Some registrars that have been accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) have – “resellers”. The registrar provides its resellers with the tools, such as back-end systems and customer service, required to register domain names. Using its registrar’s systems, the reseller then has the ability to offer domain names to whomever it wishes, such as the general public.

If a site that offers domain names is not on our list of authorized registrars, it may be a reseller. If you look up a domain name in the WHOIS, it will display the name of Public Interest Registry-authorized registrar (not the name of its reseller) in the “Sponsoring Registrar” field.