What is a domain registrar?¶
A domain registrar is the customer-facing organisation through which a domain is registered, renewed and managed. It may hold valuable account records, but it is not necessarily the website host or operator.
What a registrar may hold¶
Registrar records may include:
- registration-account details;
- contact information;
- payment and renewal history;
- account access records;
- support communications; and
- changes made to domain configuration.
The exact records available depend on the provider and relevant period.
Registrar is not the same as host¶
The registrar may have no role in storing website content or operating the server visited by users.
Some companies provide both registration and hosting, but those functions may still use different systems and customer accounts.
Resellers and transfers¶
A customer may obtain a domain through a reseller, web-design company or hosting provider. The accredited registrar shown in technical records may not be the organisation that dealt directly with the customer.
Domains can also be transferred between registrars. Identify the registrar responsible at the relevant time, not merely the current provider.
When making an enquiry, specify the exact domain, relevant dates and records sought. A broad request for “all website records” may be misdirected.
Key takeaway
The registrar manages the domain-registration relationship. It may hold account, payment and access evidence, but it is not automatically the host, website operator or source of the content.