Websites and digital presence
Who owns your domain name?
A small-business checklist for checking who controls the domain name your website and email rely on.
What you will learn
You'll know what to check before domain ownership or renewal becomes urgent.
Before you continue
Do not transfer, cancel or change domain details without understanding the impact.
Stop and get specialist help if the domain is controlled by an unknown party, disputed account, former provider or inaccessible email address.
Why ownership matters
Your domain name may control your website address and business email. If the wrong person controls it, simple changes can become difficult.
This often becomes visible only during a renewal, website move or email problem.
Find the registrar
The registrar is the company that manages the domain registration. Look for renewal emails, invoices or account records.
Do not assume the website builder, host and registrar are the same business.
Check the registrant details
The registrant should be the correct business or authorised person. If a former developer, staff member or unknown account controls the domain, treat it as a priority to review.
Do not change details in a rush if the domain is currently working.
Check access to the account
The business should know which account signs in to the registrar. Check that recovery email addresses and phone numbers are current.
Avoid relying on one person’s personal email account if the domain is a business asset.
Record renewal information
Write down the renewal date, registrar and payment method. Keep this with the business technology inventory, not in a password list.
This helps you recognise real renewals and question suspicious ones.
What to expect
You can identify the registrar, registrant and access path for the business domain.
Sources and further reading
- Domain names · auDA
Supports .au domain registration and registrant context.
- WHOIS · auDA
Supports checking public .au domain registration information.