The domain: who is the registrant?
Short answer
You should own three things outright: the domain registration, the hosting account (or a full copy of the site), and the rights to the design, copy, and code you paid for. If any one sits with your designer, you depend on them.
Your domain name is leased from a registrar (the company you pay each year). Whoever is listed as the registrant is the legal holder, and whoever controls the registrar account controls where the domain points.
| Term | What it means | Who it should be |
|---|---|---|
| Registrant | The legal holder of the domain | You or your business |
| Registrar account | The login where the domain is managed and renewed | Yours, with your email on it |
| Admin and tech contacts | People the registrar may contact about the domain | You, plus your designer if useful |
To check, search your domain on ICANN Lookup. It shows the registrar, and the registrant where privacy settings don't hide it. The reliable test is simple: can you log in to that registrar account yourself?
Hosting and admin logins
The domain is the address; hosting is where the site actually lives. They're often with different companies, and each has its own account.
- Hosting account. Ideally in your name. If your designer hosts it for you, you should be able to get a full copy of the site on request.
- Site admin. Your own login to the site's back end (a CMS dashboard or builder account), not a shared one.
- Builder platforms. Wix and Squarespace sites live inside an account. If the designer built yours in their account, ask them to transfer the site to yours. These sites generally can't be exported as working code, so leaving the platform means a rebuild.
- Everything else. Analytics, Google Business Profile, email, and form tools should be in your accounts too.
Design and code rights
This is the part most owners don't expect. Under US copyright law, the person who creates a work owns the copyright unless there's a written agreement saying otherwise. A website built by an independent contractor usually doesn't qualify as a "work made for hire" on its own, so you need the contract to assign the rights to you.
| Piece | Who usually owns it | What to get in writing |
|---|---|---|
| Custom design and code | The creator, unless assigned | Assignment of rights to you on final payment |
| Copy written for you | The writer, unless assigned | Included in the same assignment |
| Your logo, photos, and text you supplied | You | Nothing; just keep the originals |
| Themes, plugins, fonts, stock photos | Their makers; you hold a licence | Which licences are in your name, and when they renew |
This is a plain-English overview, not legal advice. Copyright rules differ by country, and contracts vary. For anything disputed, talk to a lawyer. The US Copyright Office's circular on works made for hire is linked in the sources below.
Warning signs
Most designers aren't holding anything hostage. These signs mean you should sort ownership out now, while relations are good.
- You've never logged in to your registrar, hosting, or site admin.
- Domain renewal invoices come from your designer, not a registrar.
- The contract says the site is licensed to you or that the designer keeps the rights.
- Your site would go offline if you stopped a monthly fee, with no option to take it with you.
- Requests for access get deferred, or come back with a new fee attached.
Real disputes do happen. Domain Name Wire reported a 2015 case in which a Miami chef alleged his web designer was holding his domain name hostage. Marketplace buyers raise similar worries on Fiverr's community forum. See our Fiverr comparison for how ownership works on gigs.
How to get access back
Work through these in order. Most cases resolve at step two or three.
- Map itFind the registrar, host, and platform for your site.
- Ask in writingRequest the transfer code, admin access, and files.
- Settle upPay anything you legitimately owe.
- Call the registrarIf you're the registrant, they can help.
- TransferUnlock the domain and move it to your account.
- Move the siteRestore or rebuild, then point the domain.
What to ask for, exactly
- The domain's transfer authorization code (sometimes called an EPP or auth code), with the domain unlocked, or a push to your registrar account.
- An admin login in your name for the site, and for the hosting account if it's yours.
- A full backup of the site files and database, or a platform transfer to your account.
Registrars can restrict transfers for a period after a domain is registered, transferred, or has its registrant changed, so allow time. The rules are in ICANN's transfer policy. If the domain is registered to the designer and they won't cooperate, get legal advice before you spend money on a rebuild.
Our policy
Everything we build is yours once the project is paid in full. In practice:
| What | Who owns it with us |
|---|---|
| Domain | You. Registered to you or your business. |
| Design, copy we write, and code | Yours on final payment. |
| Site files | Handed over if you move to another host or developer. |
| Website Care ($500/mo) | Optional and month to month. Cancel anytime and keep your site. |
The same answer is in our FAQ. If you're vetting other designers, take our list of questions to ask before you hire with you.
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Questions people ask
Does my web designer own my website?
It depends on three separate things: whose name the domain is registered in, whose account the hosting is in, and what your contract says about copyright. In the US, copyright in a design or code belongs to its creator unless there's a written agreement transferring it. If your contract is silent, ask for a written assignment.
My web designer won't give me access to my website. What can I do?
Ask in writing for exactly what you need: the domain transfer code, admin access, and the site files. Settle anything you legitimately owe. If that fails and the domain is registered to you, your registrar can help you regain the account. If it's registered to the designer, talk to a lawyer about your options.
How do I find out who owns my domain?
Search it on ICANN Lookup, which shows the registrar and, where it isn't redacted for privacy, the registrant. The registrar is the company to contact. The most reliable check is logging in to that registrar account yourself.
Can I move my Wix or Squarespace site to another designer?
You can usually transfer a builder site between accounts on the same platform, and you can point your domain anywhere. What you generally can't do is export a Wix or Squarespace site as working code to host elsewhere. Moving platforms means rebuilding.
Is it normal for a designer to keep the domain in their name?
It happens, often for convenience rather than bad intent, but it shouldn't. The domain should be registered to you or your business, with the designer given access if they need it.
Do I own the site if I'm on a monthly plan?
With us, yes. Once your build is paid in full the site is yours, whether or not you keep Website Care. Some providers use a rental model where you never own the site; that's legitimate if it's disclosed up front, but know which one you're buying.
Sources
Third-party prices on this page are commonly cited ranges as of 2026, gathered from the pages below. They are not quotes. Our own prices come from our published pricing page.
- ICANN Lookup (domain registration data)
- ICANN: Transfer Policy
- U.S. Copyright Office: Works made for hire (Circular 30)
- Southtown Designs: Does my web designer own my website?
- Domain Name Wire: Chef alleges web designer is holding domain name hostage
- Fiverr Community: Advice needed with a nightmarish Fiverr experience