.DE (Germany) Domain Registration Requirements
To register a .DE domain, you must adhere to specific residency, administrative, and technical standards.
1. Residency & Admin Contact
While anyone (individual or company) can register a .DE domain, there is a "Local Presence" requirement:
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The Domain Holder: Can be located anywhere in the world.
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The Authorized Representative: If the domain holder is not located in Germany, DENIC requires that you provide an authorized representative located in Germany who can receive official or court documents on your behalf.
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Timeline: If DENIC requests details for this representative, you must provide them within two weeks, or the domain may be suspended.
2. Technical Requirements (DNS/Nameservers)
DENIC has some of the strictest nameserver requirements in the industry. Your domain will not activate unless your DNS setup passes the NAST (Name Server Tester) check:
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Minimum of 2 Nameservers: You must have at least two authoritative, independent nameservers.
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Different Subnets: The IP addresses of your nameservers must differ by at least one number in any octet (e.g.,
192.0.2.1and192.0.2.2). -
IPv4 Requirement: At least one nameserver must be connected via IPv4.
3. Mandatory Data Verification (New for 2026)
Due to recent legal updates, DENIC has implemented a strict risk assessment and verification process:
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Email Verification: You must verify the email address associated with the domain holder. If not confirmed, the domain will be suspended.
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Identity Checks: For companies and legal entities, the full company name and legal form (e.g., GmbH, AG) must be provided. P.O. Boxes are not accepted as valid addresses.
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Public Transparency: For legal entities (businesses), your name, address, email, and phone number are now publicly visible in the WHOIS lookup.
Important Notes for Nixzoehost Users
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One-Year Terms: .DE domains can only be registered for one year at a time. They do not support multi-year registrations upfront, though they renew annually.
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No Domain Locking: Unlike
.comdomains, .DE domains cannot be "locked" at the registrar level. Security is handled directly through the AuthInfo code system. -
Redemption Period: If you miss your renewal, the domain enters a 30-day "Redemption Grace Period." During this time, the "AuthInfo2" code can be requested to restore the domain, but fees are typically much higher.
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Failed Nameservers: If your nameservers don't meet DENIC's criteria within 30 days of registration, DENIC will delete the domain without a refund.
