Who owns your domain name?
If you know you control your domain—great! Just be sure auto-renew is on so it doesn’t expire.
If you're unsure who owns your domain, now's the time to find out. Your domain is your digital address, and losing access is like losing the keys to your restaurant.
Why domain ownership matters
Many business owners let their original web developer or agency register the domain. That’s common—but it often means the agency owns the domain, not you. This becomes a major issue if you ever want to switch web hosts or launch a new site.
How to check who owns your domain name
Do a quick WHOIS Lookup to see who the official registrant is. If it lists your name and email, you're in control. If it lists someone else, even your agency contact, they are technically the owner of the domain and they can put whatever they want on your domain. In a worst-case scenario, they can even hold the domain name hostage if your relationship sours.
Tip: The registrant email address is critical. It receives password resets and domain transfer requests.
How to gain control
Contact the current registrant (the person or agency listed in WHOIS) and request a domain transfer.
They can either:
Give you login access to their domain provider, or
Unlock the domain and send you a transfer authorization code (EPP key).
Use that code to transfer the domain into your own domain account (at a domain site like Namecheap.com).
Pay the small transfer fee (usually under $15) and turn on auto-renew.
Bottom line: If you don’t control your domain, you don’t control your web presence.
Need help? Contact turnedTABLES today.