---
title: Set up a child zone in Cloudflare with parent on partial setup ·
  Cloudflare DNS docs
description: When the parent zone is using a partial setup1, the steps to set up
  your child zone depend on whether the subdomain already exists in the parent
  domain.
lastUpdated: 2025-10-23T07:57:47.000Z
chatbotDeprioritize: false
source_url:
  html: https://developers.cloudflare.com/dns/zone-setups/subdomain-setup/setup/parent-on-partial/
  md: https://developers.cloudflare.com/dns/zone-setups/subdomain-setup/setup/parent-on-partial/index.md
---

When the parent zone is using a [partial setup](https://developers.cloudflare.com/dns/zone-setups/partial-setup/)[1](#user-content-fn-2), the steps to set up your child zone depend on whether the subdomain already exists in the parent domain.

## Subdomain does not exist

If you have not yet created a DNS record covering your subdomain in the parent zone:

* child is full or secondary

  1. Add the subdomain to a Cloudflare account as a new zone. It can be the same account where the parent zone exists or a different one.
  2. Complete the configuration accordingly for [full](https://developers.cloudflare.com/dns/zone-setups/full-setup/setup/) or [secondary](https://developers.cloudflare.com/dns/zone-setups/zone-transfers/cloudflare-as-secondary/setup/) setup.
  3. After creating the DNS records on the child zone, add the Cloudflare nameservers as `NS` records at your external DNS provider.
  4. Within a short period of time, the child zone should be active.

* child is partial

  1. Add the subdomain to a Cloudflare account as a new zone. It can be the same account where the parent zone exists or a different one.
  2. Select either Business or Enterprise as your zone plan and complete the onboarding flow according to your needs.
  3. On the [Overview page](https://dash.cloudflare.com/?to=/:account/:zone), select **Convert to CNAME DNS Setup**.
  4. Confirm that you have created all the [DNS records](https://developers.cloudflare.com/dns/manage-dns-records/how-to/create-dns-records/) needed for your child zone.
  5. On the [**DNS Records**](https://dash.cloudflare.com/?to=/:account/:zone/dns/records) page, get the **Verification TXT Record** and add it at your authoritative DNS provider.

  Example verification record

  A verification record for `sub.example.com` might be:

  | Type | Name | Content |
  | - | - | - |
  | TXT | `cloudflare-verify.sub.example.com` | 966215192-518620144 |

  If your authoritative DNS provider automatically appends DNS record `name` fields with your domain, make sure to only insert `cloudflare-verify` as the record name. Otherwise, it may result in an incorrect record name, such as `cloudflare-verify.sub.example.com.sub.example.com`.

  After creating the record, you can use this [Dig Web Interface link](https://digwebinterface.com/?type=TXT\&ns=auth\&nameservers=) to search (`dig`) for `cloudflare-verify.<YOUR DOMAIN>` and validate if it is working.

  That record must remain in place for as long as your subdomain is active on the partial setup on Cloudflare.

  1. Within a short period of time, the child zone should be active.
  2. At your authoritative DNS provider, add `CNAME` records pointing to `{your-hostname}.cdn.cloudflare.net` for the subdomain you have added and any deeper subdomain records you want to proxy through Cloudflare.

  Example CNAME record at authoritative DNS provider

  The `CNAME` record for `sub.example.com` would be:

  ```txt
  sub.example.com CNAME sub.example.com.cdn.cloudflare.net
  ```

## Subdomain already exists

If you have already created a DNS record covering your subdomain in the parent zone:

* child is full or secondary

  1. Add the subdomain to a Cloudflare account as a new zone. It can be the same account where the parent zone exists or a different one.

  2. Complete the configuration accordingly for [full](https://developers.cloudflare.com/dns/zone-setups/full-setup/setup/) or [secondary](https://developers.cloudflare.com/dns/zone-setups/zone-transfers/cloudflare-as-secondary/setup/) setup.

  3. In your child zone, [re-create all DNS records](https://developers.cloudflare.com/dns/manage-dns-records/how-to/create-dns-records/) that relate to your subdomain. This includes all DNS records deeper than the delegated subdomain, meaning that if you are delegating `www.example.com`, you should also move over records for `api.www.example.com`.

     Note

     If your child zone is on a full setup, consider [exporting](https://developers.cloudflare.com/dns/manage-dns-records/how-to/import-and-export/#export-records) records from the parent zone, deleting all unnecessary records, and then [importing](https://developers.cloudflare.com/dns/manage-dns-records/how-to/import-and-export/#import-records) the records into your new zone.

  4. Make sure that you migrate over any settings ([WAF custom rules](https://developers.cloudflare.com/waf/custom-rules/), [Rules](https://developers.cloudflare.com/rules/), [Workers](https://developers.cloudflare.com/workers/), and more) that might be needed for the child zone.

  5. In the child zone, [order an advanced SSL certificate](https://developers.cloudflare.com/ssl/edge-certificates/advanced-certificate-manager/) that covers the child subdomain and any deeper subdomains.

  6. Get the Cloudflare nameservers for the subdomain and add them as `NS` records at your external DNS provider.

  7. Within a short period of time, the child zone should be active.

  8. On the [**DNS Records**](https://dash.cloudflare.com/?to=/:account/:zone/dns/records) page of the parent zone, [delete](https://developers.cloudflare.com/dns/manage-dns-records/how-to/create-dns-records/#delete-dns-records) any `A`, `AAAA`, or `CNAME` records referencing the subdomain or any of its deeper subdomains.

* child is partial

  1. Add the subdomain to a Cloudflare account as a new zone. It can be the same account where the parent zone exists or a different one.

  2. Select either Business or Enterprise as your zone plan and complete the onboarding flow according to your needs.

  3. On the [Overview page](https://dash.cloudflare.com/?to=/:account/:zone), select **Convert to CNAME DNS Setup**.

  4. In your child zone, [re-create all DNS records](https://developers.cloudflare.com/dns/manage-dns-records/how-to/create-dns-records/) that relate to your subdomain. This includes all DNS records deeper than the subdomain you used to create the zone - if you are creating a zone for `www.example.com`, you should also move over records for `api.www.example.com`.

     Note

     Cloudflare recommends [exporting](https://developers.cloudflare.com/dns/manage-dns-records/how-to/import-and-export/#export-records) records from the parent zone, deleting all unnecessary records, and then [importing](https://developers.cloudflare.com/dns/manage-dns-records/how-to/import-and-export/#import-records) the records into your new zone.

  5. Make sure that you migrate over any settings ([WAF custom rules](https://developers.cloudflare.com/waf/custom-rules/), [Rules](https://developers.cloudflare.com/rules/), [Workers](https://developers.cloudflare.com/workers/), and more) that might be needed for the child zone.

  6. In the child zone, [order an advanced SSL certificate](https://developers.cloudflare.com/ssl/edge-certificates/advanced-certificate-manager/) that covers the child subdomain and any deeper subdomains.

  7. On the [**DNS Records**](https://dash.cloudflare.com/?to=/:account/:zone/dns/records) page, get the **Verification TXT Record** and add it at your authoritative DNS provider.

  Example verification record

  A verification record for `sub.example.com` might be:

  | Type | Name | Content |
  | - | - | - |
  | TXT | `cloudflare-verify.sub.example.com` | 966215192-518620144 |

  If your authoritative DNS provider automatically appends DNS record `name` fields with your domain, make sure to only insert `cloudflare-verify` as the record name. Otherwise, it may result in an incorrect record name, such as `cloudflare-verify.sub.example.com.sub.example.com`.

  After creating the record, you can use this [Dig Web Interface link](https://digwebinterface.com/?type=TXT\&ns=auth\&nameservers=) to search (`dig`) for `cloudflare-verify.<YOUR DOMAIN>` and validate if it is working.

  That record must remain in place for as long as your subdomain is active on the partial setup on Cloudflare.

  1. Within a short period of time, the child zone should be active.
  2. On the [**DNS Records**](https://dash.cloudflare.com/?to=/:account/:zone/dns/records) page of the parent zone, [delete](https://developers.cloudflare.com/dns/manage-dns-records/how-to/create-dns-records/#delete-dns-records) any previous `A`, `AAAA`, or `CNAME` records referencing the subdomain or any of its deeper subdomains.
  3. At your authoritative DNS provider, confirm you have `CNAME` records pointing to `{your-hostname}.cdn.cloudflare.net` for the subdomain you have added and any deeper subdomain records you want to proxy through Cloudflare.

  Example CNAME record at authoritative DNS provider

  The `CNAME` record for `sub.example.com` would be:

  ```txt
  sub.example.com CNAME sub.example.com.cdn.cloudflare.net
  ```

## Footnotes

1. Meaning that another DNS provider - not Cloudflare - maintains your Authoritative DNS. [↩](#user-content-fnref-2)
