# Domain name

> A domain name is your website's address on the internet. Visitors and your email find you through it. It is rented from a registrar and belongs to whoever it is registered to.

- URL: https://radkod.com/en/glossary/domain-name
- Publisher: RadKod
- Published: 2026-07-28

## What is a domain name?

A domain name is the address people type to reach your site, such as yourcompany.com. You do not buy it outright. You rent it from a registrar for a period and renew it before it expires. Whoever it is registered to controls it.

Here is an everyday case. An agency built your site years ago and registered the domain in its own account. You parted ways. Now you want to move the site to another server or change your email settings, and you cannot, because the domain sits in their account.

## Why does it matter?

The domain is the address of both your website and your email. Lose it and both can stop. It should always be in your company's name, in an account you can log into. We cover this in detail in [who should own your domain](/en/blog/who-should-own-your-domain). How the domain points visitors to your server is explained under [DNS](/en/glossary/dns).

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I get a domain name?

You rent it from a registrar, usually by the year. Check that the name is free on the registrar's site and register it with your company details. Keep the account login inside your company.

### What happens if my domain expires?

Your website and email stop working. There is a short grace period for renewal, and after that someone else can register the name. Turning on auto-renew and keeping the registrant email current is the simplest safeguard.

### What is the difference between a domain and hosting?

The domain is the address. Hosting is the server that runs at that address. They can come from different companies, and DNS records point visitors from the domain to the right server.

### How do I move a domain my agency registered into my name?

Ask the agency for the transfer code and move the domain to a registrar account in your company's name. Some country extensions follow a different process. Copy your DNS records before the move.