Published: 17.10.2026
The .at extension is the country-code domain of Austria, a German-speaking country in the centre of Europe. Austrian companies, cultural institutions, tourism businesses and local services use it to show that they are rooted in Austria and that they speak to Austrian visitors. The capital is Vienna, and German is the main language. Use the availability form just below this text to see whether your name in .at is still free.
Check if a .at domain is available .at Check
A short history
The Austrian national zone grew as the country's businesses, public bodies and cultural organisations moved online. It spread from technology firms and universities to hotels, craft workshops and local services that wanted an address matching their home market. Today .at is a familiar ending in Austria, and its rules are published by the registry, which may update them over time.
Who runs it
The .at zone is operated by nic.at, the registry for Austrian domain names. It keeps the central database and sets the rules for registration, while accredited registrars sell names to customers and pass the orders on. Because the registry publishes its own terms, those are the reference point when you have a question about eligibility, holder data or transfers.
Rules in practice
- Holder conditions: the registry sets rules on who may hold a .at name, so check the current terms before you order.
- Contact details: the holder data must be complete and correct, and it can be checked when the registry asks for it.
- Length and characters: names use letters, digits and hyphens, and a single label can be up to 63 characters long.
- Umlauts: names with German letters such as ä, ö and ü may be possible through internationalised names, depending on the current rules.
Who uses .at
- Austrian companies of every size, from family businesses to national brands.
- Hotels, ski resorts, restaurants and other tourism businesses that welcome visitors to Austria.
- Museums, theatres, music schools and cultural projects with an Austrian audience.
- Craftspeople, consultants and professional services that work with Austrian clients.
Strengths
- The ending signals a clear Austrian base, which helps local customers trust a business they can find nearby.
- Search engines can treat a country-code ending as one geographic hint, so German-language content for Austria may match local searches well.
- The zone is easy to read on menus, vehicles and printed materials, and it needs little explanation.
Things to keep in mind
- Because the ending is tied to Austria, a business whose customers are mostly in Germany may also want a .de name.
- Many Austrian visitors expect German content, so an English-only site can feel out of place for them.
- Good short names may already be registered, so a descriptive wording can be the better choice.
- Rules for holders and their data can change, so keep the registration details current.
Tips before you register
- Check the same name in .com and in the other zones you plan to use, and decide which ones matter for your audience.
- Enter the company or holder details exactly as they appear in your official records.
- Prepare German content, a clear contact page, and the imprint and privacy notice that many Austrian business sites are expected to show.
- Host the site close to your visitors so that pages load quickly across Austria.
- Set up mail authentication records and keep the renewal reminder active.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to live in Austria to register .at? Holder rules apply, and they may depend on your situation. Check the current terms before you order.
Can an English-language site use .at? Yes, the ending does not fix the language. Austrian visitors will still expect some German content, though.
Does .at help a site appear in Austrian search results? It is a useful location signal, but relevant content, a fast site and local references usually matter more.
