Who Owns Your Website? What You Should Control After Launch

Most ownership problems only show up at a bad moment: a designer stops replying, a business is sold, or you want to move to someone new. If the domain is registered to someone else, or the site lives in their hosting account, untangling it can take time and money. Getting it right at handover takes an afternoon.

1. Domain name

• The domain is registered in your name (or your company's), with your email as the contact.
• You can log in to the registrar account.
• Auto-renew is on, and the renewal date and payment card are yours.

Why it matters: the domain is your address. Whoever controls it controls where your site and email point.

2. Hosting

• You know where the site is hosted.
• The hosting account is in your name, or your agreement says clearly who manages it, what you pay, and how you get everything back if you leave.
• Backups exist, and you know how to get a copy.

3. The website itself

• You have admin access to the CMS.
• Your contract states that you own the site's design and code after final payment, or explains any exceptions (for example, licensed themes, fonts or plugins).
• You know whether you could move the site to another provider, and what that would involve.

4. Content and media

• You have copies of all text, images, logos and documents.
• Images and fonts are properly licensed for your use, and you know which.

5. Analytics and search tools

• Your analytics account (for example, Google Analytics) is owned by you, with the provider added as a user if needed, not the other way round.
• Google Search Console is verified with you as an owner.
• Your Google Business Profile, if you have one, is owned by you.

6. Email and integrations

• Business email accounts are in your name.
• Booking, payment, CRM and form tools are in your accounts.

7. Documentation

• A list of every account the site uses, who owns each, and renewal dates.
• Short instructions for common edits.
• Who to contact for support, and what it costs.

Plenty of small businesses prefer their provider to handle hosting and updates. That's a reasonable choice. What matters is that the arrangement is in writing: what's managed, what you pay, and how you get full control back if you want it.

Ownership isn't a one-time check. Once a year, or whenever someone leaves your business or you change providers:

• confirm every login still works and belongs to a current person
• remove access for former staff and past providers
• check the domain's renewal date and payment card
• download a fresh backup of the site and your content

1. List every account the site depends on, using the checklist above.
2. Ask your current provider, in writing, to transfer ownership or add you as an owner.
3. Start with the domain. It's the most important asset.
4. Keep records of what you paid for and when.
5. If there's a dispute about who owns code or content, get legal advice. Your contract usually decides it.

• Will the domain be registered in my name?
• Will I own the design and code after final payment?
• Whose accounts will hosting, analytics and email be in?
• What will I receive at handover?

More questions are in our guide to choosing a web designer.

With Bunch Studios, you own your website. At launch we show you how to use your custom CMS and hand over access. If you'd rather not deal with hosting and updates, we can manage them for you, and you still own the site.

How we made this guide: drafted with AI assistance. Not legal advice.