A .de domain is Germany's country-specific top-level domain, available to individuals and organizations with a postal address in Germany. This comprehensive guide covers essential requirements and features for managing .de domains.

Key Requirements

• Must have a valid German postal address
• Registration limited to 1-year periods
• No Whois privacy available
• Phone numbers must include country code without dashes (e.g., 491234567890)
• Only one owner contact permitted (no admin, technical, or billing contacts)

Registration and Renewal

• No 5-day grace period for cancellations or refunds
• Automatic renewal occurs 15 days before expiration
• Official renewal happens 15 days after billing
• Domain lock feature unavailable

Expired Domains

If payment fails:

• Multiple charge attempts over 10 days
• Domain expires if payment unsuccessful
• 30-day recovery period through registrar
• Enters DENIC TRANSIT status after recovery period

Transfer Rules

To Transfer In:

• Remove any DNSSEC records before transfer
• New 1-year registration added
• Previous registration time not transferred
• Process takes 24-72 hours typically

To Transfer Out:

• No 60-day waiting period required
• Request transfer code from current registrar
• Transfer code valid for 30 days
• Previous registration time not transferred

Name Servers

• Must comply with DENIC registry requirements
• Use DENIC's Name Server Tester (NAST) tool before changes
• No verification email needed after registration/transfer

Failed Payments Protocol

• First failed payment triggers retry cycle
• Retries every 5 days
• Domain expires after 10 days of failed attempts
• 30-day recovery window available

Domain Recovery Options

For Tucows Registrar:

• 30-day recovery period
• Contact Tucows directly for renewal

For Key-Systems:

• 30-day grace period
• Domain can be reactivated during grace period
• AuthInfo2 code resets grace period
• Domains in dispute excluded from recovery

Remember to maintain a valid German postal address and keep payment methods current to avoid domain suspension or loss.

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