[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 41, Volume 3]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 41CFR102-173.50]

[Page 337]
 
           TITLE 41--PUBLIC CONTRACTS AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
 
               CHAPTER 102--FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION
 
PART 102-173--INTERNET GOV DOMAIN--Table of Contents
 
                         Subpart B--Registration
 
Sec. 102-173.50  What is the naming convention for States?

    (a) To register any second-level domain within dot-gov, State 
government entities must register the full State name or clearly 
indicate the State postal code within the name. Examples of acceptable 
names include virginia.gov, tennesseeanytime.gov, wa.gov, nmparks.gov, 
mysc.gov, emaryland.gov, and ne-taxes.gov. However--
    (1) Use of the State postal code should not be embedded within a 
single word in a way that obscures the postal code. For example, Indiana 
(IN) should not register for win.gov, or independence.gov; and
    (2) Where potential conflicts arise between postal codes and 
existing domain names, States are encouraged to register URL's that 
contain the full State name.
    (b) There is no limit to the number of domain names for which a 
State may register.
    (c) States are encouraged to make second-level domains available for 
third-level registration by local governments and State Government 
departments and programs. For example, the State of North Carolina could 
register NC.GOV as a second-level domain and develop a system of 
registration for their local governments. The State would be free to 
develop policy on how the local government should be registered under 
NC.GOV. One possibility might be to spell out the city, thus 
Raleigh.NC.gov could be a resulting domain name.