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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsA domain transfer moves your domain’s registrar of record from your current registrar to a new one. It does not move your website, email, DNS hosting, or other business assets. For most ICANN-accredited generic top-level domains (gTLDs), the process is: check eligibility and locks, get the Auth-Code from the current registrar, submit the transfer with the gaining registrar, and approve its confirmation requests.
What a domain transfer changes—and what it does not
The registrar of record is the company through which the domain registration is managed. Changing registrars does not automatically move the website files, email service, DNS hosting, nameservers, or certificates. Plan those services separately, and check how the gaining registrar will handle DNS before you begin.
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The standard process below describes transfers between ICANN-accredited registrars, especially for gTLDs such as .com and .org. Country-code domains (ccTLDs) may follow different registry rules, eligibility requirements, documents, authorization steps, and timelines. The registrars involved may also use different interface labels.
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Confirm who can authorize the transfer
The Registered Name Holder—the registrant—is the party authorized under ICANN policy to approve or deny a transfer. An administrative contact or another person should act only if explicitly authorized. Confirm the exact domain, the current registrar, access to its account, and access to the registrant contact email. You may need that email to receive or act on transfer messages.
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Check the domain’s status and possible 60-day restrictions
Review the domain’s status in the current registrar account or an RDAP record. Under ICANN’s transfer rules, a transfer may be denied if the domain is within 60 days of its initial registration, within 60 days after a completed transfer, or subject to a 60-day Change of Registrant lock. ICANN also recognizes denial grounds involving UDRP or URS proceedings, court orders, or a pending transfer dispute. A registrar lock may be removable by the holder when policy permits; use the current registrar’s documented unlock process.
A planned change to registrant information can trigger a 60-day inter-registrar lock. If you can choose the order, transfer first and change registrant information afterward. A registrar may offer an opt-out from this lock, but the holder must opt out before the Change of Registrant.
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How to transfer a domain, step by step
- Unlock the domain if needed. In the current registrar’s account, find the domain’s transfer or security settings and follow the registrar’s documented process to remove a registrar lock, if the domain is eligible. Interface names vary by registrar.
- Request the Auth-Code from the current registrar. The Auth-Code—also called an AuthInfo Code, Auth-Info Code, authorization code, or transfer code—is created by the registrar to help identify the domain holder and prevent unauthorized transfers. Request it through the current registrar’s authenticated account or support process. Keep the code private. If the registrar does not provide it or a compliant retrieval method, ICANN offers a transfer-complaint route.
- Start the transfer with the gaining registrar. Select a transfer for the exact domain and enter the Auth-Code as requested. Before submitting, review the transfer price, renewal term, privacy settings, DNS behavior, and transfer-specific terms.
- Complete the authorization and confirmation steps. Follow the gaining registrar’s instructions and monitor the registrant email. The current registrar may send a confirmation of the transfer request; the registry notification is handled between registrars. Respond to the messages or prompts that require your action.
- Wait for the gaining registrar’s completion notice. Save the receipt and do not assume the transfer is finished until the gaining registrar confirms completion.
- Verify the result. Check the registrar shown in RDAP or the gaining registrar’s account. Confirm nameservers and DNS records, test that the website and email resolve, check the renewal date and billing, and enable the account security controls you need.
How long a domain transfer takes
ICANN’s five-calendar-day rule is not a guarantee that every transfer will finish within five days. It means that if the Registrar of Record does not respond to the registry’s transfer notification within five calendar days, the transfer receives default approval. Actual completion can vary with when the request is submitted, required confirmations, registry processing, and registrar operations. The gaining registrar’s completion notice is the practical signal to verify the transfer.
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A completed inter-registrar transfer generally starts another 60-day period during which the domain cannot be transferred again. ICANN policy allows exceptions for a permitted return to the original registrar or a direction from a dispute-resolution process. If you are planning another move, account for that restriction before initiating this one.
Choosing a gaining registrar
Compare the full cost and the practical controls, not just the advertised transfer price. A transfer is also a useful point to check that the new registrar supports the specific TLD and gives you clear ways to manage access and domain settings.
- Total transfer and renewal cost, including the renewal term attached to the transfer.
- Support quality and ease of retrieving an Auth-Code.
- Clarity of lock, unlock, and transfer-approval controls.
- DNS and nameserver tools, plus privacy options.
- Account security features and renewal policies.
- Support for the specific domain extension and its registry requirements.
Sources and policy scope
ICANN’s Transfer Policy sets the baseline for transfers between ICANN-accredited registrars. Its registrant guidance explains transfer rights and restrictions. For the meaning and purpose of the code, see ICANN’s About Auth-Code. These rules are not a substitute for the applicable ccTLD registry’s requirements or the current instructions from the registrars involved.
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