Glossary · Domains and ownership
Domain registrar
A company authorized to register domain names and maintain the registrant's account and renewal relationship.
Also called: registrar
Definition
A domain registrar records the registrant, manages renewal and transfer controls, and sends the domain's authoritative nameserver choices to the registry. It may also sell hosting or email, but those are separate services.
Why it matters
Registrar access is a core ownership dependency because it controls renewal, recovery, transfer, and nameserver changes.
Common misunderstanding
The website designer, host, and registrar do not have to be the same company.
Ownership implications
The business should control the registrant account, recovery methods, renewal settings, and transfer lock.
Related terms
Related system family: Hosting & Release
Sources
Last reviewed July 16, 2026