Where are Domains Registered?

Register a domain name with a registrar. Once at the site, enter the domain you wish to register in the search or register box provided, it almost always has .com as the default extension. After entering your domain name and choice of extension, click search and in a few minutes the results will be displayed on the screen.

The domain registrar site (place where you register your domain) sends a message to ICANN (the parent organization which actually holds your domain registration) to check availability (you will be required to wait a few minutes). If available you can go ahead and register it, if not then you can continue to search for an alternative name. Generally the registrar will also provide hints of different domain names that are still available and suitable for your use. If you are not sure, don't fret you can always return with a new name. Country code domain registrations are held by the countries own organization (eg: CIRA for .ca Canadian Domains).

Registering a domain name

Note:

Check Domain Pricing at the site prior to registering, many registrars have exorbitant domain costs. I register all my domains at http://www.foxtrotdomains.com, they are probably one of the lowest on the net.
Do not go for those deals where you pay for hosting and get a free domain. It is only free as long as you host with them, if you ever decide to move elsewhere you will either pay a higher then normal fee or may have an issue registering that domain since it could belong to them. So check before you get into that situation.

Once you have registered and paid for a domain, you cannot "return" and get a refund, even if you do it immediately after your initial registration. So please make sure of your domain name spelling and the extension at registration time.

Some country domains require you to scan through their agreement, acknowledge it, ensure you have a presence in the country (either a citizen or business address, depends on the country) and then you can proceed with registration. For Canadian Domains (.ca), after you register your .ca domain with a registrar, CIRA (Canadian Internet Registration Authority) the Canadian body of .ca domain registration will forward you a link to their site which requires you to reconfirm your .ca domain registration, once you have done that your .ca domain is confirmed. I believe CIRA gives you approx 7 days for confirmation.

Certain registrars will not allow you to register domain names that could infringe on copyright laws. Some really don't care. Deal with reputable registrars and be careful. For instance if you register a name that breaks the copyright law it will be a problem for you, if not now in the very near future.

Buy your domain name for 1 year only, you can renew it every year. A good domain registrar will allow you to setup automatic renewals so you don't forget. They will also remind you of all upcoming renewals via e-mail. You do save a bit if you register for 5 or 10 years, but what if you don't want it after 2 years, then you lost your money. Save your money.

Register the domain name yourself, DO NOT have some person or company do it on your behalf, unless they are registering it on your name or company name. Trust me you will save and avoid a lot of headaches later on. I just received an e-newsletter where a company had a reputable firm design their website and also register the domain, well a couple of years later the two companies had a misunderstanding and now the web design company is hold its client (former) at a ransom and charging them a lot of money for the domain name. If you look at the broader picture, domain do not cost a lot of money, and if you are s serious about domain business on the net, then just pay for the domain and register it, do not procrastinate.

Once your domain is registered, you own that domain name for as long as you pay for it. During registration you can select the renewal plan you prefer; annually, biennially, every five years etc. Registrars generally inform you well in advance when domains are due to expire and the good ones allow you to set it up such that you can renew them automatically, so you never have to worry about your domains expiring. There are also scripts (modules of softwares) available that help you manage your domains, this is a really good idea for web masters that have hundreds of domains. Other domain registrars can arrange for all your domains (if you have many) to renew all on the same day.

Now that you have registered a domain, you are ready to setup a hosting account, plan and build your website.