Domain name FAQ

• What is a domain name?
• What can I use a domain name for?
• How much does it cost to register a domain name?
• How long does it take to register a domain name?
• The domain is for a client. Whose name should I register it in?
• Can I register a private domain name to hide my details?
• How long can I register a domain name for?
• How do I transfer my domain name registration to Donhost?
• Can I transfer my domain name away from Donhost?
• Is there a discount if I purchase domains in bulk?
• Which domain extensions do you sell?
• How can I register a domain with a different extension?
• The domain I wanted is taken. What can I do?

What is a domain name?

A domain name is the address entered to reach a website. Our domain name is donhost.co.uk.

A domain name is often simply referred to as a 'domain' or 'web address'.

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What can I use a domain name for?

Most people and businesses use domain names to help people find their websites. The domain name is usually related to their name, their brand or something memorable.

You can also use a domain name to create email addresses (yourname@yourdomain.co.uk). Most businesses have domain names because they help create a professional identity for the company.

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How much does it cost to register a domain name?

Domain name registration is charged annually. Pricing can be seen towards the top of this page - click the down arrow beneath the search box to see domain costs.

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How long does it take to register a domain name?

Once you confirm you want to buy a domain name, we register it for you straight away. However, it can take up to 48 hours for the domain information to propagate across the internet.

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The domain is for a client. Whose name should I register it in?

If you are purchasing the domain on behalf of another individual or company, you should use their details for the registrant information. This will ensure their ownership of the domain is correctly recorded.

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Can I register a private domain name to hide my details?

Information about domain name owners is called the WHOIS information. It is stored in publicly-accessible databases.

Some domain extensions allow you to register a private domain name, so your details are excluded from the WHOIS information. The extensions for which you can keep your details private are:

• .co.uk
• .me.uk
• .org.uk

To do this, you must be registering the private domain name as an individual, not a company, and choose the WHOIS opt-out option when you buy the domain.

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How long can I register a domain name for?

It depends on the type of domain name you are registering:

Domain	Term
.co.uk, .me.uk, .org.uk	2 years
.com, .net, .info, .org, .biz	up to 5 years

You can always renew your domain name(s) before they expire.

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How do I transfer my domain name registration to Donhost?

You can transfer domains with the following extensions to Donhost:

• .com
• .co.uk
• .net
• .org
• .biz
• .info
• .org.uk
• .me.uk

If you have an existing Donhost account, you can transfer domain registration through your Donhost control panel. Please see our support area for full instructions.

If you do not have a Donhost account, you can transfer domain registration to us when you buy a service like web hosting or a dedicated server. You will be given this option when you purchase the service.

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Can I transfer my domain name away from Donhost?

Yes. You can transfer your domain registration from Donhost to another domain company. There is no charge for this and no need to call us. You can perform the transfer directly from the manage domains section of your Donhost control panel.

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Is there a discount if I purchase domains in bulk?

You can buy domain names at substantially-reduced prices if you buy them in bulk. We use a token system to handle the reduced price: you buy the tokens first, then each token allows you to purchase a single domain name for one year.

Get full information how to purchase bulk domains in the key facts section.

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Which domain extensions do you sell?

You can register domains ending in the following extensions:

• .com
• .co.uk
• .net
• .org
• .biz
• .info
• .org.uk
• .me.uk

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How can I register a domain with a different extension?

If you wish to register a domain ending in an extension which we do not offer, you can register more extensions through our sister company, 123-reg. Use the 123-reg domain name search to find the address you want.

123-reg allows you to point your domain name(s) to Donhost servers.

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The domain I wanted is taken. What can I do?

You could contact the owner of the domain and offer to buy it from them. Alternatively, consider registering a different (but similar) domain, or using a different domain extension.

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