Transferring .DE Domains

.DE domain transfers have a critical nameserver requirement: DENIC, the .DE registry, deletes domains that fail nameserver validation within 30 days. A .DE transfer can complete successfully in OpenSRS yet still fail to resolve if the nameservers do not meet DENIC criteria. This article covers manual transfers in the Reseller Control Panel using either custom or SystemDNS nameservers, bulk transfers via API, and the nameserver activation workflow.

Warning: DENIC deletes .DE domains that remain out of compliance with nameserver guidelines for 30 days. If you encounter nameserver issues during transfer, act promptly to avoid losing the domain.

How .DE transfers differ from gTLD transfers

.DE transfers complete in OpenSRS as soon as the registrant provides the authorization code, but DENIC independently validates the domain's nameservers. If validation fails, the domain enters a 30-day correction window before DENIC deletes it. You must verify nameserver activation after every .DE transfer.

Before you begin

Confirm the following before submitting a .DE transfer:

• You have the .DE authorization code from the registrant.
• DNSSEC is removed at the losing registrar — DNSSEC prevents the domain from activating after transfer. If DNSSEC remains enabled, contact OpenSRS support to remove it on transferred-in domains.
• You know the .DE registrant type for the domain.
• You have at least two functional, authoritative nameservers on different subnets, or you intend to use SystemDNS with a configured DNS template.
• Your nameservers pass the DENIC NAST tool validation.

Step 1: Submit the transfer order

You can submit a .DE transfer using your own nameservers or using OpenSRS SystemDNS nameservers.

Option A: Manually transfer using custom nameservers

1. Log in to the Reseller Control Panel.
2. Select the Domains tab and click the + (plus) icon.
3. Search for the .DE domain in the pop-up window.
4. Click Transfer?. This appears only when the domain is transferrable.
5. Enter the registrant username and password so the end-user can manage the domain via the Manage Web Interface (MWI), or click Associate with existing user.
6. Select the registrant type and complete the owner's contact details.
7. Choose Keep existing nameservers or Use your own nameservers, then enter the servers.
8. Click Submit registration.
9. Have the registrant enter the authorization code from the approval email.
10. After the transfer completes, verify nameserver activation on the RWI .DE DNS activations page. Domains listed there are not activated. Fix any nameserver issues and resubmit by ticking the activate checkbox and clicking Submit.

Option B: Manually transfer using SystemDNS nameservers

1. Log in to the Reseller Control Panel.
2. Make sure a DNS template is configured for the domain.
3. Select the Domains tab and click the + (plus) icon.
4. Search for the .DE domain.
5. Click Transfer?.
6. Enter the registrant username and password, or associate with an existing user.
7. Select the registrant type and complete the owner's contact details.
8. In the nameservers section, choose Use our nameservers.
9. Select your configured DNS template.
10. Click Submit registration.
11. Have the registrant enter the authorization code from the approval email.

Step 2: Verify DENIC nameserver requirements

DENIC requires at least two functional, authoritative nameservers on two different subnets at registration time. The DENIC NAST tool verifies nameserver functionality before and after transfer.

When a .DE domain is registered or transferred with inactive nameservers, DENIC opens a 30-day correction window. If the window expires without active nameservers, DENIC deletes the domain and OpenSRS cannot issue a refund. You can modify nameservers during the 30-day window subject to DENIC verification. Change requests with nameservers that do not meet DENIC criteria are ignored.

Note: Nameserver status shows as failed until DENIC accepts it. Resubmit through the activation page once you've fixed the issue.

Resubmit nameservers after activation failure

1. Log in to the Reseller Web Interface.
2. Click .DE DNS activations in the View Orders section.
3. Tick the activate checkbox next to the relevant domain and click Submit.

Bulk transfer .DE domains via API

Use the OpenSRS API to submit multiple .DE transfers at once.

DENIC policies, the 30-day deletion window, and NAST validation rules are policy-sensitive and may change. Confirm current requirements at denic.de before processing high-value transfers.

Next steps

• Review the general transfer-in flow — See Transfer In Process for status tracking and the owner-approval workflow.
• Read .DE domain policies — Check .DE domain policies for the latest registry requirements.
• Manage a transfer-away — Use Transfer Away Process when a .DE domain is leaving your account.
• Validate nameservers proactively — Run nameservers through the DENIC NAST tool before submitting the transfer.
• Compare with the full transfer lifecycle — Read A Complete Guide to Domain Transfers for cross-TLD context.

Questions? Contact OpenSRS Support.