Official City Website URL Transition to PaloAlto.gov

The City of Palo Alto is switching its domain name (URL) from cityofpaloalto.org to www.PaloAlto.gov in April. Official City email addresses and the City website will be transitioning together on Wednesday, April 9, 2025. The transition of City websites to the new domain is planned to ensure minimal disruption to the public and all existing links will be redirected to www.PaloAlto.gov, so existing addresses will continue to function for some time. There is nothing for the public to do at this time.

Domains specifically for government organizations can offer several important advantages: enhanced credibility, security and trust. The transition complies with California State Assembly Bill 1637, which was passed in 2024 and requires local municipalities to have a .gov domain name by or before 2029. Using a .gov domain aligns with the standard practice for government websites.

The transition complies with California State Assembly Bill 1637, which was passed in 2024 and requires local municipalities to have a .gov domain name by or before 2029. The City decided to make this change well in advance of the 2029 deadline to support security, protect against cyber threats, and gain the many advantages of moving to a .gov domain.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) are recommending that all government agencies migrate to a .gov web domain to protect against cyber threats and gain the advantage of additional cyber services.

A .gov domain is exclusively available to government entities and reinforces trust and credibility as the official source. A .gov domain helps government agencies fulfill their primary mission of serving the public by providing a clear and trusted channel for accessing government services, information, and resources.

Search engines and online directories often prioritize .gov websites in search results, leading to better visibility and easier access for users searching for government-related information and services.

There is nothing for the public to do at this time. Transitioning from a .org to a .gov domain has several advantages and the City is minimizing impacts to website users and visitors. Initially, users who visit the old .org domain will be automatically redirected to the new .gov domain. This ensures that they can still access the site without any interruption.

Over time, website visitors will need to update their bookmarks and any saved links to the new .gov domain. Additionally, any external websites linking to the City's site will need to update their links to ensure they point to the correct web location.

Email addresses of staff will be updated together with the change to the new .gov domain. During a transition period, the.org email addresses will still be active. The public may still email the .org email address, and staff response will be from the .gov address on and after April 9, 2025.

Overall user experience should improve due to the enhanced security and credibility of the .gov domain. Staff anticipates stronger search function as a result of .gov migration, though there might be a temporary variation in search engine rankings as the new domain is indexed.

The City will post announcements on the City’s official website homepage, use a web banner on the site starting April 2, send social media updates and notices, and be available to assist website users with questions or issues.  

As mentioned, there is nothing for the public to do at this time. Transitioning from a .org to a .gov domain has several advantages and the City is minimizing impacts to website users and visitors.