How to Register a Domain Name: Step-by-Step

## How to Register a Domain Name: Step-by-Step Registering a domain name is one of the first things you do when starting a website, launching a business online, or protecting your brand on the internet. The process takes about 10 minutes and costs anywhere from $1 (introductory offer) to $20 per year for a standard `.com`. Here is exactly how it works. ## What You Need Before You Start Before you begin, have these ready: - **Your chosen domain name** — ideally with a backup option in case it is taken. See How to Choose Your First Domain Name if you are still deciding. - **A payment method** — credit card, PayPal, or another payment method accepted by your chosen Domain Registrar. - **Your contact details** — name, email address, phone number, and mailing address. These become your Registrant information. ## Step 1: Choose a Domain Registrar A Domain Registrar is an ICANN-accredited company authorized to sell domain name registrations. There are hundreds of them. Key factors to consider: **Price transparency:** Some registrars offer very low first-year prices but charge much more at renewal. Always check the renewal price, not just the registration price. **Renewal pricing:** A `.com` registered for $1 in year one that renews at $25/year is more expensive than one that costs $12 both years. **Interface quality:** You will manage DNS records, renew domains, and configure settings through the registrar's dashboard. A clean, usable interface matters. **Customer support:** When something goes wrong (and eventually it will), good support is invaluable. **Privacy protection:** Does the Domain Registrar offer free WHOIS Privacy protection, or does it charge extra? **Bundled services:** Many registrars also sell web hosting, email hosting, and SSL certificates. Bundling can be convenient but is not always the best value. **Popular registrars to consider:** - **Cloudflare Registrar** — At-cost pricing (no markup), free WHOIS Privacy, excellent DNS management. Requires Cloudflare account. - **Namecheap** — Competitive pricing, free WHOIS Privacy on most domains, good interface. - **Porkbun** — Very competitive pricing, free WHOIS Privacy, modern interface. - **Google Domains / Squarespace Domains** — Clean interface, free privacy, but fewer domain extensions available. - **GoDaddy** — Largest registrar by volume, but known for upsells and complicated checkout. Renewal prices can be high. ## Step 2: Search for Your Domain Name Every registrar has a domain search tool on their homepage. Type in your desired name and hit Enter. The search returns: - Whether your exact name is available in your chosen TLD (Top-Level Domain) - Availability in alternative TLDs (`.net`, `.org`, `.co`, etc.) - Alternative name suggestions if your first choice is taken If your name is available: great, proceed. If your name is taken: you have options: - Try a different TLD (Top-Level Domain) (`.co` instead of `.com`) - Add a word (`get`, `try`, `hello`, `app`) before or after the name - Try the Domain Name Generator for alternative ideas - Check if the current owner would sell (use WHOIS Lookup Tool to find their contact information) ## Step 3: Add to Cart and Review Upsells Once you have selected your domain, add it to your cart. Most registrars will present upsells at this stage. Know which ones you actually need: **Domain Privacy / WHOIS Protection** — Highly recommended. Replaces your personal contact details in the public WHOIS database with the registrar's proxy information. Often free at good registrars; worth paying for at others. See domain-privacy-whois for details. **Auto-renew** — Also recommended. Sets your domain to renew automatically before expiration. Without it, you risk accidentally losing your domain if you forget to renew manually. Auto-Renewal is almost always worth enabling. **SSL Certificate** — You probably do not need to buy this from your registrar. Free SSL is available through Let's Encrypt, which most web hosts offer automatically. **Web Hosting** — Do not buy hosting from your registrar unless you have done your research. Registrar-bundled hosting is often overpriced and lower quality than dedicated hosting providers. **Email Hosting** — Skip for now. You can set up professional email after your site is live. **Domain Lock** — Some registrars offer Domain Lock as a security feature (preventing unauthorized transfers). This is often enabled by default and is a good thing. ## Step 4: Create Your Account and Enter Contact Details You will need an account with the registrar. Create one with: - A strong, unique password - Your real email address (this is critical — renewal notices and account alerts go here) Then enter your Registrant contact details: - **Registrant name:** Your full legal name, or your company name for business registrations - **Organization:** Optional for individuals - **Email address:** Use a reliable email you will maintain long-term - **Phone number:** Required by ICANN - **Mailing address:** Required by ICANN If you have enabled WHOIS Privacy, these details will not appear publicly in the WHOIS database — but they still need to be accurate because ICANN requires truthful registration information. ## Step 5: Choose Your Registration Period Domain registrations can be purchased for 1 to 10 years at a time. Consider: **1 year:** Lowest upfront cost, but you must remember to renew. Enable Auto-Renewal if you choose this. **2-5 years:** Better value per year at some registrars, and reduces renewal risk. **10 years:** Maximum registration period. Good for domains you are absolutely committed to for the long term. Some SEOs claim longer registrations send a trust signal to search engines (this is unproven but harmless). ## Step 6: Complete Checkout Review your cart one final time: - Correct domain name (spelling!) - Correct TLD - Correct registration period - Privacy protection included - No unwanted upsells Enter your payment information and complete the purchase. ## Step 7: Verify Your Email Address ICANN requires all new domain registrants to verify their email address within 15 days of registration. You will receive a verification email immediately after purchase. Click the link in it. **Important:** If you do not verify your email, your domain may be suspended. Check your spam folder if you do not see the verification email. ## Step 8: Configure Your Domain After registration, your domain exists in the WHOIS database with your registrar's name servers as the default. To actually use the domain, you need to configure it: **To point your domain to a website:** Update the A Record or CNAME Record in your DNS settings to point to your web host's IP address or hostname. **To use your domain with a website builder:** Services like WordPress.com, Wix, Squarespace, or Shopify provide step-by-step instructions. Usually you either update the name servers to point to their DNS, or add specific DNS records they provide. **To change name servers:** If you are moving DNS management to another provider (like Cloudflare), update the name server (NS) settings in your registrar's dashboard. Enter the new Nameserver addresses provided by the new DNS provider. After making DNS changes, allow time for DNS Propagation — typically a few hours, rarely up to 48 hours. ## Common Mistakes at Registration **Typos in the domain name:** Always triple-check the spelling before paying. There are no refunds for domain registrations in most cases. **Using a throwaway email address:** All important communications — renewals, transfer authorizations, legal notices — go to your registrar account email. Use an email you will always have access to. **Disabling auto-renew:** Domains that expire can be registered by competitors or domain squatters within days. Enable Auto-Renewal and keep your payment method current. **Skipping privacy protection:** Your personal details in WHOIS attract spam, cold calls, and occasionally targeted phishing. Enable WHOIS Privacy. **Buying from the first registrar you find:** Price differences can be significant. A 5-minute comparison can save you money every year. ## After Registration: Keep Your Domain Safe - **Enable two-factor authentication** on your registrar account. - **Enable Domain Lock** (also called Registrar Lock or Transfer Lock) to prevent unauthorized transfers. - **Keep your contact details current** — especially your email address. - **Set a calendar reminder** for renewal, even with auto-renew enabled. ## Key Takeaways - Choose a Domain Registrar based on renewal price, interface quality, privacy protection, and support. - Enable WHOIS Privacy and Auto-Renewal at checkout. - Verify your email address within 15 days as required by ICANN. - Configure DNS after registration to point your domain to your website or hosting. - Protect your account with two-factor authentication and Domain Lock. For the next step, read Anatomy of a Domain: Subdomain, SLD, and TLD to understand how your domain is structured, or domain-privacy-whois to learn why privacy protection matters.