Now that you have presumably decided on the domain name(s) you are going to register, the next step is to choose a Registrar and register the domain name. You will find a good selection of Registrars in the Domain Resources section of this site.

While each Registrar may have slightly different requirements in terms of the information you will need to provide when registering a domain name, a registration generally requires 5 pieces of information:-

A) Registrant

This is the company or individual to whom the domain name actually belongs.

B) Administrative Contact

This is a person authorized to make certain changes to the domain name, such as alter the address associated with that domain name.

C) Technical Contact

This is a person authorized to make certain changes to the domain name, such as alter the DNS servers associated with that domain name.

D) Billing Contact

This is the person to whom all bills and other correspondence will be sent.

E) DNS Server Settings

This is where you specify the primary and secondary DNS server settings you would like to associate with the domain name.

NOTES:

1) It is possible to specify the same person or company for each of A-D above i.e. you can specify the same Administrative, Technical and Billing contact

2) In practice, there is very little to distinguish the roles of B-D.

3) Some Registrars may streamline the registration process, or may not even allow you to enter certain information (some do not require Billing Contact information, for instance). BE CAREFUL: If a Registrar does not ask for registrant information, you should be cautious and read every inch of their terms and conditions carefully... some unscrupulous Registrars take their client's money, set their clients up as the Admin, Technical and Billing contacts, but put THEMSELVES as the Registrant (which effectively means that registrar ends up "owning" all the domain names belonging to its customers).

4) You will also be asked for payment information, but payment procedures vary widely from Registrar to Registrar.

5) You may be asked for additional information, such as a user name and password (so that you can log into the Registrar's control panel and make changes to your domain name information)

6) Some Registrars may let you register multiple domain names in bulk, others will require you to go through the whole lengthy registration process for every name you want to register.

	While it may seem very tempting to use a false name and address when registering a domain name (to maintain your privacy and keep your personal details out of the reach of direct marketers) there are a number of downsides to this approach:- A) It is, theoretically at least, against the registration rules of most Registrars. There have been several cases in which domain owners have been forced to provide accurate contact information at short notice, or risk losing their domains. B) You run the risk of not finding out about important changes that could affect your domain name. e.g. if you don't supply a real "snail mail" address, your registrar may not alert you when it's time to renew your domain name registration. C) You cannot be contacted for legal challenges. While this may sound like a positive benefit, you actually run the risk of losing your domain name by default if you do not respond to a complaint against the domain. If you really want to maintain your privacy, the following steps can help:- A) Register the domain name in the name of the domain name (this is frowned upon, but so far most registrars seem to let this pass). e.g. if you register "vinegar.com" then enter "vinegar.com" as the name of the domain owner. B) Consider opening a mailbox with a company that offers such services so that you can supply an address that is not traceable back to you, yet still be assured you'll receive all important correspondence relating to your domain name. Here's a list of some companies in the mailbox rental business.

Remember to write down the URL of the Registrar you used to register your domain name; occasionally, an emailed or mailed confirmation can go astray and you'll have no record of which domain name you registered or where you registered it. This information is key if you need to make changes later.

When registering, certain registrars offer a variety of ways to "protect" your domain name against unauthorized tampering. This is the focus of the next section...

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