Federal processes on dot gov domains were updated late in 2023.
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Using a dot gov domain for your online services helps the public quickly identify your website as a trusted government source. This is a simple and effective way to enhance security on your municipal website for you and your residents.

‍We recommend the dotgov registration service for website domain and email addresses. 

Costs

• Currently, there are no fees to register a state or federal dot gov domain.
• Town Web provides business/enterprise emails and archiving for a reasonable monthly fee.

Follow these easy steps to the dotgov registration service

1. Go to Get.Gov website to start the process: https://get.gov/
2. Check the domain availability on https://get.gov/ page
   eg. https://forestvilletownwi.gov
3. Create an account by going to Login.gov to request a dot gov domain.
   (If you already created an account, skip Step 4).
4. Create Login.gov account: 
   https://login.gov/help/get-started/create-your-account/‍
   Important: Before you can request your first dot gov domain, you will need to verify your identity with Login.gov. This is a necessary layer of security that requires you to prove you are you, and not someone pretending to be you.
   In order to verify your identify, you'll need:
     a) a state-issued ID
     b) a Social Security number
     c) a phone number.
5. Log in to your Login.gov account on this page: https://secure.login.gov/
6. Click on the blue button “Start a new domain request” or click on the following link to access this page directly: https://manage.get.gov/request/
7. Follow the on screen prompts and fill out the information needed
8. Once you receive an email that your domain is registered, go to https://manage.get.gov/  click on “Manage” next to your new dot gov domain.
9. Scroll down until you get to the section “Domain Managers” and click on “Edit” >  “Add a domain manager” > enter [email protected] as the email address, and click  “Add domain manager” button to save changes.
10. Town Web Support will receive an invitation to manage your dot gov domain.  
    This means we will add the necessary technical information (nameservers), and connect your dot gov domain to your website.