Before you leave a web developer, get five things in your own name: the domain, the hosting account, an Administrator login to the website, the premium licences and connected accounts, and a full backup with your records. Ask for them before you cancel anything, while the relationship is still friendly. This checklist shows exactly what to request and how to check you’ve really got it.
Key takeaways
- Ask for access before you give notice or stop paying. Handovers go best while everyone is still talking.
- Your business should be the registrant of the domain and the holder of the hosting account, not the developer.
- Paying for a site doesn’t automatically make you the copyright owner. Check your contract.
- Premium plugin licences are often in the developer’s account. Without them, updates stop.
- Once you have everything, change the passwords and remove accounts you no longer need.
Why get everything before you leave?
Most handovers are friendly. But we regularly meet owners who switched providers first and asked for logins later, then waited weeks. Meanwhile, nobody could update the site, renew the domain or fix a broken form.
If your developer has already gone quiet, our article on a web designer not responding covers how to tell whether anyone is still looking after the site.
The website handover checklist
1. The domain name
The domain is the one thing you can’t easily replace. Check that your business is the registrant, and that you have your own login at the registrar. Ask for a copy of the DNS records too, because they control where your website and email point.
If the developer registered it in their own name, it needs a registrant transfer. For .au names, both parties must be eligible on the day, and full years left on the licence carry over (auDA).
2. The hosting account
Many developers host client sites on their own reseller account, which you can’t take with you. Ask where the site is hosted, what the plan costs and when it renews. If the hosting can’t move into your name, plan a migration before you cancel the developer’s services.
3. Website admin access
On WordPress, ask for your own user with the Administrator role, which gives “access to all the administration features” of the site (WordPress.org). Don’t settle for Editor. Also ask for file access (SFTP or the hosting file manager) and the database login, or confirm they sit within the hosting account you now hold.
4. Licences and connected services
Premium plugins and themes, such as Elementor Pro, ACF Pro or Avada, are often licensed under the developer’s account. If that licence lapses, Elementor says you can no longer update Elementor Pro and may have only limited access to existing Pro features (Elementor). Ask for a list of every paid licence, who holds it and when it renews.
Then list the services the site connects to:
- Google Search Console, Google Analytics and Google Business Profile.
- Email hosting and the service that sends your form emails.
- Payment gateways, booking tools and mailing lists.
- Any CDN, firewall or security service in front of the site.
Ask to be made an owner of each, not just a user.
5. Backups and records
Get a full, recent backup of the files and database, and store it somewhere you control. Ask for the logo, design files and any photos you paid for, and keep the contract.
Then check who owns the copyright. Business Queensland explains that a contractor usually owns the intellectual property they create unless the contract says otherwise. If the agreement is silent, “at best the law will imply a licence” for you to use it (Business Queensland). If ownership matters to you, ask for a written assignment.
How do I ask for it without a fight?
- Send one clear email. List everything from the checklist and ask for it by a reasonable date, such as two weeks.
- Keep it friendly. Thank them for their work. In our experience, most developers are happy to help once they know what’s needed.
- Settle any open invoices. Some contracts only transfer rights after full payment, so check yours first.
- Test each login as it arrives. Log in yourself and confirm the access level before you tick it off.
- Only then give notice. Cancel their hosting or support once your site, domain and email are safe elsewhere.
What if the developer won’t give access?
A domain registered in your business’s name can usually be recovered through the registrar, with proof of identity. If you’re the hosting account holder, the host can reset the logins for you.
If the developer holds both, keep a calm record of every request. Don’t let the domain expire in the hope of registering it again, because someone else may get there first. If the site matters to your income, get legal advice early.
What should happen after the handover?
Treat the old developer’s access like a former employee’s keys:
- Change the passwords for the registrar, hosting, WordPress and email.
- Remove the developer’s WordPress account, or downgrade it if they’ll still do occasional work.
- Remove old Search Console owners properly. Google notes that a removed verified owner can re-verify unless you also delete their verification tokens from the site (Google Search Console Help).
- Check when WordPress, plugins and the theme were last updated.
That last point is often the surprise. A site whose developer drifted away may have gone months without updates. Our timeline of what happens if you don’t update your website explains the risk.
Who should look after the site next?
Our honest comparison of whether to outsource website maintenance walks through the time and cost. If you’d rather hand over the server side as well, managed hosting keeps the platform patched and monitored.
Our Maintain & Protect website care plans start with a full security audit and lockdown. That’s a sensible first step on a site you’ve just taken back.
Frequently asked questions
What should I get from my web developer before switching?
Get the domain registrar login with your business as registrant, the hosting account, your own Administrator login, a list of paid licences and connected services, a full backup, and your contract. Test each login yourself before you cancel anything.
Do I own my website if I paid for it?
Not automatically. In Australia, a contractor usually owns the copyright in what they create unless the contract assigns it to you. You’ll normally have a licence to use the site. If you want to own it outright, ask for a written assignment.
My developer registered my domain in their name. What now?
Ask them to start a registrant transfer to your business through the domain provider. For .au names, both parties must be eligible on the day, and some providers charge a fee. Don’t wait for it to expire and try to grab it.
Can I keep using my developer’s premium plugin licences?
Only if they agree, and only while they keep paying. Most licences belong to whoever bought them. It’s usually simpler to buy your own licence, so updates and support are in your name and won’t stop when the relationship ends.
How long does a website handover take?
With a helpful developer, a few days to two weeks. A registrant transfer or a hosting migration can add time. Give a clear list and a deadline, and don’t cancel their services until each login has been tested.
Sources
- How to transfer your .au domain name, auDA
- Roles and capabilities, WordPress.org, updated September 2026
- What will happen to my website(s) if I don’t renew Elementor Pro?, Elementor Help Center
- Do I own intellectual property created by independent contractors and consultants I engage?, Business Queensland
- Manage owners, users and permissions, Google Search Console Help