Who owns domain names before they are bought?
When you register a new domain name it feels like you’re claiming a piece of online real estate for the first time.
But every domain has a history going back to its creation. Before someone registers a domain, there is usually an owner or entity that holds and manages registrations.
In this post we’ll look at how domain names come into existence, who keeps track of unregistered domains, and the process that makes domains available for the public to purchase and own.
How Domain Names Are Born
To understand who owns an unused domain name, you first need to know where domain names originate:
- ICANN oversees domain namespaces – ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, manages the DNS root zone registries and approves new top level domains (TLDs) like .com and .blog.
- Registries operate TLDs – Organizations called registries work with ICANN to operate specific TLDs, coordinate domains within that namespace, and maintain Whois data.
- Registrars connect domains and users – Domain registrars like GoDaddy and Namecheap purchase domains from registries to sell to customers. This allows the public to buy domains.
So in essence, ICANN coordinates the creation of new domain extensions while registries functionally own and manage unregistered domains for those TLDs until they are sold through registrars.
Who Owns Unregistered Domain Names?
When a new top level domain is introduced, like .blog or .dev, the registry appointed to manage it functionally owns all possible domains under that TLD initially. For example:
.blog– Owned by registry Knock Knock WHOIS There.dev– Owned by registry Google Registry
These registries don’t directly profit from owning inactive domains. But they maintain the listing of available names and coordinate registrations as their role.
Each registry has its own registrar through which domains can be purchased. With .blog it’s https://get.blog and with .dev it’s https://get.dev. So while registries oversee unclaimed domains, you still need to go through ICANN-approved registrars to buy them.
Some key registries and the TLDs they manage include:
| Registry | TLDs Managed |
|---|---|
| Verisign | .com, .net, .name |
| Public Interest Registry | .org |
| Neustar | .biz, .co |
| Afilias | .info, .mobi, .pro |
So in summary, entities like Verisign functionally own and manage all inactive .com domains until they are registered through a domain registrar.
How Unregistered Domains Become Available
If registries own inactive domains, how do those names become available for the public to register? Here are the main ways:
- New TLD launches – When ICANN approves a new TLD, the registry makes all possible domains in that extension available for registration.
- Expired domains – If someone lets a purchased domain expire, it may enter a 30-90-day redemption period before the registry can make it available again.
- Deleted domains – Domains removed from registrar accounts permanently return to the registry’s pool of names to register.
- Dropped domains – Dropped domains were registered before but had incomplete registrations failures and never went live.
- Reservations – Registries sometimes reserve premium domains, holding them inactive before special releases.
So, while the pool starts large when a TLD launches, it’s also replenished over time by expirations and deletions. The registry manages this flow of names.
Why Registries Maintain Unregistered Domains
There are practical technical reasons why registries function as custodians for inactive domains instead of releasing everything at once:
- Ensures availability – Registries keep domains on reserve to ensure there’s inventory available to meet registration demand.
- Rate limiting – Releasing domains slowly and steadily prevents spikes in registrations that could overwhelm systems.
- Technical operations – Domains need to point to nameservers and registries facilitate this behind the scenes, which requires some oversight before registration.
- Domain dispute resolution – Registries have some rights to hold disputed domains pending resolution of conflicts over rights to that name.
- Prevent domain hijacking – Having registries maintain names until registration helps prevent third parties trying to falsely claim domains.
So while registered domains operate independently, unused names are part of the registry’s catalog of available addresses that facilitate smooth technical coordination.
Special Cases for Pre-Registration Ownership
The lifecycle above covers most standard domain registrations. But there are exceptions where ownership preceding public availability differs:
- Founders programs – Registries may give early access to pioneering brands, trademarks owners, or partners to preregister domains before the general public.
- Premium names – Registries may hold back especially desirable names (like one-word domains) and auction them off separately through premium domain programs.
- Trademark holders – Trademark owners may have rights to register their marks across new TLDs during sunrise periods before regular registration opens.
- IDN allocation – Internationalized domain names may be allocated through special mechanisms given linguistic considerations before becoming available.
- Registry reservations – Names may be permanently registry reserved for technical reasons like ICANN requirements or other registry policy.
So in special instances, inactive domains may have an additional layer of ownership or rights tied to them preceding standard availability.
Key Takeaways
- New top level domain registries functionally own and manage unregistered domains for their namespaces until they are sold through ICANN-accredited registrars.
- Expired, deleted, dropped, and reserved domains replenish pools of names available for public registration.
- Registries maintain inactive domains in their technical operations role of ensuring smooth DNS functionality.
- Special preregistration and allocation policies may grant ownership rights to certain parties before domains enter public availability.
- While domain registries oversee all names created under new TLDs, you need to use an authorized domain registrar to purchase and claim ownership of an unused domain.
Understanding the lifecycle and custodianship of unused domains sheds light on the ecosystem that makes them available for everyday registration. The next time you buy a domain you’ll know the history of how it came to be purchasable!
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