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The DOI syntax follows the Handle System's rules and is as follows:

<prefix>/<suffix>

where:

•prefix: refers to the DOI namespace (a namespace is allocated to a given service provider)
The prefix can contain only numeric values and the "." character which is used to delimit a hierarchical level in the namespace allocation: a one-delimiter prefix (for example, "10.1000") derives from a zero-delimiter prefix ("10").
In the Handle System, the prefix 10 is allocated to the DOI Foundation.

•suffix: is a unique local name in the namespace
Any Unicode 2.0 character can be used in the suffix (there is no practical limitation on the length of a DOI name). This unique string may be an existing identifier, or any unique string chosen by the Registration Agency or the referent owner (registrant).

DOI name examples are: 10.1000/xyz-123; 10.1109/5.771073; etc.

NOTE DOI names may also be expressed as URLs: see Direct Redirection to a Web Resource with the DOI Proxy.

For more information about the DOI name syntax, see DOI Namespace.