About Domain Transfers

For many businesses, domains are more than digital addresses — they're critical assets that anchor websites, email, and entire online identities. So when it comes time to transfer a domain, the process can feel high-stakes. Done well, it's seamless and invisible. Done poorly, it risks downtime, frustrations, or even lost trust.

How a domain transfer works

Here's how most generic top-level domain (gTLD) transfers unfold:

1. Check eligibility. Domains typically can't transfer if they're within 60 days of initial registration or a previous transfer, or if the domain is in Redemption or Pending Delete status. A quick check up front prevents failed requests, and most registrars or resellers flag this automatically.

2. Verify contact details. Double-check that the registrant email details are up to date. That's where the authorization code will be sent.

3. Unlock the domain. Registrars often lock domains by default to prevent unauthorized changes. The current owner must log into their registrar account (or work with their provider) to unlock it before a transfer can proceed.

4. Obtain the authorization code. Also called an EPP or Auth code, this unique string is generated by the current registrar. The domain owner must request it and provide it to the new registrar to authorize the transfer.

5. Initiate the transfer. The new registrar submits the request in the registry system using the authorization code.

6. Notification Email. The current registrar sends a notification email to the domain owner, informing them that the transfer has been requested and will be completed after the Pending Transfer period.

7. Pending Transfer period. The domain goes into a "Pending Transfer" period for five days. During this time, the domain owner may object to the transfer via the current (losing) registrar. They may also work with the current registrar to approve the transfer right away, in which case it does not have to wait through the full 5 day period. Though rare, the losing registrar may also decline the transfer during this period.

8. Domain is moved to the new registrar. Once the Pending Transfer period completes, or the transfer is actively approved, the registry moves the domain to the new registrar.

9. Completion. The domain is now registered with the new registrar.