Overview
Domain registration is the process of reserving a domain name (like example.com) through an accredited registrar for a set period, usually one to ten years. Without a registered domain, visitors have no human-readable address to reach your website or email. If you’re setting up a new site, migrating hosting, or launching a client project, domain registration is always the first step.
At Host & Tech, domain registration is handled directly through your client portal, so you can manage your domain and hosting in one place. That said, the steps in this guide apply regardless of where you register — the underlying process is the same everywhere.
One thing beginners often miss: registering a domain and buying hosting are two separate things. You can register a domain without hosting, and you can host a site on a domain registered elsewhere. They’re linked through DNS, not through purchase.
Prerequisites
- A Host & Tech account (or an account with any ICANN-accredited registrar)
- A valid email address you actually check — ICANN requires registrar verification and will send important notices here
- A payment method on file
- The domain name you want, plus 2-3 alternatives in case your first choice is taken
- If you’re pointing the domain to existing hosting: the nameservers or IP address of your hosting provider
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Search for Your Domain
Log in to your Host & Tech client portal and navigate to Domains > Register a New Domain. Enter the domain name you want in the search field and click Check Availability.
The search results will show whether your exact choice is available, along with alternative TLDs (top-level domains) like .net, .ca, .io, and .org.
📝 Note: If you’re targeting a Canadian audience, a .ca domain carries real SEO and trust signals for local search. CIRA (the .ca registry) requires registrants to meet Canadian Presence Requirements — if you’re outside Canada, you’ll need to qualify under one of their categories before you can register one.
Step 2: Choose Your TLD Carefully
Don’t just default to .com because it’s familiar. Think about your use case:
.com— still the default for commercial sites worldwide.ca— strong signal for Canadian businesses and personal brands.io— popular in tech and SaaS; costs more but carries brand cachet in that space.org— nonprofits and open-source projects; technically open to anyone but users expect it to mean something- New gTLDs like
.store,.dev,.app— useful for specific niches, but verify browser behaviour for HSTS-preloaded TLDs like.devand.app(they require HTTPS by default)
⚠ Warning: .dev and .app are on the HSTS preload list. Any site using these TLDs must serve over HTTPS — your browser will refuse HTTP connections to them. If you’re not ready to configure SSL immediately, pick a different TLD.
Step 3: Add to Cart and Configure Registration Period
Once you’ve confirmed availability, click Add to Cart. On the next screen, choose your registration period. Options typically range from 1 to 10 years.
I’d recommend registering for at least two years if this is a domain you’re building a business on. It reduces the chance of accidental expiry, and some registrars offer a small discount for multi-year terms. It also sends a minor positive signal to Google — a domain registered for five years looks less like a spam throwaway than one registered for 12 months.
Step 4: Configure WHOIS / Registrant Details
You’ll be prompted to enter registrant contact information: name, organisation, address, email, and phone number. This data is stored in the WHOIS database.
📝 Note: ICANN’s 2018 Temporary Specification (now standard practice under GDPR) means most personal registrant data is redacted from public WHOIS by default. Business registrations may still show partial data depending on the registry.
Enable WHOIS Privacy / ID Protection if the option is available. This replaces your personal contact details in the public WHOIS record with the registrar’s proxy contact. It’s usually free or low-cost and worth enabling.
Step 5: Review Add-Ons and Proceed to Checkout
You may be offered add-ons at checkout: DNS hosting, email forwarding, SSL certificates. If you’re pairing this domain with a Host & Tech hosting plan (including our VPS SSD Hosting or managed WordPress plans), you likely don’t need to purchase these separately — they’re included or configurable from your hosting control panel.
Complete payment. You’ll receive a confirmation email with your domain details.
Step 6: Verify Your Registrant Email
Within 15 minutes of registration, ICANN requires registrars to send a verification email to your registrant address. You must click the verification link, usually within 15 days. If you don’t, the domain gets suspended — not deleted, but it will stop resolving.
⚠ Warning: This step catches a lot of people off guard. Check your spam folder. If the verification email lands there and you miss the deadline, contact support to resend it before the suspension kicks in.
Step 7: Point Your Domain to Your Hosting
This is where most beginners get confused. Registering the domain doesn’t automatically connect it to a website. You need to either update the nameservers or add DNS records.
Option A — Update Nameservers (most common)
If your hosting is on Host & Tech infrastructure, set your nameservers to the ones provided in your welcome email, for example:
ns1.hostandtech.com
ns2.hostandtech.comIn your client portal, go to Domains > Manage > Nameservers, select Custom Nameservers, and enter the values above. Save the changes.
Option B — Add an A Record (if keeping DNS at registrar)
If you want to keep DNS managed at the registrar but point the domain to your hosting server, add an A record:
Type: A
Name: @ (or leave blank for root domain)
Value: 203.0.113.45 (your server's public IP)
TTL: 3600For www, add a second A record with Name: www pointing to the same IP, or add a CNAME record pointing www to your root domain.
📝 Note: DNS propagation after a nameserver or A record change typically takes 15 minutes to a few hours, but can technically take up to 48 hours depending on TTL values and downstream resolver caches. You can check propagation status at dnschecker.org or using the command below:
dig +short example.com @8.8.8.8This queries Google’s public DNS directly, bypassing your local cache. If the IP returned here matches your server, propagation has completed from Google’s perspective even if your own ISP hasn’t caught up yet.
Common Issues & Troubleshooting
Domain shows “Available” but purchase fails at checkout
This usually means someone else completed a registration for that domain in the seconds between your search and checkout — it’s rare but happens during high-traffic periods or with popular names. It can also happen with certain ccTLDs (country-code TLDs) that have eligibility requirements your account doesn’t meet. Try searching again; if the domain now shows as taken, you’ll need an alternative.
Verification email never arrived
First, check spam and junk folders. If it’s not there, confirm the email address on your registrant record is correct — a typo here is the most common cause. Log in to your client portal, go to Domains > Manage > Registrant Info, correct the address, and request a new verification email from the same screen. If that still fails, open a support ticket with your domain name and the correct email address.
Website not loading after pointing domain to hosting
Nine times out of ten this is a DNS propagation delay — the change just hasn’t spread to your local DNS resolver yet. Wait an hour and try again. To confirm the DNS is actually updated on the authoritative side, run:
dig +short example.com NS
dig +short example.com @ns1.hostandtech.comIf the first command returns the correct nameservers and the second returns your server’s IP, DNS is configured correctly and you’re just waiting on propagation. If either command returns wrong data, go back and verify the nameserver or A record settings in your portal.
WHOIS shows old contact information after update
WHOIS data is cached aggressively by third-party lookup tools. The actual registry record may already be updated. Query the registry directly to check the authoritative record. For .com and .net domains managed by Verisign, you can query the authoritative WHOIS server:
whois -h whois.verisign-grs.com example.comFor .ca domains, the authoritative server is whois.cira.ca.
Domain expired and the website is down
Most registrars — including Host & Tech — hold expired domains in a grace period for approximately 30 days before entering a redemption period. During the grace period, you can renew at the standard price. Log in to your portal, go to Domains > Expired Domains, and complete the renewal. After renewal, DNS may take a few hours to restore. If the domain has passed into the redemption period (typically days 30-75 post-expiry), recovery fees apply and can be substantial. After the redemption period, the domain is released to the public and anyone can register it.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to register a domain name?
It depends on the TLD. A standard .com typically runs $10-$20 CAD per year, while .ca domains are in a similar range. Premium domains (short, dictionary-word names) can cost hundreds or thousands. Specialty TLDs like .io or .app cost more than .com. Always check the renewal price, not just the first-year price — some registrars offer steep first-year discounts and then charge significantly more on renewal.
Can I register a domain name without buying hosting?
Yes. A domain registration and a hosting plan are separate products. You can register a domain and park it, point it to a hosted site, or forward it to another URL without purchasing hosting at all. When you’re ready to launch a site, you can add hosting and point the domain’s nameservers at that time.
How long does it take for a domain to start working after registration?
If you’re using the registrar’s own nameservers, your domain can start resolving within minutes. If you’ve updated nameservers to point to a separate hosting provider, allow up to a few hours for propagation, occasionally up to 48 hours in edge cases. You can monitor progress using dnschecker.org or by running dig from the command line.
What happens if I forget to renew my domain?
Your domain enters a grace period — usually around 30 days — during which you can renew at the standard rate. After that it moves into a redemption period where recovery is possible but expensive (often $100-$200+ CAD in fees). After the redemption period ends, the domain is deleted and becomes available to anyone. Set auto-renew on any domain you care about and keep your payment information current.
Can I transfer a domain I registered elsewhere to Host & Tech?
Yes. Domain transfers between registrars are standard. You’ll need to unlock the domain at your current registrar and obtain the EPP/auth code (sometimes called a transfer key). Then initiate the transfer from your Host & Tech portal under Domains > Transfer a Domain. The process typically takes 5-7 days to complete, and transfers add one year to the expiry date at most registries.