About .cologne domains

About .cologne domains

.COLOGNE is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) delegated in the DNS root zone. The registry operator responsible for .COLOGNE is listed by IANA as dotKoeln GmbH. Anyone can typically register a .COLOGNE name through an accredited registrar, subject to the registry’s registration policy and ICANN consensus policies.

.koeln and .cologne are geographic top-level domains for Cologne, Germany in the Domain Name System of the Internet. They were officially launched in 2014.

Who can register .cologne domains?

Eligibility is defined by the registry operator and its registrars. Most gTLDs are open to anyone worldwide. Many ccTLDs are also open globally; some require local presence, citizenship, or trademark rights. Always confirm current policy with the registry or your registrar.

Registration restrictions

Character rules below follow common ICANN LDH conventions. Individual registries and registrars may impose extra eligibility, length, or residency rules.

Length

1 – 63 characters (label before .cologne)

Can use

Letters (a–z), numbers (0–9), and hyphens (not first/last or consecutive in restricted cases)

Cannot use

Special characters (e.g. & # @) in standard LDH labels

IDNs

Varies by registry — check IDN support with the registry or your registrar

Features

Operational features (privacy, parking, protection) are registrar-level, not defined by the IANA root zone record.

Registry information

Sponsor / manager

dotKoeln GmbH

Registration services

https://www.nic.koeln

WHOIS server

whois.ryce-rsp.com

RDAP server

https://rdap.ryce-rsp.com/rdap/