Full Name of Registry: Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited ("HKIRC")
Contact details (address, phone, fax, general enquiries):
Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited
Unit 501, Level 5, Core C
Cyberport 3, 100 Cyberport Road
Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2319 2303
Fax: +852 2319 2626
General enquiries: info@hkirc.hk
Founding date: 2002
Registration Model (Registry/Registrar system; Direct registrations; Both): Registry/Registrar system
Number of domain names: 280,308 (as of 1 Jan 2020)
History:
Established in 2002, Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited ("HKIRC") is a not-for-profit and non-statutory corporation designated by the HKSAR Government to administer the registration of Internet domain names under .hk and .香港country-code top level domains. HKIRC provides registration services through its registrars for domain names ending with .com.hk, .org.hk, .gov.hk, .edu.hk, .net.hk, .idv.hk, 公司.香港, .組織.香港, .政府.香港, .教育.香港, .網絡.香港, .個人.香港, .hk and .香港.
HKIRC is committed to providing, and supervising the provision by others of, .hk and .香港 Internet domain name registration, resolution and related services in an uninterrupted, effective, customer-centric and sustainable manner. HKIRC is also committed to serve the Internet community of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as well as the global Internet community, in relation to the administration of domain names under the .hk and .香港 country-code top-level domains.
The objectives of HKIRC are:
- to promote Hong Kong as an international centre for e-commerce and to encourage for the benefit of the Hong Kong community a better understanding and use of the Internet and related technology;
- to develop the administration of Internet domain names in Hong Kong;
- to administer a registration system for all levels of Internet domain names under the Hong Kong country code .hk and its other equivalents and to establish and develop a self-regulatory framework in respect of such registration system;
- to accredit and monitor the performance of registrars providing services for registration of all levels of Internet domain names under the .hk and .香港;
- to administer and manage the allocation and assignment of Internet Protocol addresses in Hong Kong;
- to liaise with local and international bodies on issues relating to the development and administration of domain name systems and Internet Protocol addresses;
- to develop and establish a policy framework for the development and administration of Internet domain names under the .hk and its other equivalents; and
- to establish appropriate complaints handling and dispute resolution processes which provide for conciliation or redress of grievances on matters associated with the administration or use of Internet domain names under the .hk and its other equivalents.
Before the establishment of HKIRC, .hk domain was administered by Joint Universities Computer Centre in Hong Kong. The Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conducted a public consultation in 2000 that concluded the needs for an independent organization to take the role.