Domain registration

Organisational units and subunits of the University of Vienna as well as institutions affiliated with the University can use this ZID service to register and manage any domain of the form desiredname.tld (for example: fantasyprogramme.at). It is a prerequisite that the contents associated with the domain are used for university purposes, such as projects or conferences. In addition, the ZID has to operate all services relating to the domain.

 Direct Link

Form Order domain-services

Possible domain names

You can register a domain, which is managed by the ZID, in the following form:

desiredname.tld – For example: fantasyname.org

The ZID makes all possible efforts to acquire the desired domain under any top-level domain (tld, for example .at, .de, .ch, .com, .net, .org or .eu). Please note the allocation guidelines and statutory requirements of the relevant registry for internet domains.

 Note

You have to request a subdomain if your domain should have the form desiredname.univie.ac.at.

Checking the requirements

  • Only active employees of the University of Vienna can access the form Requesting domain services. Users with a u:account for external persons cannot request a domain.
  • For legal and organisational reasons, this service is only available to organisational units and subunits of the University of Vienna, as well as organisations affiliated with the University.
  • Registering a domain is subject to a charge and requires the approval of the head of the organisational unit. For an overview of the costs incurred, please see under Costs
  • Maintaining a domain is only possible if the entry in the Domain Name System (DNS) refers to a server of the University of Vienna and if the ZID has access to the zones. References to external servers or addresses are not permissible.
  • The ZID only provides services for a domain (web space, TYPO3, e-mail, etc.) if the ZID is exclusively in charge of administrative and technical management. The MX records of the zone must point to the mail servers of the ZID.

Registering a domain

Use the form Requesting domain services.

The ZID requires the following information to process your request. The details in the log-in box are partially prefilled:

Domain name: Specify the desired domain name, including the top-level domain.

Action: Select Neuregistrierung (new registration).

Name of the website: Briefly describe the use of the domain.

Organisational unit: 

  • State the name and number of your organisational unit as well as the relevant cost centre for the allocation of the domain and the accounting of the domain name fee.
  • In addition, please state the name of the head of your organisational unit and his/her e-mail address for confirmation and possible enquiries.
  • This information will not be disclosed to third parties (except for the purpose of accounting of the services).

Domain administrator: 

  • The domain administrator is the first point of contact for the ZID regarding any questions about the domain. S/he has to be an active employee of the University of Vienna. Users with a u:account for external persons cannot be domain administrators.
  • E-mails sent to all technical e-mail addresses that are set-up automatically (hostmaster, webmaster, abuse) are forwarded to the domain administrator's e-mail address, unless another person was specified when requesting the domain.
  • Only the person specified as administrator and the head of the organisational unit are entitled to request configuration changes.
  • The administrator’s name is not publicly visible. His/her data will not be disclosed to third parties. The WHOIS lists the host master of the ZID as contact point for technical enquiries.

Please note:

  • For additional host entries, such as www records (For example: www.fantasyprogramme.org), please specify the web space to be addressed here.
  • Specify which e-mail addresses have to be set-up for the domain and who can access them.

Sending confirmations

Due to legal reasons, the ZID requires written confirmation of the order.

After registering, you will receive a PDF form via e-mail. Please ask the head of your organisational unit to sign this form. Send the signed form to the ZID via e-mail (domain-admin@univie.ac.at).

Transferring a domain

You can transfer a registered domain to a server of the University of Vienna, and have the University of Vienna listed as its new owner.

Please make all necessary preparations before you request the transfer of the domain to ensure that the conversion runs smoothly:

  • Ask the previous domain owner to complete and sign the following form and send it back to you: Domain übertragen (transfer domain, PDF, in German)
  • Ask the previous domain owner to request the Auth Code for the transfer from his/her provider, and send it to you.
  • Ask the previous domain owner to have his/her provider remove the registrar lock of the domain to ensure that all fields in the WHOIS enquiry are visible (no private registration).
  • Clarify with the previous domain owner which host entries, such as www records (for example: www.fantasyprogramme.org), are currently being used.
  • Clarify with the previous domain owner which e-mail addresses linked to the domain have already been set-up and which e-mail addresses you should maintain.
  • Copy the files for the websites to the web space managed by you.

 Note

The previous domain owner is responsible for terminating all existing contracts associated with the domain you would like to transfer. Furthermore, s/he has to pay any outstanding invoices associated with these contracts himself/herself.

Requesting domain transfer

  • Select Transfer under Domain/s in the form Requesting domain services.
  • The following input fields require you to provide the same information as in the form Registering a domain.
  • If you are using a web space for organisational units for the domain, please specify the URL or the web space UserID under Anmerkung (note).
  • If you manage the web space at the organisational unit yourself, please make sure that the corresponding vHost is set up on your server. Specify the IP address of the server under Anmerkung (note).
  • Specify the Auth Code under Anmerkung (note), and state which e-mail addresses you operate and which host records have to be configured.

Sending confirmations

Due to legal reasons, the ZID requires a written confirmation of the order. You will receive a PDF form via e-mail. Please ask the head of your organisational unit to sign this form. Send the signed form to the ZID.

In addition, please send the transfer domain form (PDF) signed by the previous domain owner to the ZID via e-mail (domain-admin@univie.ac.at). 

Cancelling or assigning domain

Domains are registered until revoked. If you no longer need a domain or want to transfer it to another provider, you must inform the ZID.

Use the form Domain kündigen oder abtreten (PDF) (Cancelling or assigning domain, in German).


Cancelling a domain

  • Cancellation is possible either immediately or at the end of the service period. The service period begins on the date of registration (key date) and is usually automatically extended on each key date by a further year (365 days).
  • Since the domain fee is always paid in advance for a service period, no costs can be refunded in the event of cancellation.
  • Cancellation must be commissioned in a legally effective manner at the latest 2 months before the key date returns, otherwise the domain fee for the coming performance period will be invoiced.
  • You abandon all rights to the domain and acknowledge that the domain may be reassigned by the registry to another interested party at any time.
  • Any outstanding claims must be settled even after termination. In the event of current or subsequent legal disputes resulting from the operation of the domain at the ZID, the University of Vienna reserves the right to indemnify and hold itself harmless even after the end of the contractual relationship.
  • When the termination takes effect, all services of the ZID belonging to the domain will also be discontinued. Save all relevant data in your web space in advance.


Assigning a domain

  • You can instruct the ZID to transfer your domain at any time. The ZID will obtain the auth code required for the transfer from the responsible registry and send it to you for the initiation of the transaction by your new registrar.
  • Since the domain fee is always paid in advance for a performance period, no costs can be refunded in the case of an assignment.
  • Any outstanding claims must be settled even after the domain has been assigned. In the event of current or subsequent legal disputes resulting from the operation of the domain at the ZID, the University of Vienna reserves the right to indemnify and hold itself harmless even after the end of the contractual relationship.
  • You undertake to remove all references to servers and contacts of the University of Vienna from the domain data immediately after the transfer: Immediately after the transfer, the name servers of the ZID will be removed. The University of Vienna or the ZID may no longer appear as the owner or hostmaster. Forwarding to a web space of the University of Vienna is then also no longer permitted.
  • When the transfer takes effect, all services of the ZID belonging to the domain will be discontinued. Save all relevant data in your web space in advance.
  • Make sure that your new provider has already configured the required services before the domain is assigned. The ZID is not responsible for the continued availability of the domain.


Sending confirmation

For legal reasons, a written confirmation of your order is required. Submit the form Domain kündigen oder abtreten (PDF) (Cancelling or assigning domain) to the ZID via e-mail at domain-admin@univie.ac.at.