Estate planning as a DreamHost account holder
DreamHost allows domains to transfer to the estate after death
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DreamHost Web Hosting, Attn: Abuse Team, PMB #327, 417 Associated Rd., Brea, CA 92821 USA
DreamHost is an independent web hosting company and ICANN-accredited domain registrar that has been operating since 1997. DreamHost offers shared hosting, VPS, dedicated servers, cloud hosting (DreamCompute), object storage (DreamObjects), and domain registration services. A DreamHost account can hold domain registrations, hosted websites, email accounts, databases, and DNS configurations. DreamHost publishes a documented "Gaining access to accounts of the deceased" article in its Knowledge Base that lists the documentation required for an estate representative to gain access to a deceased account holder's account. Domain registrations survive account closure and remain active through their registration period, but hosted websites and email accounts depend on the hosting plan staying paid.
After a DreamHost account holder dies, domains can be claimed by the estate. The transfer requires a death certificate and may require additional legal documentation depending on the account balance.
DreamHost supports transferring domains to another person during the account holder's lifetime.
What happens at death
DreamHost publishes a deceased-account access procedure in its Knowledge Base (help.dreamhost.com/hc/en-us/articles/215202507). The estate representative must submit -- by email, fax, or mail -- (1) a government-issued photo ID for the person requesting access (driver license, passport, or photo ID card), (2) the WebID, registered email address, or website name of the deceased account holder, (3) a copy of the death certificate, and (4) a copy of the document that grants authority over the DreamHost account or the estate (will, trust, or applicable probate ruling). If the deceased account holder was under 18, a birth certificate verifying age and parental relationship replaces the power-of-attorney requirement. Email attachments must be in .jpg, .png, .gif, or .pdf format and go to verifications@dreamhost.com. Domain ownership turns on whose contact information is in the domain registration: if the registrant contact already shows the survivor's name and a verifiable email, DreamHost treats the registration as theirs and the formal estate access process is not required for that domain. The article also confirms account holders can ask DreamHost Support to place special instructions on the account's internal notes specifying who should be given access in case of death; DreamHost cannot proactively identify or contact the estate receiver but Support will attempt to reach the account owner through the account's registered email as part of verification.
Planning your estate
Protecting DreamHost domains while the account is active
No beneficiary designation, lifetime transfer options for domains, and 6-step plan.
View details →When someone dies
Handling DreamHost domains after a death
Domains can be transferred to the estate, 8-step process, and 5 required documents.
View details →There is no beneficiary designation option for DreamHost. This means domains cannot be directed to a specific person through the program itself, unlike traditional financial accounts.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Domains can be moved between DreamHost accounts using DreamHost's internal transfer flow, which mirrors the standard EPP/auth code registrar transfer process. The receiving account pays the transfer fee, which extends the registration by one year. Domains can also be transferred away to a different registrar. Some international ccTLDs cannot be moved via the internal flow and require DreamHost Support assistance.
Hosted websites and paid email require an active hosting plan. If the hosting plan is not renewed, websites go offline and -- per DreamHost's policy -- paid email accounts are disabled and deleted within 24 hours of the billing period ending. Domain registrations are separate: any domain registration previously purchased remains active for the rest of its paid registration period even if the hosting account is closed. The estate should prioritize updating billing to prevent service interruption.
DreamHost holds expired .com/.net/.org/.info domains for a 30-day grace period during which the registration can be renewed at the regular price through the panel. Per DreamHost's "What if my domain registration expires?" article, the registry then places the domain in a 30-day redemption period during which DreamHost can only get it back for an additional registry redemption fee plus a one-year renewal charge; once the redemption period ends, the domain is released to the public. DreamHost begins sending expiration notices roughly 5 weeks before the renewal date, with additional ICANN-required reminders sent per ICANN policy. Non-standard TLDs may have shorter grace periods per their registry. The estate should keep auto-renewal on or renew domains manually before they hit the grace period.
Sources
Data sourced from DreamHost primary sources (12 pages reviewed). How we research.
DreamHost Support
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DreamHost Web Hosting, Attn: Abuse Team, PMB #327, 417 Associated Rd., Brea, CA 92821 USA
