Purchasing a Domain Name in Germany

Top-level domain name in Germany

The Network Information Center (Interessenverbund Deutsches Network Information Center, IV- DENIC) is the authority responsible for issuing domain names in Germany. The top-level domain name in Germany is .de and it derives from the country’s name Deutschland. The Network Information Center does not issue second-level domain names like other countries. The safest way to register a domain name in Germany is through the Department of Computer Science of the University of Dortmund although domain names can also be purchased from private providers. The Network Information Center also authorizes registrants to use international domain names such as .com, but German companies using a .de domain name have more credibility when it comes to their clients.

How to register a domain name in Germany

German citizens or companies seeking to register a domain name are required to follow a few steps. The first step to register a domain name in Germany is to verify the availability of the name. Then the registrant must:

• - select a provider to deal with the registration request,
• - apply for registration with the German Network Information Center.

The .de domain name has a validity period of 1 to 10 years. Additionally, German companies are also advised to register their domains with the Trademark Office in order to make sure they have the sole right of using that name.

What should a German domain name look like?

The German company or citizen may use the name they want for the registration of a domain name as long as it is not offensive. However, there are a few other characteristics for German domain names among which:

• - only Latin letters, number and dashes can be used,
• - the domain name must start with a letter or number,
• - the domain name can end with a letter or a number,
• - the domain name cannot start or end with hyphens,
• - the name cannot contain dashes in the third and fourth positions,
• - no special characters, such as spaces, are allowed the domain name,
• - the length of the domain name is 3 characters minimum and 63 maximum.

For complete information about the registration of a domain name and prices you can ask our lawyers in Germany. You can also contact us for details about the Internet legislation.