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To register a domain, search for the exact name and extension at a registrar, compare its renewal and transfer terms, complete registration, then point the domain to the DNS service that will direct visitors to your website or email. An availability search does not reserve the name; the registration is completed only through the registrar’s process.
1. Choose a domain name and check availability
Decide on the name and extension (also called a top-level domain, or TLD), such as example.com. Search for that exact combination using a registrar’s domain search. Availability is a point-in-time result: another person may register a name before you complete checkout, and searching alone does not hold it for you.
For background on how registration works, see ICANN’s domain name registration process. The cited sources do not establish the availability of any particular domain.
2. Choose a registrar carefully
A registrar is the company through which you register and manage a domain. For generic TLDs such as .com, registration is available through an ICANN-accredited registrar or a reseller. A reseller is not itself ICANN-accredited; the accredited registrar remains responsible for registrar services under its agreement. Country-code extensions, such as national or territory domains, are handled through the relevant country-code TLD operator, and their rules can differ. See ICANN’s explanation of registering domain names.
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For a generic TLD, you can check the ICANN-accredited registrar directory. If buying through a reseller, identify the registrar behind it and understand who provides support and account access.
- Price over time: Compare the initial registration price with the renewal price, and check whether any introductory rate is temporary.
- Renewal, expiration, and transfer terms: Read what happens if payment is late, how renewal works, and what restrictions or steps apply if you move the domain.
- Support: Check available contact methods and whether support is accessible when you need help with account access or a domain change.
- Account and DNS controls: Confirm that you can manage the settings you need and secure the account. Check whether privacy or DNS features are included, optional, or unavailable for the extension.
- Registration agreement: Review the contract before checkout. ICANN notes that it sets out important information, including fees and conditions for switching providers; see its registration FAQ.
There is no single registrar that can be called cheapest or best without a current comparison of the same TLD, term, renewal price, and service conditions.
3. Complete registration and keep control of the account
Once you choose an available name, follow the registrar’s checkout process. Supply the requested registrant and contact details, review the terms, and pay the stated fee. The registration is a contract with the registrar, and the account is where you manage important domain settings. ICANN’s registrant information explains the registrant’s role.
- Use an email address you can keep accessing; the registrar may use it for account and domain notices.
- Set a strong, unique password and enable available account-security protections, such as multifactor authentication.
- Keep the contact information current, and note the renewal date, renewal price, and expiration policy.
- Store account recovery information securely so you can retain access if you change devices or lose a password.
Registrations are for a chosen term and must be renewed under the provider’s terms. Do not assume that a privacy or redaction feature hides every detail: what registration information is visible depends on applicable policy and law. You can use ICANN Lookup to search registration data; ICANN says its lookup uses RDAP and may fall back to WHOIS for some domains, and public results may not show all registration information.
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4. Decide where DNS will be hosted
DNS translates domain names into information services use to find your website or email. Your registrar may also provide DNS hosting, or you can use a separate DNS provider. Keeping both with one provider can make initial setup simpler; separating them gives you a distinct DNS service to manage. Either way, use the provider’s exact setup instructions.
If using a separate DNS host, first create or configure the domain’s DNS zone there. Copy the nameservers assigned by that provider, then enter those nameservers in the domain’s settings at the registrar. AWS documents this arrangement for a domain registered elsewhere in its guide to configuring DNS routing for a new domain.
5. Add the DNS records your services require
Get the required host names and values from your website host, site builder, email provider, or DNS provider. Do not guess an IP address or mail server: an incorrect value can send visitors or email to the wrong destination or prevent the service from working.
| Record | What it does | What to enter |
|---|---|---|
| A | Maps a name to an IPv4 address. | The IPv4 value provided by the service you are connecting. |
| AAAA | Maps a name to an IPv6 address. | The IPv6 value provided by the service. |
| CNAME | Points a hostname to another hostname. | The destination hostname specified by the service. Standard DNS does not allow a CNAME at the zone apex (the root name, such as example.com); follow your DNS provider’s instructions for the root domain. |
| MX | Routes email for a domain to mail servers. | The mail-server names and any priority values supplied by the email provider. |
| TXT | Often used for service verification and other text-based data. | The exact text string supplied by the service requesting verification. |
Record behavior and formats are described in AWS’s supported DNS record types and basic record values documentation. These examples explain common DNS records; they are not a comparison of DNS providers.
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6. Verify the setup and troubleshoot delays
Check that the registrar lists the nameservers for the DNS host you intend to use. In that DNS host’s zone, verify that each record has the correct name or host and the exact value the destination service supplied. Follow the web or email provider’s own verification steps as well.
Changes may not appear everywhere immediately because DNS resolvers cache information. There is no universal propagation time. AWS says nameserver changes can take up to two days in the circumstances documented in its nameserver and glue records guidance; this is not a guaranteed delay for every provider or change.
- The site does not load: Confirm the domain’s nameservers match the active DNS host, and check the website provider’s required A, AAAA, or CNAME values.
- Email does not arrive: Confirm the MX records match the email provider’s instructions, and check any additional records that provider requires.
- A change seems missing: Recheck the saved nameserver or record values, then allow for resolver caching before making repeated changes.
If moving a domain that already serves a website or email, copy its existing DNS records before changing nameservers, and recreate the needed records at the new DNS host. AWS warns that failing to follow its Route 53 migration process can leave a domain unavailable on the internet for up to two days. That warning applies to the migration guidance AWS documents, not to every DNS change.
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