How to Hand Over a Website to a Client: Domain, Hosting and Logins
The best moment in this work is when an owner says, "Yes, I want it." The next moment can go badly if you have no plan. Who owns the web address? Where does the site live? Who pays? Who can log in?
This guide gives you a plain plan. It works if you built the site by hand, with a builder, or with Claude.
I have run a marketing agency for 15 years. Mixed-up ownership at handover is one of the most common reasons small projects turn sour. It is easy to prevent if you decide the rules before you start.
Three things to hand over, not one
When people say "the website," they mean three separate pieces:
- The domain name. The web address, like yourbusiness.com.
- The hosting. The place where the site files live so people can open them.
- The logins. Access to the registrar, the host, and any other accounts.
Each moves in a different way. Treat them as three jobs.
The three pieces move differently, so keep them apart.
| Piece | What it is | Who should hold it |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name | The web address, like yourbusiness.com | The client, as the registrant |
| Hosting | The place where the site files live | The client's account where you can, or yours if the agreement says so |
| Logins | Access to the registrar, the host and other accounts | The owner's own accounts, with you added as a guest or helper |
Rule 1: The client owns the domain
The company listed as the owner of a domain name is called the registrant. That is who holds it in law and in the registrar's records. It is not whoever built the site, and it is not whoever paid for it.
If you buy a domain in your own name for a client, you hold it. If you part on bad terms, they may have to ask you to give it up. That is a bad spot for both of you.
The clean way is simple. The client creates an account at a domain registrar, or you sit with them while they do. They buy the domain in their own name and pay with their own card. You get added later as a helper if they want you to manage it.
If an owner already has a domain, ask who registered it. Many small businesses do not know. A past web designer may have bought it. Look it up before you promise anything. A free "whois" lookup shows the registrar. It sometimes hides the owner's name, so ask the owner to log in and check.
Rule 2: Move the site as its own step
If you built a preview, it probably lives at a temporary link. With Claude, for example, the starting point is a shareable Claude link. That is fine for a first look. It is not a real address for a business.
When the owner says yes, you move the site to proper hosting under their domain. You have a few choices:
- A simple static host. A one-page site is a small set of files. Many hosts will serve it for free or for a low monthly price. Check each host's current terms.
- A website platform. Some platforms let you transfer a site to the client's own account. Webflow, Framer and Hostinger each document their own transfer steps.
- Your own hosting account. You keep control and charge a monthly fee. This works, but you become responsible for keeping it running. Put that in writing.
Whichever you choose, decide who pays the hosting bill before you start, and write it down.
Step by step: the handover
Here is a plan you can follow for any site.
- Agree the deal in writing. Price, what is included, who owns the domain and who pays for hosting. A short email that the owner replies "yes" to is better than nothing.
- Get the domain sorted. Have the owner buy it in their name, or confirm who owns the current one.
- Choose the host. Set it up under the owner's name where you can. If you host it, say so in your agreement.
- Move the site. Upload the files, then check every page, link, form and the call button.
- Point the domain at the host. This is done with DNS records at the registrar. The host gives you the exact values. Changes can take up to a day to show everywhere, sometimes longer.
- Test from a phone on mobile data. Not just your own computer. Your computer may still show the old site.
- Set up business email only if it is part of the deal. Do not touch the owner's existing email by accident. Changing DNS can break email. Write down the old records first.
- Hand over the logins. See the next section.
- Send a short summary email. What was delivered, what they own, what happens next and how to reach you.
Keep a copy of the old DNS records before you change anything. If the business already has email on its domain, that one step protects it.
Logins: share access, not passwords
Do not email passwords. Do not use the same password across clients. Better:
- Ask the owner to create their own accounts and add you as a guest or helper.
- Use a password manager if you must share a login, and share only through it.
- When the project ends, change every password you ever had.
If a platform has a "transfer ownership" button, use it. The site and the bill move to the client together, and you do not need their password.
One more caution. A new domain often cannot be moved to another registrar for about 60 days after it is registered. If you plan to change registrar later, ask about that rule before you buy.
Care plans: keep it honest
Some people sell a monthly care plan after launch for updates, hosting and small fixes. That is a fair service if it is clear and the client can say no. Spell out what it covers, how to cancel, and what the client keeps if they cancel. A site held hostage for a monthly fee is bad for business and for trust.
Set the care plan price the same way you set your build price, from your costs and what local owners pay.
A short handover email you can adapt
Hi Sam, your new site is live at hillroofing.example. You own the domain and you can log in at the registrar with the account you created. I have access as a helper only. The site is hosted at [host], and the monthly cost is [amount] if you want me to look after it. If you ever want to move it, I will help you do that. Reply with any changes you want this week.
Change the words to sound like you. The names and address here are made up for the example.
How this fits the rest of the job
A clean handover is the last step in a longer path. First you find the business, as in how to find small businesses that need a website. Then you build a preview, as in how to build websites with Claude for local business clients. Then you reach out and follow up without being pushy. The full flow is in how to sell websites to local businesses.
SiteRevive helps with the first steps. It finds local U.S. businesses with old or missing sites and takes the owner's email from their own website. Run with your AI builds a one-page site for each and drafts or sends a short note from your own inbox. The starting site is a shareable Claude link, and you move it to the owner's own domain when they say yes, using the steps above. Plans start at $97 a month plus your own AI plan. There is no setup fee, and there is a 7-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked. SiteRevive's servers never send email; your own AI sends from your own account, or saves drafts. You can see more on the SiteRevive home page.
Frequently asked questions
Who should own the domain name for a client's website?
The client. They should be the registrant, and they should pay with their own card. You can be added as a helper. This protects them and you.
Where should a client's website be hosted?
It depends on the site. A simple one-page site can live on a low-cost static host. A site the owner wants to edit may suit a website platform. Decide who pays the hosting bill before you start.
How long does it take for a new domain to start working?
Often minutes to a few hours, but DNS changes can take up to a day or longer to show everywhere. Test from a phone on mobile data to see what real visitors see.
Can I move a site built with Claude to the client's own domain?
Yes. A Claude-built page is a set of files. Put them on a host, then point the owner's domain at that host.
Should I keep the client's passwords?
No. Ask them to add you as a guest or helper instead. Change any password you were given when the job ends.
What if the client already has a domain and I do not know who owns it?
Ask the owner to log in at the registrar and check. Look up the domain with a free whois tool. Do not start until you know who controls it.