Domain extension .de
Buy a .de domain: price, renewal and rules
A .de domain speaks directly to customers in Germany. You can register one with an address in Switzerland and without a contact person in Germany.
- Registration
- CHF 9.90
- in the first year · incl. VAT
- Renewal
- CHF 9.90
- per year · incl. VAT
- Transfer
- CHF 9.90
Is your .de domain still available?
Who can register a .de domain?
The .de extension is run by DENIC eG in Frankfurt am Main. Individuals, companies, associations and organisations from any country may register it. You do not need a residence or registered office in Germany. In the past, an administrative contact (Admin-C) with an address in Germany was mandatory. DENIC abolished this role when the GDPR took effect in May 2018.
Authorised representative for service in Germany – only on request
One rule still applies to holders outside Germany: under the DENIC domain terms and conditions (§ 3(4)), you must name an authorised representative for service in Germany within two weeks of a request from DENIC, with name and full postal address. A post-office box is not enough. Official and court documents can be served through this person, for example in a dispute over the domain. You do not have to name anyone when you register. It is still worth knowing in advance whom you would name, such as a branch, a business partner or a law firm in Germany.
Holder data: telephone, e-mail and checks by DENIC
Since 6 December 2025, Germany has been implementing the European NIS 2 Directive. For .de this means that, besides name and address, a telephone number and a valid e-mail address are mandatory. You state whether you are a natural or legal person, and companies give their legal form. Since 14 April 2026, DENIC has been checking the data automatically. If the check is negative, the holder must prove the data is correct. Holders who do not respond risk having the domain deactivated first and deleted later. So enter your correct business or private address and an e-mail address you read regularly.
Rules for the domain name
- Length: 1 to 63 characters before .de.
- Allowed: the letters a–z, the digits 0–9 and the hyphen. Numbers-only domains are also possible.
- The hyphen may not be at the start or end, nor at both the third and fourth position.
- Umlauts such as ä, ö and ü and other Latin special characters are allowed as IDN, for example müller.de. The maximum length is counted on the technical ACE form (xn--…).
Tip: If your name contains an umlaut, also register the version without it (mueller.de). It is easier to type in e-mail addresses and on foreign keyboards.
Renewal, transfer and deletion
At HostOn a .de domain costs CHF 9.90 in the first year and also CHF 9.90 per year at every renewal. There is no teaser price that goes up in year two. Automatic renewal is on and can be switched off in the client area.
To transfer to HostOn, ask your current provider for the auth code (called «AuthInfo» at DENIC) and enter it when ordering on my.hoston.ch. The transfer costs CHF 9.90. Your website and e-mail stay online as long as you do not change the name servers. If a .de domain is deleted, only the previous holder can register it again for 30 days. After that it is open to everyone.
Alternatives to .de
For the Swiss market, .ch remains the first choice. For customers in several EU countries, .eu is an option. However, only people and companies resident or established in the EU or EEA, and EU citizens, may register a .eu domain. A company based only in Switzerland does not qualify. If you work worldwide, choose .com. Many companies secure .ch and .de together and redirect one of them to the main website.
Who is a .de domain suitable for?
- Swiss companies that sell in Germany or run a dedicated country site there.
- Online shops shipping to Germany that want to be seen as a local offer.
- Brands that want to protect their name in the main German-speaking countries, together with .ch and .at.
- Individuals with a German surname looking for a short address for e-mail or a website.
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions we are asked most often about this service.
Yes. Neither the holder nor a contact person has to be based in Germany. Only if DENIC asks you to must you name an authorised representative for service with an address in Germany within two weeks.
A person or company with a postal address in Germany to whom official and court documents for the domain holder can be delivered. A post-office box is not enough. It is not required at registration, only on request from DENIC.
Since Germany implemented the NIS 2 Directive in December 2025, DENIC requires a telephone number and a verified e-mail address for the holder. Incomplete or false data can lead to the domain being suspended and deleted.
No. At HostOn the .de domain costs CHF 9.90 in the first year and CHF 9.90 at every renewal.
Yes. Umlauts such as ä, ö and ü and other Latin special characters are allowed. If needed, also secure the spelling without umlauts, as it is easier to type.
