Once a domain is registered, who “owns” the domain name?

No one “owns” a domain name any more than someone “owns” a telephone number. The domain name “registrant” is the person or organisation listed at the top of the WHOIS database record. To lookup the owner of a domain name see here. The “registrant” is the individual or organisation that has registered a specific domain name. This individual or organisation holds the exclusive right to use that specific domain name for a specified period of time, provided certain conditions are met and the registration fees are paid. This person or organisation is the “legal entity” bound by the Terms and Conditions and Domain Name Registration Agreements. The administrative, technical and billing contacts are individuals who the organisation trusts to handle issues involving the domain name record. Care must be taken to avoid infringing the rights that a third party might have in the name, intentionally or otherwise. This applies to both businesses and individuals. Although companies may have traded with the same or similar name for many years only one can use it as a domain name. If a company believes that the registration of their company name, brand names or registered trademarks as a Domain Name by a third party constitutes an infringement of trademark or an act of passing off we advise that they seek qualified legal opinion.