A domain registrar is a business entity accredited by ICANN or a national registry operator to manage the reservation of Internet domain names. Registrars act as intermediaries between the registrant (end-user) and the registry, which maintains the authoritative database of all domain names in a specific top-level domain (TLD).
How it works
The registration process involves verifying name availability and submitting registrant information to the registry. The registrar does not sell the domain permanently but leases the right to use it for a specific period, typically 1 to 10 years. Upon payment, the registrar updates WHOIS records and points the domain to the specified nameservers.
Key registrar responsibilities include:
- Renewing registrations and implementing transfer locks such as
clientTransferProhibited. - Managing DNS resource records including A, MX, and CNAME.
- Validating registrant contact information as required by industry policy.
Switching between providers is handled via a transfer process using a unique Auth-Code or EPP code. As of recent data, there are over 2,500 ICANN-accredited registrars globally, with the largest entities managing portfolios of over 50 million active domains.