How to search for a domain, request registration and transfer an existing domain

In short: Searching for a domain on SITEKODO does not leave a request; it only shows availability and the provider's current yearly price. To register, you submit a request and it moves through states: requested, approved, registered or failed. To move a domain from another provider, you enter the transfer (EPP) code.

How do I choose a good domain?

A domain is like your business's address and is costly to change later, because it settles into business cards, emails and search results. Ask these questions when choosing:

• Is it short? Names under twenty characters are easier to remember.
• Can it be pronounced? When you say it on the phone, the other person should be able to spell it correctly.
• Does it contain hyphens or digits? Both cause confusion when shared by voice.
• Is the extension suitable? Pick one that reflects your business and audience.
• Is it safe as a brand? Avoid names that resemble someone else's trademark.

How do I run the search?

1. On the domain screen, type the name you want to search.
2. The result list shows availability for each extension.
3. The price is the provider's answer at that moment and is shown during the search; if the price is unknown, "—" is written instead of zero. No fixed price table is published, because the provider sets the price and it can change.
4. Pick an available one.

Search is limited to 20 queries a minute. That is enough for a person trying names, but a script that refreshes the page constantly would use up the shared quota at the provider.

How do I submit the registration request?

To submit a registration request your email address must be verified, because payment information and registrant contact go to the account's email. The request includes the registration period (years) and registrant details.

The request moves through states:

| State | Meaning | |---|---| | Requested | Your request was received and is waiting | | Approved | The request was reviewed and is ready for registration | | Registered | The domain was registered in your name (final) | | Failed | Registration did not happen; the reason is shown on screen (final) |

The progression cannot be skipped: it does not go straight from "requested" to "registered". A registered domain cannot be taken back, so there is no "retry" button either.

How do I transfer a domain from another provider?

For a transfer in, you give only the domain name and the transfer code (auth/EPP code). The current registrant details stay at the old provider and the transfer does not change them. The transfer code is stored encrypted and deleted when the transfer completes.

1. Unlock the domain at your current provider.
2. Request the transfer code.
3. Submit the transfer request on SITEKODO.
4. Until the process completes, your domain keeps working where it is; to avoid downtime, note your DNS records before the transfer.

There is also a screen for giving a domain's own transfer code to the customer, so the way out is not closed either. A domain renewal request is submitted from the same screen.

How do I join the domain and the site?

After the domain is registered, you enter records on the DNS management screen; the A record should point to the server where the site is hosted. We explain what the records do in the DNS records guide. For the publish order, see the site builder guide.

Common mistakes

• Registering the domain in someone else's account: You must be the registrant, otherwise you may lose your rights over the domain.
• Forgetting the renewal date: An expired domain stops working; put the renewal date in your calendar.
• Not verifying your email: An unverified account cannot submit a registration request.
• Entering contact details wrongly: If the registrant details are wrong, registration may fail.

How do I keep my domain safe?

Your domain is part of your business's identity, so a few simple precautions are worth it. Turn on two-step verification (TOTP) for your account; whoever gets into the account can change your domain's DNS records. Do not tie the registrant email to an address you do not use; reminders and verification mails go there. Unlock the domain's transfer lock only when you are about to transfer, and lock it again when you are done. And do not share the auth code with anyone except the provider you are moving to.

About price and payment

SITEKODO writes the difference between showing a price and a purchase step plainly on screen. Current registration, renewal and transfer prices appear during the search; we give no fixed figures in this article.

Ready? Search for your domain on SITEKODO.