Separate today’s holder from the future business name

Switch allows individuals and legal entities to be domain holders. Your order plan therefore needs two separate entries: the desired internet address and the person who will hold it now. A working title for a studio is not complete company information. Switzerland’s federal SME portal explains, for example, that a Swiss limited liability company comes into existence upon commercial-register entry. Do not turn that into a rule for every legal form or country. If a company is being formed, clarify the particular order and representation first. Registering in your own name is a deliberate choice, rather than a temporary company-field placeholder.

Three separate labelled stamp impressions for billing, registrar and holder show different changes without automatically equating them.
Present holder → Intended future holder → Confirm procedure and completion

Do not invent a future registration number at checkout

Prepare the chosen present holder’s full name, actual address and an email address that already works. At chname.ch, filling in the company field also makes a company registration number mandatory. If you deliberately order as an individual, leave the optional company details empty. Do not enter “to follow”, a random number or your agency’s name simply to continue. Ask through Contact before paying if a field is unclear. Afterwards, review the registration confirmation: paying the invoice or designing the logo answers a different question from identifying the registered holder.

Create a handover note before several people place orders

Record the domain, present holder, responsible contact and the event that should trigger a later review, such as confirmed completion of incorporation. With several founders, note who prepares the purchase and who approves it. This working note does not replace an agreement about rights or costs; obtain appropriate advice on those arrangements where needed. Store the order reference and confirmation with suitable access controls. Initially, use a contact mailbox independent of the new domain. Also assign responsibility for renewals if the launch is delayed. An unfinished website is no reason to leave the registration unmanaged.

After incorporation, arrange a holder change separately

A later holder change requires a request through the managing registrar. At chname.ch, use Contact to clarify the procedure, required evidence, any charges and completion evidence for your domain. The account currently has no automatic holder-change feature. Do not simply use Transfer domain for this: that area prepares a registrar move. Changing an invoice address or account note is not confirmation that the registered holder has changed. Do not plan the handover by deleting and repurchasing the name. Separately agree whether DNS, website, mailboxes or access rights need any changes at all.

Planning example: a founder initially buys in her own name

A founder decides before her notary appointment to register in her own name. This is a fictional example with no checked domain. She leaves the company fields empty, records a review after incorporation and waits for registration confirmation. Once the company’s formation is confirmed, she specifically asks about changing the holder to the new entity and retains access while the handover is clarified. At chname.ch’s current standard rate, a new .ch registration costs €9.99 and annual renewal €12.99. Those prices do not promise to include a later change fee. First screen the name for possible trademark conflicts too; an incorporation plan alone does not resolve them.

Your practical checklist

  • Write down the exact domain and today’s holder separately.
  • For an individual order, leave company and company-number fields empty.
  • Use an existing, independent contact mailbox.
  • Assign responsibility for the order and later review among co-founders.
  • Store the registration confirmation and order reference securely.
  • After formation, ask about the holder-change procedure, evidence and any costs.
  • Obtain explicit confirmation of the updated holder; review DNS and services separately.

A useful question

Do I need a finished website before buying?

No. A domain can be registered before a website is ready. chname.ch does not sell web hosting; connect your chosen website service later. Still manage confirmation and renewal from the start.

Can I delete the domain and buy it again in the company’s name?

Do not plan a handover that way. Ask for the procedure for the existing registration and wait for confirmation. Deliberate deletion introduces unnecessary uncertainty into a name already held.

Is the later holder change included in the registration price?

This guide does not quote that service. Ask in advance about the particular procedure and any charges. Compare these separately from registration, renewal and optional services.

Ready to check your name? Start with the exact domain, then compare alternatives. Find a domain →

Sources & further reading

Original guide by chname.ch editorial. Published on . Provider and registry instructions take precedence when requirements change.