.net.uk and .ltd.uk are also regulated to some degree. You have to be an ISP (or very similar) for the former and have to provide proof you’re a real limited company (by way of company number) for the latter. There may be others.
In fact, I think a company number might have been required to get a .co.uk at one point.
Caveat: This knowledge is mostly from before they opened up the second level for registrations. Originally there was a fixed list of second level domains all under control of the same entity, and they lasted a surprisingly long amount of time before going for the money grab of opening it all up.
I daresay that there are still restrictions on that. I can’t imagine they would have let police.uk go to someone other than, you know, the police.
.net.uk and .ltd.uk are also regulated to some degree. You have to be an ISP (or very similar) for the former and have to provide proof you’re a real limited company (by way of company number) for the latter. There may be others.
In fact, I think a company number might have been required to get a .co.uk at one point.
Caveat: This knowledge is mostly from before they opened up the second level for registrations. Originally there was a fixed list of second level domains all under control of the same entity, and they lasted a surprisingly long amount of time before going for the money grab of opening it all up.
I daresay that there are still restrictions on that. I can’t imagine they would have let police.uk go to someone other than, you know, the police.