Website Ownership Guide

Who Owns My Website After It Is Built?

Emirtech Technology is an Abu Dhabi IT and security systems integrator that also designs, builds and maintains websites for businesses in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. Who owns your website after it is built depends on your contract, so this guide lists what to settle before you pay.

Updated 8 October 2026

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In short: This guide covers “Who Owns My Website After It Is Built?” for businesses in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. It is written by Emirtech, an independent integrator. For a specific site, a survey or assessment comes first, then a written itemised quotation.

Who Owns My Website After It Is Built?: key facts

Published by	Published by Emirtech Technology, an independent integrator in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi, in operation since 2018.
Where?	Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, served from Emirtech's Mussafah, Abu Dhabi base; there is no Al Ain office. In Dubai: smart home, PABX and IP-PBX phone systems, IT AMC and time attendance by scheduled on-site visits, gate barriers, ANPR, video intercoms and turnstiles by Emirtech itself; CCTV, alarm and access control through SIRA-approved partners, with Emirtech coordinating.
Survey and quotation	Emirtech publishes no price list: it surveys or assesses first and then gives a written, itemised quotation.
Credentials	Emirtech is an independent systems integrator. It holds no manufacturer-level credential of its own, and its ADMCC approval covers security systems only, not IT services.
Last reviewed	21 October 2026

Who owns my website after it is built?

Ownership of a website depends on what your contract says, so it should state in writing who owns the design, the source code, the content, the domain name and the hosting account. If it is silent, ask before you pay the final invoice.

This is general guidance, not legal advice. Have a lawyer review any contract that matters to your business.

Emirtech's approach to ownership and handover is summarised on the web development in Abu Dhabi page.

What should a website contract say?

A website contract should settle ownership of each part of the site, what you receive at handover and what happens if the relationship ends.

Item	What to settle
Design and source code	Whether rights pass to you, and when (for example on full payment), or are licensed to you
Content	That the text and images you supply remain yours, and who holds licences for stock images and fonts
Domain name	Registered in your company's name, with you holding the registrar login
Hosting	Account in your name, or shared access that you can recover
Admin logins	Every administrator account handed over at launch
Third-party components	Which plugins, themes and fonts are licensed, to whom, and who renews them
Maintenance and support	Whether they are covered, and on what terms
Handover and termination	What files and documents you receive, and notice periods

Who should own the domain, hosting and source code?

You should be the registered owner of your domain name and hold the admin logins to your site and hosting account. Source-code rights depend on the contract: some companies assign them to you on payment, others license them.

A licence lets you use the code; an assignment transfers ownership of it. Either can be fair if it is stated clearly. Third-party plugins, themes and fonts stay under their own licences whatever the contract says about the custom work.

For hosting, see servers and hosting; the account should be in your name or its access fully documented.

What should I receive at handover?

At handover you should receive every login, a full backup of files and database, and a list of the components and licences the site uses.

Admin logins for the website
Domain registrar access
Hosting account access
Backup of the site files and database
A list of plugins, themes, fonts and licences
Documentation of how the site is set up
A short training session for your team

How do I take over a website from another company?

Start by securing access: the domain registrar, the hosting account and the website admin. Then take a full backup and review the platform, plugins and licences before changing anything.

Confirm who is the registered owner of the domain and get registrar access.
Get the hosting account details, or confirm who pays for hosting.
Get administrator access to the website.
Take a full backup of files and database.
List the plugins, themes and licences and who holds them.
Review the site for updates and issues before agreeing a plan.
Agree in writing who looks after it from then on; see website maintenance

If the previous company will not cooperate, the registrar record and your contract are the starting points.

What should I ask any web company about ownership?

Ask any supplier, including Emirtech, to put the ownership, handover and licence terms in writing before you sign.

Questions for any company are in how to choose a web development company; what a quote should list is in the website cost guide.

We serve businesses in Abu Dhabi city, Mussafah, Khalifa City, MBZ City, Al Reem Island, Yas Island, KIZAD, ICAD and Al Ain. Find us on Google Business Profile, read about Emirtech and our Google reviews. Open Monday to Saturday, 08:00–19:00.

Emirtech Technology
M44, Mussafah Industrial Area, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
+971 55 651 7843 · [email protected]

Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a web company keep my website?

Only if the contract lets it, or if it holds the logins and domain. That is why you should be the registered owner of the domain and hold the admin logins from the start.

What if my domain is registered in the agency's name?

Ask the agency to transfer it to your company's name and give you the registrar login. If it will not, the registrar record and your contract are what you rely on.

Do I own the content on my website?

The text and images you supplied should remain yours. Check who holds licences for stock images and fonts, as these may be licensed rather than owned.

Who owns the plugins and themes on my site?

Their original authors, under their licences. The contract should say who pays for and renews premium components.

Do I need the source code of my website?

Not always for a CMS site, but you need access to the files and a database backup so another provider can maintain it. For custom code, the contract should say who holds the rights.

What if the web company closes or stops replying?

This is why you hold the domain, hosting access and admin logins yourself. With those, another provider can take over.