How To Activate Newly Registered Domain - New Domain Name Inactive | Bluehost Support
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How To Activate Newly Registered Domain - New Domain Name Inactive



Newly Registered Domain is Not Functioning

After registering a domain with Bluehost or any other registrar, it typically takes a short amount of time for the domain to show up. This is because it's a new registration. That is different from an update to a domain, such as changing the name servers, which can take up to 72 hours to propagate.

Contact Information

If you recently purchased a domain, the most common cause for the domain to not become active is that the contact information is incomplete. This may mean there was no name, email address, physical address, etc. You will have to log in to your control panel and check in your Domain Manager to see if the information is correct. To begin, you will need to access your Bluehost control panel.

Note: Though both account experiences feature a vertical navigation menu on the left-hand side of the screen, Account Manager users will click on the Hosting option to access the Hosting Manager, while Bluerock account users will see a Domain drop-down. If you are still unsure what interface your account uses, please see Account Manager vs Rock to determine which step to follow.

Bluerock

  1. Click the Domains tab from the side navigation menu to the left.                    
  2. Next to the domain name you wish to update, click the ▼ icon next to Manage.
  3. Select Contact info from the drop-down menu that appears.
    rock_bh_domain_contact_info
  4. In the Registrant section, click the Edit button on the right side.
  5. Enter all the necessary information.
  6. Click the Save button when finished.

Account Manager

  1. Click the Domain Name tab from the side navigation menu to the left.
  2. Once you are in the Domain Manager, select the domain, and click the icon next to Domain Contacts.
  3. Click EDIT and update the information there. (You can update Owner, Admin, and Tech sections).

Name Servers

Another reason why your domain name is not active is that the name servers don't point properly to us or where you want it hosted. For more information on how to check your current nameserver and how to update it, please see this article  How to Change Your Name Servers. 

Domain Not Listed

If the domain is not listed in your Domain Manager, there are a few further steps to consider.

  • Did you complete all the steps for assigning your domain?
  • If you purchased the domain, did the purchase complete? Do you have an invoice in your history? (Go to Account up at the top of your cPanel. Then click on Payments. This shows you a list of all the completed purchases. See if it's listed there).
  • If you see that it was purchased, but it's not listed, there may be a delay in the purchase or registration process. Please wait 30 minutes and check back. If the domain is not on your list and you've checked through the other possibilities listed, you will need to contact support so they can further investigate.

If this is the main domain on your Bluehost account, you may check your website using the temporary URL as indicated in the "Welcome to Bluehost" email you received upon sign-up.

If this is not the main domain on your Bluehost account, you may use the temporary URL with the directory to which the new domain has been assigned.

Newly Parked Domain is Not Functioning

After you have assigned the domain via your Bluehost Domain Manager, please allow 1-4 hours for the DNS information to propagate internally.

To know more about how to park a domain or how to change a domain's assignment, please see: What Is The Difference Between Addon Domain, Parked Domain & Subdomain?

If you need further assistance, feel free to contact us via Chat or Phone:

  • Chat Support - While on our website, you should see a CHAT bubble in the bottom right-hand corner of the page. Click anywhere on the bubble to begin a chat session.
  • Phone Support -
    • US: 888-401-4678
    • International: +1 801-765-9400

You may also refer to our Knowledge Base articles to help answer common questions and guide you through various setup, configuration, and troubleshooting steps.