What's an inexpensive way to maintain domain registration privacy?

[Fly4Fun]

Other than using a paid service like 'Domains by Proxy', is there a clever way to maintain my privacy with a domain registration w/o incurring the added annual cost of privacy service fees for every domain I own?

[Brian-M]

You have two options....

1.) Place the domains into the name of a trust or a dba just for the domains.  ( I can get a dba for my company for $10 where I live and it doesn't obligate me to do anything)

2.) Use a domain registrar like 1and1.com or dreamhost.com who offers free privacy.

[Fly4Fun]

Brian  -  Thanks for the quick response.  I got free privacy for year 1 from GoDaddy and another registrar, but both have been coming back for $10/yr thereafter.  I'll switch!   Like the dba and/or trust ideas, but aren't we still required to list a valid person/human who can be reached as technical contact, administrator, etc.?

[Brian-M]

I'm not sure if there's a technical requirement for the contact to be a "person." The registration doesn't ask for a person, it asks for a contact.  I've used my trust as the contact.

I used to use Godaddy. Their customer service is the best, but they're expensive, both in their yearly rate and for charging extra for privacy.

[icecarats]

This depends on what you're doing and how. Most European countries have a 'nameplate' requirement (at least minimum contact info) for sites that operate as businesses. There is no such formal requirement in the United States that I'm aware of. There is however a perception issue, especially if money is changing hands, that you generally should have a public WHOIS.

[Francisco_Meza]

I use Dreamhost and my domains are $10/yr whether or not there is Privacy or not. Just fill in whatever you need to in the fields if you need to or make it private. I have never had an issue with Dreamhost.

[NakulGoyal]

You can become an RSP with Tucows/OpenSRS and then Domain Privacy is available for free by default on all domains under that RSP. You can then transfer all your domains there. RSP is like a reseller account (Registration Service Provider). It all depends on how many domains you own.

[Fly4Fun]

Thanks everyone, for your responses.  Got 14 domains coming up for renew, you just saved me $$.  Thanks!