.de

The .de extension is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Germany, introduced in 1986, which makes 2026 its 40th year online. It is managed by DENIC eG, a non-profit cooperative based in Frankfurt that runs the registry on behalf of its members. With roughly 17.7 million domains registered at the end of 2024, .de is one of the largest country-code domains in the world and the biggest in Europe. It is also genuinely international: more than 2 million .de domains are now held by registrants located outside Germany, which shows how widely this domain name is used beyond its home market.

For any business or brand targeting the German market, a .de domain name is the clearest signal you can send. It is the official, locally recognised extension for Germany, so it builds immediate trust with a German-speaking audience and tends to read as more reliable than a generic alternative. Because Google treats .de as a true geo-targeted ccTLD, the extension also helps your website compete in German search engine results, a benefit a generic domain extension cannot replicate. And with registration available from US$1.99 across 44 registrars, that credibility comes at a low-cost entry point compared with many premium tlds.

The .de domain extension is used by everyone from large German brands and e-commerce stores to startups, associations and private individuals with a connection to Germany. A business in Germany uses it to anchor its presence in the local market and to host its main website and email on a domain its customers recognise. Because registration is open worldwide, international companies targeting German-speaking customers also adopt .de as a dedicated local web address, while individuals use this domain name for personal sites, portfolios and blogs that reflect a German identity.

A .de domain name is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Germany, much as .uk is for the United Kingdom and .fr is for France. It is managed by DENIC, the German registry, and can be registered by any individual or business worldwide. It is the standard web address for German websites and the most widely used ccTLD in Europe.

Anyone, anywhere can register a .de domain; there is no residency or local-business requirement. DENIC removed the old rule that required an "Admin-C" contact based in Germany back in 2018. The only related policy applies afterwards: if you live outside Germany and your domain is involved in a legal dispute, the registry can require you to appoint an authorized recipient with a German address to accept official documents within two weeks.

A .de domain is one of the lower-cost country extensions. Registration starts at US$1.99 at Hostinger, with renewal from US$3.15 and transfer from US$3.15. Prices vary across 44 registrars; compare them all in our registrars list.

For a German audience, yes. Google treats .de as a geo-targeted ccTLD, so it can strengthen your visibility in German search engine results and signals local relevance. It is less suitable if you are targeting users globally, since the extension ties your website to Germany.

There is no grace period at expiry. The domain moves into deletion and then a 30-day redemption period, during which only the previous holder can recover it. After that it is released and anyone can register it. DENIC's TRANSIT service can also hold a domain for four weeks if your provider stops managing it.

A .de domain name can be registered through any of the providers in our registrars list, or directly through DENIC if you provide your own hosting.