109.00 | $109.00 | $109.00 | $545.00 | $1090.00 | Visit |
| 11 | Gandi | $121.00 | $247.98 | $103.46 | $1112.92 | $2352.82 | Visit |
| 12 | MrDomain | $122.04 | $122.04 | $122.04 | $610.20 | $1220.40 | Visit |
| 13 | Blacknight | $122.08 | $122.08 | $122.08 | $610.40 | $1220.80 | Visit |
Prices updated daily. Some registrars show promotional first-year prices. Always verify the final price on the registrar's website before purchasing.
The Local-Contact Rule That Shapes .ma
To register a .ma domain, you must have a local contact. That single requirement, enforced by the Agence Nationale de Réglementation des Télécommunications (ANRT), separates .ma from more open ccTLDs. It means registrants need a presence in Morocco — a business address, a representative, or a local partner. For insiders, the rule keeps the namespace anchored to the country, reducing speculative squatting. For outsiders, it's a hurdle. The IANA delegation record confirms the policy, and it's a deliberate choice. While other African ccTLDs gamble on openness to grow numbers, .ma values territorial integrity over volume.
From 1993 to Today: Under the Same Steward
Since its delegation on 26 November 1993, .ma has stayed under the same sponsor. The ANRT, Morocco's telecom regulator, has run the registry for over three decades — a rarity in a landscape where ccTLDs change hands or get privatized. This continuity breeds trust. The registry's own portal, registre.ma, is the official gateway, and the WHOIS server at whois.registre.ma is the lookup point. For a domain that predates the commercial web's boom, .ma's stability is a feature. Its longevity means the namespace carries two decades' worth of Moroccan digital history, from early experimental sites to today's corporate and government presences.
Not Just a Country Code: A Home for the Kingdom
The .ma domain's intended use is for entities connected with Morocco, and its actual use is popular in Morocco — but the Wikipedia entry on .ma notes that connection goes beyond geography. For businesses, it signals authenticity in a market where consumers trust local roots. The Morocco country profile lists Arabic and Berber as official languages, and while .ma doesn't natively support Arabic script in its standard namespace, the Roman-alphabet domain still serves a multilingual nation. As Morocco's digital economy grows — from Rabat to Casablanca — .ma is the address that anchors it. The local-contact rule nudges registrants to actually be part of that economy, not just rent a string.
Dispute Resolution: Complaints and Claims Process
Every registry needs a way to handle disagreements, and .ma's approach is described as a 'Complaints and Claims' process. The policy details on Wikipedia are sparse, but the existence of a dedicated dispute mechanism signals that ANRT takes conflicts seriously — bad-faith registrations, domain squatting, or ownership battles. For local businesses, this offers a path to reclaim a name without resorting to courts, which can be slow. For international parties, it's a reminder that .ma plays by its own rules. The process isn't a global UDRP mirror; it's shaped by Moroccan legal norms. That's both a strength and a caveat: it protects local interests but may surprise foreign registrants who assume uniformity.
The Price of Local Identity: .ma vs Regional Neighbors
In a region where African ccTLDs like .io, .ac, and .sh have been repurposed by tech startups far beyond their shores, .ma stays proudly domestic. The local-contact rule filters out the cheap-hack crowd, which is why .ma's pricing leans toward the mid-range rather than the budget basement. Across 13 registrars, the spread is wide — but the cheapest option, Infomaniak, offers it at a rate that reflects its niche value. .cm in Cameroon and .sc in the Seychelles may chase volume, but .ma's pricing isn't about being the cheapest; it's about being the right address for a Moroccan identity. For local businesses, the cost is an investment in trust.