.de Domains

Domain Deletion

You do no longer need your domain and want to delete it?

Note: Think carefully about whether you really want to delete your domain or just want to terminate the service contract with your provider. In the latter case, the domain will not be deleted.

How can I delete a .de domain?

  • If you want your domain to be deleted, please contact the current provider of the domain and request them to delete it. Be careful to express clearly what you want. Many providers ask their customers to use a special form for the deletion request. We, too, provide a deletion request form for customers of our DENICdirect service, which they have to complete, sign and send to DENICdirect. 
  • Your provider forwards your request for deletion to DENIC. We will only accept a request to delete a domain if it is submitted by the DENIC member who administers the domain in question at the time. This ensures that a domain cannot be deleted by third parties without the domain holder's consent, since we are not in a position to verify whether the person requesting the deletion is actually authorised to do so.
  • Once we have received a deletion request, the domain will not be deleted immediately and irretrievably. The deletion is followed by a 30 days' "cooling-off" phase, the so-called Redemption Grace Period (RGP). Within this period, the domain may be re-registered:

    • For the last domain holder
    • For a third party to be indicated by the last domain holder.

The RGP procedure enables the last domain holder to re-register the domain by having it restored by a provider. The domain will only be available for registration by any interested third party if it has not been re-registered during the 30 days' Redemption Grace Period.