Who should own my website and domain? How to avoid getting locked in
Short answer
You should. Your domain name should be registered in your name, on a registrar account you control; your hosting should be on an account you own (or can take over); and you should be able to get a full copy of your site's files. If a web designer controls all three, you can lose your website, and sometimes your email, if the relationship ends.
How do businesses lose their websites?
- The designer registered the domain in their name, then disappears or demands a fee to transfer it.
- The site runs on a proprietary platform that only works while you keep paying.
- A contract quietly says the design belongs to the agency.
- Nobody remembers which account holds the domain, and it expires.
How do I make sure I own my domain?
- Look it up. A WHOIS or registration lookup shows which registrar holds your domain. Many registrars hide the owner's details for privacy, so also ask your designer directly.
- Get your own registrar login (Cloudflare, Namecheap, GoDaddy, and so on), with the domain in your name and your email on file.
- Turn on auto-renew and keep a valid card on the account.
- Use two-factor authentication. A hijacked registrar account can take down your site and email at once.
What about hosting and the code?
Ideally, hosting runs on an account in your name, with your designer added as a team member. Ask for a copy of the site's files at launch. For a static site, that's a folder you could host almost anywhere. For WordPress, it's a full backup including the database.
How long does it take to move a domain?
Usually five to seven days once you have the transfer authorization code. Note that domains generally can't be transferred to a new registrar for 60 days after they're registered or previously transferred, so don't wait until a crisis.
What should my web design contract say?
- You own the final website content and custom code once it's paid for.
- The domain is registered in your name.
- What happens, and what you receive, if either side ends the relationship.
Hardline WebWorks calls this the “no hostage” promise: your domain, hosting, and code are in your name from day one. Read more on the security page.
Common questions
My web designer won't give me my domain. What can I do?
Start with a written request for the transfer authorization code. If the domain is registered in your business's name, the registrar can often help you regain control with proof of identity. If it's in the designer's name, you may need to negotiate, so check your contract.
Is it bad if my designer hosts my website?
Not necessarily, as long as you can get your files and move them whenever you want. The risk is when you can't.
Who should own the Google Business Profile?
You. Add your designer or marketer as a manager, never as the primary owner.
Founder of Hardline WebWorks in Lacey, Washington. Web developer with a background in networking and offensive security. About Isaiah