Do You Really Own Your Domain?

Anytime you register a domain name it is required to pay an annual fee to keep that registration in your possession.  But technically you don’t own the domain name.  It is more like you are leasing it.  You never actually stop paying for it and you can lose it for a number of reasons like failing to pay the renewal fees or intentionally providing false information for the registration.

Here’s an easier way to look at it.  Registering a domain is like leasing office space for a business.  You sign an agreement for set amount of time and when the end of the agreement is reached you can choose to renew or not.  But in the meantime, you are able to use that office space as your very own.  So for all intents and purposes it is like owning because you have all the benefits of usage and such but without the actual ownership.

So does this really make a difference?  In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t really.  But many hosting companies are offering free domain names with a hosting purchase and people are believing that the domain is registered forever.   But this is not the case.

So to say that registering a domain means that you own it is not exactly true.  That’s why it is so important to remember to keep on top of your domain name so you don’t lose it to someone else waiting to take it away from you.