Your domain name is your address on the internet, such as yourbusiness.co.uk. It is printed on your van, your cards and your invoices. Customers type it in to find you, and your business email probably runs on it too.
So here is a simple question: is it actually registered to you?
Many small business owners assume it is. Often it was set up years ago by a web designer, a friend or a nephew who was "good with computers". If it was registered in their name, they control it, not you. That is fine while everyone gets on. It becomes a real problem if they disappear, fall out with you or simply forget to renew it.
Why owning your domain matters
Whoever is listed as the owner of a domain can:
- Point it at a different website
- Change or switch off your email
- Let it expire
- Refuse to hand it over
If your domain expires and is not renewed in time, it can eventually be released for anyone to register. That could include a competitor, or someone who wants to sell it back to you.
You can rebuild a website. Losing the address that everyone already knows is much harder to fix.
A few terms in plain English
- Registrant: the legal owner of the domain. This should be you or your business.
- Registrar: the company the domain is registered through. You pay them to keep it.
- Registry: the organisation that runs a whole ending. For .uk, .co.uk and similar, that is Nominet.
- WHOIS: a public lookup that shows details about a domain, such as the registrar and expiry date.
How to check who owns your domain
Step 1: Do a WHOIS lookup
Search for a WHOIS lookup tool and type in your domain. For .uk domains, Nominet's own lookup is a good place to start. You will usually see:
- The registrar
- The date it was registered
- The expiry or renewal date
For privacy reasons, the owner's personal details are often hidden. That is normal. It does not mean something is wrong.
Step 2: Contact the registrar
Once you know the registrar, contact them, or log in if you already have an account. Ask them to confirm the registrant name on the domain. If it is your name or your business name, good. If it is your designer's name or their company, you need to fix it.
Step 3: Note the renewal date
Write down when it expires and put a reminder in your calendar well before. Check whether it is set to renew automatically, and that the payment card on file is still valid. An out of date card is a common reason domains lapse.
How to move your domain into your name
If someone else is listed as the owner, there are two separate jobs. It helps to know the difference.
Changing the owner
This is called a change of registrant. The domain stays with the same registrar, but the legal owner changes to you. The current owner normally needs to agree to it. If your designer is happy to help, this can be quick. Ask them to start the change, or ask the registrar what they need from both of you.
If the current owner will not cooperate or cannot be found, contact the registrar and explain the situation. For .uk domains, Nominet has processes for disputes and for proving you are the rightful owner. Keep any evidence that the domain belongs to your business, such as invoices, your trading history under that name and your business registration details.
Moving to a different registrar
This is called a transfer. You might want to do this so the domain sits in an account you control. For .uk domains, transfers between registrars work using a code called an IPS tag, which identifies the registrar. For other endings, such as .com, you usually need an authorisation code from the current registrar. Your new registrar will explain the steps.
Prices for registering, renewing and transferring vary between registrars, so check before you commit.
Good habits to keep
- Register the domain in your own or your business's name
- Use an email address you will always have access to, not a designer's or an old one
- Keep the login details somewhere safe
- Turn on automatic renewal and keep the payment card up to date
- If someone else manages it for you, ask for written confirmation that you are the registrant
What to expect from whoever builds your site
A good web designer will be clear that the domain is yours. They may manage it day to day, but you should be the owner on record and be able to take it with you if you leave.
That is how we work at We are Graft. The site, domain, content and data belong to you, and once the 12-month minimum is complete you can leave and take them with you. Nothing is held hostage. You can read more on our pricing page and in our FAQ.
Not sure where you stand?
If you have looked up your domain and the results do not make sense, or you have found it is in someone else's name, get in touch. We will help you work out what you have and what to do next. You can also message us on WhatsApp on 07459415807.