The ownership of a domain name, known as the "domain registrant" or "domain holder," refers to the person, organization, or business that has registered the domain and thus holds the rights to use it. This ownership information is maintained in a public database called WHOIS, which records details such as the registrant's contact information, registration and expiration dates, and the registrar used for the domain purchase. To find out who owns a domain, one can:
- Visit the website directly and check for contact information or sales offers.
- Use a WHOIS lookup tool to access registration details.
- Contact the domain registrar if WHOIS information is privacy-protected.
- Reach out via social media or use a domain broker if direct contact fails.
Some domain owners choose to privacy-protect their information, masking their personal data in WHOIS records, but a registrar or privacy service may forward messages on behalf of the owner. Additionally, domain names cannot be permanently purchased; they are registered for a fixed term (usually 1-10 years) and must be renewed periodically to maintain ownership.
