.de

Germany

Europe's most popular country code extension. Over 17 million registered domains, instant activation, no residency requirement.

€6.19 / year

The First Choice for the German Market

With over 17 million registered domains, .de is the most popular country code extension in Europe. It's managed by DENIC eG, a cooperative based in Frankfurt am Main. This high adoption is no coincidence: Germany has one of the largest internet markets in Europe.

For businesses operating in Germany or targeting German customers, .de is the obvious choice. Users expect a .de address when looking for a local provider. A .de domain signals: We're here, we understand this market.

Since 2009, people outside Germany can also register .de domains. An administrative contact (Admin-C) with a German address is required—we provide this free of charge.

At a Glance

Registry: DENIC eG
Introduced: 1986
Registered domains: ~17 million
Minimum length: 1 character
IDN (umlauts): Yes
Residency required: No

.de in the DACH Region

Germany, Austria, Switzerland—the DACH region is a unified market for many businesses. With .de, you cover by far the largest portion. Those wanting to serve the entire German-speaking region add .at and .ch.

17M+

Europe's most registered country code extension. The first choice for the German market.

.de Germany

+ .at Austria + .ch Switzerland

Three domains, one market. Complete DACH coverage.

.de

Local trust in Germany
Shows presence in German market
More affordable (from €6.19/year)
Established since 1986

.com

Internationally neutral
No regional statement
More expensive
Overcrowded

Umlauts Allowed

ä, ö, ü and ß are allowed for .de. Tip: Also secure the variant without umlauts.

Typical Use Case

An online shop for home improvement supplies wants to reach German customers. Under werkzeug-profi.de, the offering appears more trustworthy than under a .com address. Customers know: Here I get German support, German invoices, fast shipping.

Registry

DENIC eG

Cooperative based in Frankfurt am Main. Has operated the .de infrastructure since 1996.

Hyphens Common

Unlike in English-speaking countries, hyphens in German domains are accepted and improve readability.

€6.19

pro Jahr, inkl. MwSt.

DNS management included
New registration +€0.80
Transfer without setup fee

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about .de registration

How much does a .de domain cost?

A .de domain costs €6.19 per year. For new registrations, there's a one-time setup fee of €0.80. Transfers from other providers are free.

Do I need German residency?

No. Since 2009, people worldwide can register .de domains. An administrative contact (Admin-C) with a German address is required—we provide this free of charge.

How quickly is my domain active?

Registration with DENIC takes only seconds. Once the domain is confirmed, you can set up DNS records and use it immediately.

Should I choose the domain with or without a hyphen?

That depends on the name. Hyphens are common in Germany and often improve readability. If both variants are available, ideally secure both.

Can I use umlauts in the domain?

Yes, .de supports ä, ö, ü and ß. However, also secure the variant without umlauts, as many users will type that.

How do I transfer an existing .de domain?

Request an auth code from your current provider and enter it during the order process. The transfer takes just a few hours. There's no additional setup fee—only the regular annual price of €6.19.

More Domain Extensions

Complementary or alternative to .de

.at Austria .ch Switzerland .eu Europe .com International

View all domain extensions →