History of the TLD

The .vet domain is a generic top-level domain introduced through ICANN’s New gTLD Program and delegated into the DNS root in 2014. It provides a dedicated namespace for veterinary professionals and other groups such as military veterans. The registry is currently operated by Identity Digital.

Main Use and Industry Position

.vet primarily serves professionals and organisations in the veterinary and animal care sectors, including clinics, hospitals, and pet services. It also appeals to military veterans and related communities, offering a relevant and trusted domain space.

Comparison to Other TLDs

Compared with legacy TLDs such as .com or .org, .vet offers a more specific contextual identity for veterinary and veteran use cases, improving brand relevance and clarity for target visitors. Unlike country-code TLDs, .vet is a gTLD without nationality restrictions, but its industry-specific label positions it more narrowly than general-purpose extensions.

Pros and Cons of the TLD

Pros

• Strong niche relevance for veterinary and related professional communities

• Can improve user trust and recognition for targeted audiences

• Open registration with standard DNSSEC and IDN support

Cons

• Lower global recognition compared to long-established extensions like .com or .net

• Pricing may be higher than some generic alternatives

• Specific niche focus may limit broader appeal for unrelated projects

Registration Criteria

The .vet TLD allows open registration on a first-come, first-served basis without restrictive eligibility criteria, meaning individuals and organisations can register domains that meet character rules and naming policies.

Summary

The .vet domain is a generic top-level domain created to serve veterinary professionals, animal care services, and other communities such as veterans. Its industry-specific focus helps deliver clear identity and trust for relevant audiences. Open registration makes it accessible to a broad range of users, while support for modern DNS features ensures functional parity with other gTLDs.