What Happens to .io Domains? The Chagos Agreement and Your Options
.io domains still work and can be registered and renewed today. The UK and Mauritius signed a Chagos Islands agreement in May 2025, but it is not in force, and the UK bill to implement it has stalled. Even if the IO country code were later withdrawn, ICANN policy allows a default five-year retirement period, potentially extendable by up to another five years., so nothing changes overnight.
What Is the .io Domain?
.io is the country code for the British Indian Ocean Territory. Google treats it as a generic extension, so it does not geo-target your site to that territory. Our guide to gccTLDs explains why many startups use .io as a global brand.
What Has Actually Happened?
May 22, 2025: The UK and Mauritius signed an agreement that would transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
The treaty is not in force: The UK legislation intended to implement the agreement fell when the 2025–26 parliamentary session ended on April 29, 2026. The UK government has continued discussions with Mauritius rather than completing ratification. At a November 4 meeting, the two prime ministers agreed to work toward a shared plan and make further progress by the end of 2026. No date has been announced for the treaty to enter into force.
ICANN's position: A change in sovereignty would not automatically remove .io. The extension remains active because IO is still listed in ISO 3166-1. What happens to .io ultimately depends on whether ISO keeps, changes, or removes that country code after any sovereignty transfer.
How Would a ccTLD Retirement Work?
ICANN relies on the ISO 3166-1 standard when determining eligibility for country-code domains. Sovereignty and the domain are therefore two separate decisions: transferring the Chagos Archipelago to Mauritius would not itself remove .io.
If ISO continues to list IO, .io could remain active, although the registry arrangements might need to change to reflect the territory's new circumstances. Only if IO is removed from ISO 3166-1 would ICANN's ccTLD retirement process be triggered.
Under that policy, the default removal date is five years after IANA issues a formal Notice of Removal. The registry can request an extension of up to another five years, although an earlier retirement is also possible.
Precedent shows how slowly this moves. ICANN's own 2007 write-up notes that .su, for the Soviet Union, was marked for retirement and was still operating.
Confirmed vs Speculation
Confirmed | Speculation (unconfirmed) |
The treaty was signed on May 22, 2025 | .io will be shut down soon |
The treaty is not in force | Registrations will be seized or frozen overnight |
IO remains in ISO 3166-1 | The registry will remove .io after any handover |
A sovereignty change does not automatically change a domain | Any exact retirement date |
Retirement would allow at least five years | Owners must move immediately |
Managing Your .io at NameSilo
Keep auto-renewal enabled. Maintain sufficient Account Funds or a valid billing method so an ordinary renewal failure does not create a separate problem while you are monitoring the long-term .io situation.
Secure the matching .com. It keeps a rebrand easy.
Plan a 301 redirect. A permanent 301 redirect sends visitors to the new domain and can help preserve search signals during a properly managed migration.
Extension | Register | Renew |
.io | $38.99 promotional (regular $69.99) | $69.99 |
.ai | $99.99 per year, 2-year minimum | $99.99 per year, 2-year minimum |
.dev | $10.99 promotional (regular $14.99) | $14.99 |
.com | $19.99 standard, or $12.00 in the Discount Program | $19.99 standard, or $12.00 in the Discount Program |
See our pricing page for current rates, our .ai registry guide for the 2-year rule, and our guide to hosting a portfolio on .dev.
What This Means for You
Your .io works today, and no deadline exists. Keep renewals automatic, register the matching .com, and watch for official ICANN or ISO announcements instead of headlines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will .io domains stop working?
Not at present. The treaty is not in force, and any retirement would follow a phase-out of at least five years.
Is it safe to register a .io domain in 2026?
Yes for now. The uncertainty is long term, so register the matching .com and budget for the higher renewal price.
What is the Chagos agreement?
A UK and Mauritius treaty signed on May 22, 2025 that would transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
Has the Chagos treaty come into force?
No. The implementing UK bill has stalled, and no ratification date has been announced.
How long would a .io phase-out take?
If IO were removed from ISO 3166-1 and .io entered ICANN’s retirement process, the default removal date would be five years after the formal Notice of Removal. The registry could seek an extension of up to another five years, although earlier retirement is also possible.
Does Google treat .io as a country domain?
No. Google treats .io as a generic extension.
What are good alternatives to .io? .
com for broad recognition, .ai for AI products, and .dev for developers.
How much does a .io domain cost at NameSilo?
$38.99 promotional (regular $69.99) to register and $69.99 to renew.
NameSilo Staff
The NameSilo staff of writers worked together on this post. It was a combination of efforts from our passionate writers that produce content to educate and provide insights for all our readers.
