To register domain names, you need to use ICANN-accredited domain name providers. Only registrars accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) are authorized for registering .com, .net, .org and other domain names with the official registry. ICANN is the governing body that oversees the domain name industry, as appointed by the U.S. government.
1. The domain names you register for are called “top level domains”, or TLDs.
2. Common TLDs include: .com, .net, .org, .biz, .info, .us, .name, .cc, .ws, etc.
3. You register the name through a “registrar”, such as Verisign or Register.com.
4. Your domain name can be transferred from one registrar to another for a fee.
5. Domain names can be registered for periods of 1 to 10 years at a time.
6. The name and contact information you register with will be publicly available.
7. The registrar will make this information available to the public on a “Whois” site.
8. You must supply your registrar with your hosting provider’s DNS information.
