The few settings that stop a domain being lost, hijacked or left without working email.
1. What it is
A domain is rented yearly from a registrar. Buying it is the start; keeping it safe and working takes a few settings.
2. Why it matters
Expired or hijacked domains take websites and email down with them, and a lapsed domain can be bought by someone else.
3. Where to look
- Your registrar account (where you bought it).
- An ICANN lookup shows the registrar and expiry date for any domain.
4. How to do it
- Turn on auto-renew and check the payment card on file will not expire first.
- Turn on the registrar lock (transfer lock) and two-step sign-in on the registrar account.
- Make sure the registrar contact email is one you will always read, not a personal address that could lapse.
- Set up email on the domain and add the email security records your email provider gives you.
- Record the registrar, expiry date and who has access below.
5. Official sources
- Look up who owns a domain (ICANN) ↗
- Check a handle across social platforms (Namechk) ↗. Third-party tool. Checks dozens of platforms and domain endings at once.
- Choose and register your business name (SBA) ↗. Covers entity name vs. DBA vs. trademark vs. domain: four different registrations.
6. Record what you found
Keep a note of where each of these lives:
- Registrar name and account owner
- Expiry date
- Who else has access
In Brand Axis this becomes a step on your launch map: you record where the proof lives, mark how it was checked, and get a reminder when it needs checking again.
7. Check it
Mark it done once you have seen the record yourself. It counts as verified when the record is an official one, and as professionally reviewed when someone qualified has checked it. When to get help: Usually none. An IT provider if email delivery fails.
8. Where it gets used
The domain feeds business email, the website and every printed piece.
9. When to check again
Set the reminder a month before the expiry date, even with auto-renew on.
General information for US businesses, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules differ by state and change over time. Check the official source, and ask a qualified professional about your situation. Scope: Anywhere. Last reviewed 2026-09-19 by AxisAlign editorial.