Registrars

A registrar is an official charged with maintaining official records and related administrative duties. The exact role varies by country and sector, but common elements include custody of records, processing requests for copies or validation, and ensuring privacy and compliance with applicable laws. Registrars operate in educational institutions, government agencies, professional bodies, healthcare facilities, and civil registries.

In higher education, the registrar's office manages student records, enrollment and course registration, transcript requests, degree audits, and graduation documentation. It coordinates scheduling, policy compliance, and data governance across student information systems, often balancing administrative efficiency with student privacy and regulatory requirements.

Domain name registrars are entities accredited to sell and manage domain registrations within specific top-level domains. They collect registration data, renew licenses, update WHOIS records, and provide services such as DNS management, transfers, and support. Registrars operate under policies set by registry operators and oversight bodies such as ICANN.

Civil registrars or vital records offices maintain births, marriages, deaths, and other legal events, issuing certified copies for legal and administrative use. They preserve event data, enforce privacy protections, and provide restricted access based on statutory rules and identity verification.

In some jurisdictions, a registrar is a physician in a hospital setting—often a trainee or senior clinician responsible for patient care and supervision, with duties and titles that vary by country and hospital system.