Who can be the registrant of a .nl, .de, .eu or .be domain?
Not every extension is open to everyone. With some you can live anywhere in the world, with others you have to live or be established in Europe. In this article you'll read who can be the registrant of a .nl, .de, .eu or .be domain, and what to keep in mind if your business relocates or you transfer the name.
Overview per extension
| Extension | Who can be the registrant? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| .nl | Anyone, wherever in the world you live or are established | If you live outside the Netherlands, SIDN's office address in Arnhem serves as your domicile address |
| .de | Anyone, including from outside Germany | DENIC can have you designate where legal mail can be sent for you, but only if someone with a trademark or name right requests it |
| .eu | Citizens of an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway (even if you live outside Europe), residents of those countries, and organisations established there | If you no longer meet the requirements, you may lose the name |
| .be | Anyone, individual or organisation |
.nl: anyone, with an address for official documents
Anyone can register a .nl domain name, wherever in the world you live or are established. SIDN may, however, set additional requirements for registrants outside the EU. If you live outside the Netherlands, SIDN's office address in Arnhem automatically serves as your domicile address: a bailiff can deliver official documents for you there, and SIDN forwards them. You don't need to arrange anything for this yourself.
.de: also for registrants outside Germany
A .de domain name can also be registered by someone from outside Germany. A German address for legal mail (a "Zustellungsbevollmächtigter") is no longer required by default. DENIC only has the registrant designate one if someone with a trademark or name right requests it. For .de, DENIC registers only the registrant, with name, street address, email address and phone number; a PO box is not allowed.
.eu: only within the EU and the EEA
.eu has the strictest requirements. You can register a .eu name if:
- you are a citizen of an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway, even if you live outside Europe;
- you live in one of those countries;
- your organisation is established in one of those countries.
The registrant details may not be those of the registrar or of a proxy service. If your business relocates to a country outside this group, or you transfer the name to someone who doesn't meet the requirements, you may lose the name. When the registrant changes, the new registrant must also meet the .eu requirements. EURid may ask registrants to confirm their details; if you don't, the name may be suspended. See Correct registrant details and verification of your domain.
.be: anyone
Anyone can register a .be domain name, individual or organisation.
Other extensions
For other extensions, the requirements are set out in the registry's terms. Some new extensions set their own requirements for the registrant. For .nu, the registry asks for an identification number of the registrant; at WebOké you enter this via a personal link.
Read more
- What is SIDN and where are .nl domains registered?
- Who is EURid and who registers .eu names?
- Rules for .eu domains (EURid)
- Domicile address (SIDN)
- Authorised recipient for the service of documents (DENIC)
Want to learn more? Take the free course Choosing and managing a domain name, lesson 2.2 Which extension suits you?