Get a free *.city.state.us domain: step-by-step guide using AWS Lightsail

A detailed guide is making the rounds on social media, showing how anyone in the US can register a free 'locality domain' (e.g., frederick.seattle.wa.us) without paying a dime. The process, first documented in 1992, uses the .us TLD's delegated subdomain system. To start, you must identify a delegated locality on the official list (e.g., seattle.wa.us delegated to NuOz Corporation, formerly NW Nexus). If your city isn't delegated, you can use gen.your-state.us (e.g., next.gen.oh.us) for general independent entities. Undelegated domains are only for local government agencies thanks to a 2002 policy.

Once you find a registrar, you must first acquire nameservers—Amazon Lightsail provides them free without needing to rent a server. Just create a DNS zone for your intended domain and note the name server hostnames and their IPs. Then fill out the Interim .US Domain Template v2.0, describing your intended use. You must be a US citizen, permanent resident, or US-based organization. The entire registration is free, and you can point DNS to your own webhost. This opens a rare opportunity for professionals to get a unique, location-based domain without ongoing costs.