Your domain name is your business address on the internet, and the account that holds it matters more than almost any other part of your website. The registrar is where the domain is registered, the host is where the website files live, and DNS is the set of instructions that connects them. The single most useful rule: the domain should be registered to your business, in an account you control, with a business email address on it. Everything else can be fixed later. A lost domain is very hard to recover.
Registrar, host and DNS: three different things
- Registrar. The company where you register and renew your domain, such as a domain seller or your hosting company. You do not buy a domain forever. As Mozilla's web documentation puts it, you pay for the right to use it for one or more years, and you can renew it.
- Registrant. The person or business the domain is registered to. This is the owner on paper.
- Host. The server or platform that stores and serves your website, such as Squarespace, Shopify, a WordPress host or a cloud service.
- DNS. The Domain Name System translates your name into the address of the server. It is a set of records stored at a DNS provider, which is often the registrar and sometimes a separate service.
You can register at one company and host at another. Many problems come from nobody knowing which company holds which piece.
Who should own the domain
You, or your business. Not your web developer, your former employee, your cousin or your agency. The registrant's name and email decide who can transfer, renew or lose it. Before you sign off on any project, confirm:
- The registrant is your business name or you.
- The registrar account is in your name, with an email that more than one person at your company can reach.
- Two-factor authentication is on.
- Auto-renew is on, with a payment method that does not expire next month.
- You know who has login access and can remove access when someone leaves.
It is fine for your developer to have access to manage DNS. They can be added as a user on your account, or you can give them the specific DNS values to enter.
What DNS records do
You rarely need to edit them, but you should recognize them.
| Record | What it does |
|---|---|
| A (and AAAA) | Points a name to a server address |
| CNAME | Points a name to another name, often used for www or for a platform address |
| MX | Says where email for the domain is delivered |
| TXT | Holds text values, such as the email sender settings called SPF, DKIM and DMARC, and ownership checks |
| NS | Says which name servers hold the records for the domain |
Each record has a time to live (TTL), which is how long other systems may keep a copy before checking again. After you change a record, the update can take a while to be seen everywhere. Mozilla notes that changes take time to propagate because DNS servers cache and refresh periodically. Plan a quiet hour for a switch.
The email warning
Your domain also carries your email. If you move the website to a new platform by changing the name servers, you may replace every record, including the MX records that deliver your mail. The result is a working website and email that suddenly stops. To avoid it:
- Before any change, export or screenshot all current DNS records.
- If you only need the website to move, change only the A or CNAME records for the website name, and leave MX and TXT alone.
- If the platform asks you to change name servers, copy every existing record into the new DNS provider first, especially MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC TXT records.
- Send test emails in both directions after the change.
Connecting a domain to a platform
On Squarespace, Shopify, Wix, and similar builders, you can usually do one of two things: register or transfer the domain to the platform, or keep it where it is and point it at the platform with DNS records. Registering through the platform is simpler. Pointing is more flexible and keeps your domain independent of the website platform, which makes a future move easier. Whichever you choose, record where the domain is held.
Transfers: what to know
Moving a domain between registrars has rules. According to ICANN's guidance for registrants:
- A registrar may refuse a transfer within 60 days of initial registration.
- A change to the registrant's contact information usually triggers a 60-day transfer lock. ICANN suggests completing a transfer before changing contact details if you can.
- You need a transfer authorization code from your current registrar. If it does not provide a self-service option, it must supply the code within five calendar days of your request.
- The gaining registrar must confirm your approval, and you have to respond within the time it sets, not exceeding 60 days.
What to ask your developer
- Where is the domain registered and in whose name?
- Which DNS provider holds the records, and who has access?
- What will you change, and what will stay as is, especially email records?
- Can I have a copy of the DNS records before and after?
- When the project ends, who holds the hosting, domain and code accounts?
- How do I get access if you are unavailable?
Choosing a good domain
- Prefer a name that is easy to say and spell. Avoid hyphens and numbers.
- Check the exact name is not a trademark of someone else.
- Own the obvious variations if they are cheap, and point them to the main site.
- Use your domain for email too. A matching address looks more established than a free mail account.
Our domain name finder shows which common endings look free for a name you have in mind. The website checklist before you hire covers which accounts to gather, and the redesign checklist explains what changes when the address structure moves.
Want a person to look at it?
If you are not sure who holds your domain, we can help you find out and set it right. Start a quote for a new site, or begin with the domain name finder.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between a domain registrar and a web host?
A registrar is where you register and renew your domain name. A host stores and serves your website files. They can be the same company or two different ones, connected by DNS records.
Who should own my business domain name?
Your business should be the registrant, with an account you control, a shared business email on it and two-factor authentication turned on. Developers and agencies can be given access without owning it.
Why did my email stop working after I changed my website?
Changing name servers or replacing DNS records can remove the MX records that deliver your email. Export your records first, and change only the website records when you can.
How long does a domain transfer take, and can I transfer right after buying?
ICANN says a registrar may refuse a transfer within 60 days of initial registration, and a contact change usually triggers a 60-day transfer lock. Your registrar must provide the transfer code within five calendar days if it has no self-service option.
Written by the team at Clouds Agency, a Los Angeles creative and production consulting agency.