Terms of Use & Domain Policy

1. Introduction

These Terms of Use and Domain Policy define the conditions for the registration, use, transfer, and management of subdomains under "co.de". They serve to protect the integrity and stability of the domain infrastructure and complement all other guidelines of KV GmbH (hereinafter "co.de"). Although "co.de" domains are technically subdomains under the second-level domain "co.de", they function like standard domains. They are managed via standard DNS and WHOIS systems, globally resolvable, and behave like independent internet addresses. This provides customers with advantages such as short, brandable domains, flexible registration conditions, and attractive pricing compared to classic top-level or second-level domains.

2. Scope of Application

This policy applies to all natural and legal persons who register, use, manage, or resell subdomains under "co.de". It is directed equally at registrars (resellers) and end users (domain holders).

Subdomain registration is conducted through accredited registrars.

Registrars must ensure that domain holders are informed about these terms and accept them as part of the registration process.

• Registrar: A provider that registers domains on behalf of clients.
• Domain Holder: The natural or legal person in whose name a subdomain under "co.de" is registered and who is listed in WHOIS as the registrant. Data publication is subject to the GDPR.

3. Eligibility for Registration

Subdomains under "co.de" can generally be registered by any fully legally competent natural or legal person. Minors or those with limited legal capacity may not register subdomains.

4. Domain Name Requirements

Subdomains must meet the following requirements:

• Length: Minimum 1 character, maximum 63 characters
• Allowed characters: LDH set; IDNs; special characters; umlauts
• No hyphens at the beginning or end
• No two consecutive hyphens in the third and fourth positions
• No domains that violate laws, moral standards, or the rights of third parties

“co.de” reserves the right to reject or revoke inadmissible registrations.

5. Reserved and Blocked Domains

The registry may reserve, block, or cancel domains for its public presence, nameserver operations, support services, technical terms, premium names, or marketing purposes.

• Country codes (e.g., de, eu, us)
• Official designations (e.g., staatskanzlei, bundesbank)
• Terms of public interest

Reserved domains may be released upon justified request.

The following domains are permanently reserved for registry operations and are not registrable:

• www.co.de
• registry.co.de
• dns.co.de
• ns1.co.de / ns2.co.de
• nic.co.de
• whois.co.de
• rdap.co.de
• console.co.de
• epp.co.de
• test.co.de
• zone.co.de
• status.co.de

6. Usage Policy

Subdomains may only be used lawfully under German law. The following are prohibited, for example:

• Hosting or linking to malware, phishing, spam
• Violation of trademark, copyright, or personality rights
• Fraudulent offers, fake shops, scam websites
• Use in botnets or illegal networks
• Impersonation of governmental or official roles
• This list is not exhaustive

Violations may result in suspension or deletion.

Use of subdomains by entities subject to German or EU sanctions may be restricted.

Fair Use

Each co.de domain must be used within the scope of applicable law and reasonable usage.

Automated mass registrations without legitimate purpose, circumventing technical restrictions, or using domains for clearly illegal or damaging activities is considered abuse and may result in suspension or deletion.

Abuse Reporting and Procedure

Domain holders and third parties may report abuse (e.g., phishing, malware, illegal content) related to co.de domains to registry@kv-gmbh.de.

KV GmbH investigates reported incidents within a reasonable timeframe. Confirmed violations may result in suspension or termination.

The affected domain holder is usually heard before action is taken (except in urgent threat cases).

7. Technical Requirements and Availability

KV GmbH provides the technical infrastructure together with external service providers, but does not guarantee uninterrupted availability or specific performance parameters.

8. Registration and Data Obligations

Correct, complete, and verifiable data must be provided at registration and kept up to date. Registrars must ensure compliance.

The use of privacy/proxy services or anonymized WHOIS services is not permitted. Domain holder data must be accurate and linked to a clearly identifiable person or organization.

Violations may lead to suspension or deletion without compensation. Legal entities may not use personal email addresses (e.g., firstname.lastname@...) as WHOIS contact.

The postal address provided at registration must be reachable. KV GmbH may send a confirmation code by postal mail to verify identity.

If the code is not confirmed in time or no alternative proof is provided, the domain may be suspended and then deleted.

For holders outside Germany or the EU, the verification deadline may be reasonably extended.

Data processing and verification are based on Art. 6(1)(b) and (f) GDPR for contract performance and abuse prevention. Details are available at www.co.de/datenschutz. KV GmbH may send domain holders one non-commercial informational email per year.

9. Content Responsibility and Disclaimer

The domain holder is solely responsible for content accessible via a subdomain. KV GmbH does not pre-screen content and does not adopt third-party content.

KV GmbH is not liable for content linked to or provided via subdomains.

10. Domain Transfers

A domain transfer is allowed if:

• both parties agree,
• the transfer is conducted via an authorized registrar,
• new holder data is provided,
• all obligations are fulfilled.

Transfers can only take place between accredited registrars. A list is available at nic.co.de.

11. Measures in Case of Violations

Possible measures in the event of violations:

• Warning
• Setting a deadline for correction
• Suspension or deactivation
• Contract termination
• Reporting to authorities
• Claiming damages

12. Applicable Law and Jurisdiction

German law applies, excluding the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG). The place of jurisdiction, if permitted, is KV GmbH's registered office, currently in Osnabrück, Germany.

13. Amendments

KV GmbH may amend these Terms of Use and Domain Policy at any time.

Changes will be published at nic.co.de. The current version applies. The latest WHOIS/RDAP and data protection policies also apply.