How to transfer ownership of a Domain Name to my LLC?

In this lesson, we’ll show you how to transfer the ownership of your domain name(s) from yourself to your LLC.

Note: Some people may search for “How do I put a website under my LLC?”, however, “putting under” is an ambiguous term and it’s incorrect. The correct verb is “transferring” ownership.

Transferring domain name ownership to an LLC is commonly done after converting from a Sole Proprietorship to an LLC.

The process is rather simple:

First, you’ll sign an Assignment of Domain Names.

Second, you’ll update the ownership records at your existing domain name registrar.

The domain name registrar is the place where you buy/manage your domain names, such as GoDaddy, Wix, BlueHost, HostGator, NameCheap, etc.

Note: This article doesn’t discuss how to transfer a domain name from one registrar to another registrar. If that’s what you’re looking to do, you’ll need to contact your domain registrar for instructions.

What is an Assignment?

“Assignment” means to transfer something, such as rights, benefits, or property.

The person or company doing the transferring is called the Assignor.

The person or company who is receiving is called the Assignee.

Assignment of Domain Names to LLC [Free download]

If you are just transferring one domain name to your LLC, you can use this form:
Assignment of Domain Names to LLC, Short (Microsoft Word)

If you are transferring multiple domain names to your LLC, you can use this form:
Assignment of Domain Names to LLC, Long (Microsoft Word)

How do I complete the Domain Name Assignment form?

Replace the highlighted text with your information, your LLC’s information, and your domain name(s).

Then print and sign the form.

That’s it.

Does the Assignee need to sign?

No, the Assignee doesn’t need to sign. Only the Assignor needs to sign the form.

What do I do with the Assignment? Do I need to send it anywhere?

You don’t need to send the Assignment anywhere. Meaning, you don’t need to send it to your domain name registrar, the state, the IRS, or anywhere else.

You simply need to keep a copy with your business records. It’ll serve as proof of the transfer of ownership if there was ever a dispute or audit in the future.

We recommend keeping a digital copy on your computer and printing out a physical copy as well.

Update the ownership records at the domain registrar

After the Assignment is signed, you can login to your domain name registrar and update the account information and/or ownership records associated with your domain name(s).

You should see a “company” field. This is where you’ll add your LLC name. You can also update the address and contact information if that has changed.

You’ll also want to update the debit or credit card on file, since this account is now owned by your LLC.

Going forward, your LLC should be paying for the domain name renewals.

You don’t want to pay for your LLC’s domain names with your personal funds. This can lead to “commingling of assets” and can jeopardize the asset protection that your LLC provides you.

What if I own multiple domain names, but only want to transfer 1 of them to my LLC?

In this case, we recommend creating a new account at your domain name registrar under your LLC’s name. Create the account using your LLC’s name, LLC’s contact information, and LLC’s debit or credit card.

Then sign the Assignment of Domain Names to LLC as mentioned above.

Then contact your domain name registrar and ask how to transfer a few specific domains from one account to another account.

The instructions vary a bit among the domain registrars, but overall the process shouldn’t be too complicated.

Update your website to show your LLC as the owner

After you’ve transferred your domain name(s) to your LLC, you can update your website to reflect the new ownership.

You can update the following:

• terms and condition
• privacy policy
• disclaimer
• copyright notice
• about page (optional)

And that’s how you transfer ownership of your domain name(s) to your LLC.

What about other digital assets?

If you have other digital assets that you want to transfer to your LLC, please see: How to transfer digital assets to my LLC.

Other digital assets can include website content, online registrations and passwords, social media accounts, and more.

Should I put “LLC” in my domain name?

It’s not legally required to put “LLC” in your domain name.

Typically, we don’t recommend it (there is one exception though).

For more information, please see: Should I put “LLC” in my domain name.

Hope that helps!

Matt Horwitz

Founder & Educator, LLC University®

Matt Horwitz has been the leading expert on LLC education for the past decade. He founded LLC University in 2010 after realizing people needed simple and actionable instructions to start an LLC that other companies weren't offering. He's cited by Entrepreneur Magazine, Yahoo Finance, and the US Chamber of Commerce, and was featured by CNBC and InventRight.
 
Matt holds a Bachelor's Degree in business from Drexel University with a concentration in business law. He performs extensive research and analysis to convert state laws into simple instructions anyone can follow to form their LLC - all for free! Read more about Matt Horwitz and LLC University.