.com.my vs .my vs .com: Choosing a Domain in Malaysia
Who can register .com.my, .my and .com in Malaysia, the documents needed, yearly prices, renewal and transfer rules, SEO impact, and which one to pick.
Choose .com.my if your business is registered in Malaysia and sells mainly to Malaysians, .my if you want a short Malaysian address or are not registered with SSM, and .com if you sell across borders. Under MYNIC’s rules, .com.my is limited to registered entities such as companies and SSM-registered businesses, while .my is open to individuals and organisations from any country. Most businesses should register all three versions of their name and point the extras to the main site.
Who can register .com.my, .my and .com?
MYNIC is the registry for every domain ending in .my. Its Registrant Policy, effective 26 May 2025, sets these rules:
| Domain | Meant for | Who can register |
|---|---|---|
| .com.my | Commercial organisations | Companies, SSM-registered businesses, societies, foreign companies registered with SSM, professional firms and other listed bodies |
| .net.my | Network-related organisations | The same list as .com.my |
| .org.my | Non-profit and charitable organisations | The same list as .com.my |
| .my | Anyone | Individuals and organisations from any country |
| .com | Anyone | Open worldwide, not managed by MYNIC |
A few points follow from this:
- A freelancer without SSM registration cannot take .com.my. Once the business is registered with SSM, it qualifies. In Sabah and Sarawak, a business licensed under the Commercial License Ordinance 1948 also counts.
- A foreign company needs to be registered with SSM as a foreign company for .com.my, but can register .my without it.
- MYNIC checks every application against these criteria, and can ask to verify the registrant’s identity even for .my.
What documents do you need to register a .my domain?
MYNIC verifies eligibility, and your registrar collects the proof. Registrar guides such as Shinjiru’s list these:
- .com.my and .net.my: your SSM certificate or business registration.
- .org.my: your Registrar of Societies certificate or an equivalent.
- .my for an individual: MyKad, or a passport for foreigners, when requested.
Enter the business name exactly as it appears in your SSM record, so the application and the documents match.
How much does a Malaysian domain cost per year?
Each registrar sets its own price, so compare the yearly renewal price, not just the first-year offer, and check the final amount at checkout. Two reference points:
- SSM’s Go.MY offer. SSM’s page puts the usual .com.my price at RM80 a year. Through the joint SSM and MYNIC initiative, newly registered businesses can get one .com.my at RM60 a year. It does not cover .my, .biz.my or .org.my.
- Premium names cost more. Single letters, short combinations and dictionary words can be premium names, and MYNIC sets their registration and renewal fees.
How do renewal and transfer work?
You can register or renew a .my domain for 1 to 10 years at a time. If you miss the expiry date, MYNIC’s lifecycle runs like this:
- Auto-renew grace period, up to 45 days. You can still renew at the normal fee. The length depends on your registrar.
- Redemption period, 30 days. Your website and email stop working, and you pay a redemption fee on top of the renewal.
- Pending delete, 5 days. The domain can no longer be restored.
- Deleted. Anyone can now register the name.
To move a .my domain to another registrar, MYNIC’s Transfer Registrar Policy, effective 25 September 2026, says:
- Ask your current registrar for the Auth-Code. It must give you the code as soon as you ask, and cannot charge a transfer fee.
- The new registrar charges at least one year’s renewal, and your remaining term moves with the domain.
- Registrars may lock transfers for 60 days after a new registration, a transfer, or a change of registrant.
Does .com.my or .com rank better on Google?
Neither ranks better by itself. Google’s documentation says country-code domains are a strong signal, to users and to search engines, that a site is meant for one country. Both .com.my and .my end in Malaysia’s .my country code.
A .com carries no country signal, so Google relies on others: hreflang tags, local addresses and phone numbers, language and currency, links from local sites, and your Business Profile. If you sell mainly in Malaysia, .com.my or .my gives a clear local signal. If you sell across ASEAN or worldwide, .com avoids tying the whole site to one country.
Switching domains later is a full migration. If you do, follow our website migration SEO checklist so you keep your rankings.
Which domain should your business choose?
| Business type | Main domain | Also register |
|---|---|---|
| Sdn Bhd or SSM-registered business selling in Malaysia | .com.my | .my and .com |
| Online store shipping only within Malaysia | .com.my or .my | The other two |
| Business selling across ASEAN or worldwide | .com | .com.my and .my |
| Freelancer or individual without SSM registration | .my | .com |
| Foreign company without SSM registration | .my or .com | The other one |
| Society, NGO or charity | .org.my | .my |
| Internet or network provider | .net.my | .com.my |
How do you protect your brand and keep control of the domain?
- Register the main variants. Take .com.my, .my and .com for your name, and redirect the extras to your main site, so nobody else can use them.
- Register the domain in the company’s name. MYNIC treats the registrant as the holder of the domain. Changing the registrant later needs verification and a new Registrant Agreement, so do not let a designer or staff member register it in their own name.
- Use a company email address for the contacts. Your registrar sends renewal reminders to the registrant, so use an address on your own domain that will outlive any one employee. Our guide to business email in Malaysia compares the options.
O2O registers domains and provides web hosting, with domain, hosting and website managed by the same team. Contact us to check whether a name is available or to transfer an existing domain to us.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner register a .my domain?
Yes. MYNIC opens .my to individuals and organisations from any country. A .com.my needs an eligible entity, such as a foreign company registered with SSM.
Do I need SSM registration for a .com.my domain?
In most cases, yes. A company or business registered with SSM is the usual route, though societies, professional firms and other listed bodies also qualify.
How long can I register a .com.my domain for?
From 1 to 10 years. You can renew for 1 to 10 years at a time, up to a 10-year term.
What happens if my .com.my domain expires?
You have up to 45 days to renew at the normal price, then a 30-day redemption period with an extra fee, during which your website and email stop working. Five days after that, the name is deleted and anyone can register it.
Is .my better than .com.my for SEO?
No. Both end in Malaysia’s .my country code, which is the country signal Google reads. Choose on eligibility, length and what your customers recognise.
Sources: MYNIC Registrant Policy, MYNIC Transfer Registrar Policy, SSM Go.MY initiative, Google Search Central: multi-regional sites, Shinjiru: .MY supporting documents, checked October 2026.