# Creating a public hosted zone
<a name="CreatingHostedZone"></a>

A public hosted zone is a container that holds information about how you want to route traffic on the internet for a specific domain, such as example.com, and its subdomains (acme.example.com, zenith.example.com). After you create a hosted zone, you create records that specify how you want to route traffic for the domain and subdomains.

**Restrictions**  
Note the following restrictions for creating hosted zones with Route 53.  
You can create a hosted zone only for a domain that you have permission to administer. Typically, this means that you own the domain, but you might also be developing an application for the domain registrant. 
You can create hosted zones for domains and subdomains only. Route 53 doesn't support hosting top-level domains (TLD) such as `.com`.

**To create a public hosted zone using the Route 53 console**

1. Sign in to the AWS Management Console and open the Route 53 console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/route53/](https://console.aws.amazon.com/route53/).

1. If you're new to Route 53, choose **Get started** under **DNS management**. 

   If you're already using Route 53, choose **Hosted zones** in the navigation pane.

1. Choose **Create hosted zone**.

1. In the **Create Hosted Zone** pane, enter the name of the domain that you want to route traffic for. You can also optionally enter a comment.

   For information about how to specify characters other than a-z, 0-9, and - (hyphen) and how to specify internationalized domain names, see [DNS domain name format](DomainNameFormat.md).

1. For **Type**, accept the default value of **Public Hosted Zone**.

1. Choose **Create**.

1. Create records that specify how you want to route traffic for the domain and subdomains. For more information, see [Working with records](rrsets-working-with.md).

1. To use records in the new hosted zone to route traffic for your domain, see the applicable topic:
   + If you're making Route 53 the DNS service for a domain that is registered with another domain registrar, see [Making Amazon Route 53 the DNS service for an existing domainMaking Route 53 the DNS service for an existing domain](MigratingDNS.md).
   + If the domain is registered with Route 53, see [Adding or changing name servers and glue records for a domain](domain-name-servers-glue-records.md).