How to find where your domain is registered
Step-by-step guide to finding out which registrar holds your domain name, even if you didn't set it up yourself.
Not sure which company holds your domain name? This is more common than you'd think — especially if someone else registered it for you, or if your business has changed hands. Here's how to find out quickly.
Quick summary
You can look up any domain's registrar for free using a WHOIS lookup tool. Visit a site like lookup.icann.org and type your domain name. The results show who registered it, when it expires, and which nameservers it uses.
What you're looking for
When you look up your domain, you want to find:
- Registrar — the company you pay to hold the domain (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, etc.)
- Expiry date — when the domain needs to be renewed
- Registrant contact — the name and email address on the registration
- Nameservers — which DNS provider controls the domain's DNS records
Method 1: WHOIS lookup (recommended)
WHOIS is a public database that stores registration information for domain names.
Go to the ICANN lookup tool. Open your browser and visit lookup.icann.org.
Type your domain name. Enter just the domain, like yourbusiness.com — no www, no https://.
Click Search. The results will appear within a few seconds.
Find the registrar. Look for a line that says "Registrar:" — that's the company that holds your domain.
Note the expiry date. Look for "Registry Expiry Date:" so you know when renewal is due.
Privacy protection may hide contact details
If the domain has WHOIS privacy enabled, the registrant name and email may show a privacy service address rather than your real details. That's normal — the registrar information is still visible. See Domain privacy protection explained.
Method 2: Check your email inbox
If someone registered the domain on your behalf, search your email for:
- The registrar name (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.)
- Subject lines like "domain registration," "domain renewal," or "welcome to [registrar]"
- Payment receipts from a domain company
Method 3: Ask the person who set it up
If a previous developer, employee, or agency registered your domain, they should be able to tell you who the registrar is and hand over access. It's important that the account is in your name.
Make sure you have access to your own domain
If the domain is registered under someone else's name or email, ask them to transfer ownership to you. This is important — if you part ways, you need to be able to access and manage your domain independently. See Who owns your domain (and why it matters).
What to do once you know the registrar
Log in to the registrar's website and make sure:
- Your email address is listed as the registrant contact.
- Auto-renew is turned on. See Turning on auto-renew.
- The account uses a current payment method.
- Two-factor authentication is enabled on the account.
Common questions
Related guides
- Who owns your domain (and why it matters)
- Domain vs hosting vs email
- Nameservers vs DNS records
- Turning on auto-renew
- Give us access to manage your DNS
Need a hand?
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