DOT DEED · How it works
Give someone a domain name, and a certificate they can hold
What DOT DEED does, what you need to do, and what happens when it's a gift
A domain name is the address of a website, like yourname.com. It lives online, so it's easy to forget it's yours. DOT DEED fixes that: we register a domain name and print a beautiful certificate for it. You can keep it, or give it to someone, who scans a QR code on the certificate to take ownership of the domain.
What DOT DEED does
1. We register the domain
You pick the name. We register it for you through ResellerClub, an ICANN-accredited registrar, and hold it ready until it's claimed.
2. We print the certificate
Your name, the domain and your choice of design, printed to order on fine-art paper and posted to you, framed or rolled in a tube.
3. We hand it over
The certificate carries a QR code. Scanning it takes the recipient to a page where they claim the domain in their own name.
Optionally, you can add a Google Workspace mailbox at checkout, so the recipient also gets a real email address on the domain, like hello@theirname.com.
Worth knowing: the certificate is a keepsake. It isn't legal proof of ownership. The domain itself is owned through the registrar, which is where the recipient's name goes on record when they claim it.
What you need to do
Five steps, and you can see everything before you pay.
- Find a domainSearch for the name you want and pick one that's available. This is where the journey starts.
- Choose a certificateEssential is an unframed print posted in a tube. Premium is framed, matted and glazed (8×10″), with the font, colour and wording yours to set. Elite adds a full editor so you can place anything on the certificate.
- Make it yoursAdd the recipient's name and a gift message, and style the certificate. A live preview shows exactly what will be printed.
- Check outPay by card. Shipping is quoted live, and you can add an email mailbox if you'd like one. You'll get a confirmation email with your order details.
- Your certificate arrivesWe print it and post it to you, with tracking by email. Then you give it to the recipient, or keep it for yourself.
What the recipient does
When the certificate is a gift, this is all the recipient has to do.
- Scan the QR codeThey point their phone camera at the QR code on the certificate. It opens their claim page with the Registry ID already filled in.
- Enter their detailsTheir name, email, phone number and address. The domain is registered in their own name, so the registrar needs these to be real.
- Choose a passwordThis creates their free DOT DEED account, and their certificate is kept safe in their Vault.
- Verify their emailThe registrar emails a verification link. They open it to confirm their details, and the domain is theirs to manage and renew.
Can't scan it? The confirmation email you receive after ordering has the same claim link and the Registry ID. Forward it to the recipient and they can claim from there.
Good to know
- Renewal is the owner's job. The domain is registered for the period you choose at checkout. After that it must be renewed with the registrar.
- Claim within 12 months. A gifted domain can be claimed for 12 months from the certificate's issue date, so we suggest claiming straight away.
- Changed your mind? Cancel within one hour for a full refund. After that the certificate is printed to order, but we'll reprint it free if it arrives damaged or misprinted.
- A certificate with no domain to hand over prints without a QR code, since there's nothing for anyone to claim.
The details are all in our terms and FAQ.