How to transfer a domain name

Before diving into the steps, it helps to understand what a domain transfer moves and what it does not. The chapter on what a domain transfer is covers the full picture. The short version is that you are moving the registration record from one registrar to another. Your domain name, your DNS settings, and your website stay the same throughout the process.

What to check before you start a domain transfer

Skipping the pre-transfer checks is one of the most common reasons transfers fail or get delayed. Go through each of these before you do anything else.

The 60-day lock rule

ICANN requires a 60-day lock on domain transfers after any of the following events:

• The domain was newly registered
• The domain was previously transferred to a new registrar
• The registrant contact information was recently updated

If your domain falls under this lock, any transfer attempt will be automatically rejected. Check when your domain was last registered or updated before initiating anything.

Access to the WHOIS admin email

During a transfer, both your current and new registrar send confirmation emails to the admin email address on your WHOIS record. If you no longer have access to that address, the transfer will stall. Log in to your current registrar, check the contact email on file, and update it if needed before you begin.

Domain expiry date

A domain that is expired or close to expiring cannot be transferred. Most registrars block transfers within the final 30 days of a registration period. Check your expiry date and renew if needed before starting. The chapter on domain expiry and how to check it covers how to find that date.

Registrar lock status

Most registrars apply a transfer lock to domains by default as a security measure. This prevents unauthorized outgoing transfers. You will need to disable this lock before a transfer can proceed. It is usually listed as Transfer Lock, Registrar Lock, or Domain Lock in your domain management settings.

How to transfer a domain name step by step

Step 1 - Unlock the domain at your current registrar

Log in to the account where your domain is currently registered. Find the domain management settings and look for an option labeled Transfer Lock, Registrar Lock, or Domain Lock. Turn it off. This signals to the registry that the domain is permitted to leave.

Step 2 - Request the auth code

Once the domain is unlocked, request your authorization code. This is also called an EPP code or transfer code depending on your registrar. It is a unique string that proves you are the domain owner and authorizes the transfer. Your current registrar will send it to the admin email address on your WHOIS record. Save it before moving to the next step.

Step 3 - Initiate the transfer at your new registrar

Go to the registrar you want to move your domain to. Look for an option to Transfer a domain or Transfer in. Enter your domain name, then enter the auth code when prompted. The new registrar will verify that the domain is unlocked and the code is valid. You will also be asked to pay for at least one year of registration, which is a standard requirement for all incoming transfers.

Step 4 - Confirm the transfer via email

After submitting the transfer request, check the admin email address on your WHOIS record. Two types of messages may arrive.

• A confirmation request from your current registrar asking you to approve the outgoing transfer
• A notification from your new registrar confirming the transfer is in progress

Approve any confirmation requests promptly. If you do not respond, the transfer will still go through after the waiting period, but approving it speeds up the process significantly.

Step 5 - Wait for the transfer to complete

Domain transfers typically take 5 to 7 days to complete. During this window, your current registrar can still cancel the outgoing transfer if you contact them, but once the window closes the domain moves automatically. Some registrars let you expedite the transfer by approving the outgoing request from your end. Use this option if it is available to reduce the wait time.

What happens to your website during a transfer?

Your website stays live during a transfer as long as your DNS settings are not changed. When you transfer a domain, you are moving the registration record between registrars. Your DNS records, the settings that point your domain to your hosting server, remain exactly where they are. Your nameservers do not change unless you actively change them. Visitors will not notice anything.

If you are unsure how your domain connects to your hosting, the chapter on domain vs hosting explains how the two work together.

What happens to your email during a transfer?

Email works through DNS, not through your registrar. As long as your MX records are not changed during the transfer, your email will continue working without interruption. The only situation where email is affected is if you are using your current registrar's own email hosting and that service does not carry over to the new registrar. In that case, set up email at the new registrar or switch to a separate email hosting provider before initiating the transfer.

For more on how domain names and email addresses connect, see the chapter on what an email domain is.

What to do after the transfer is complete

Verify your DNS settings

Log in to your new registrar and confirm that all DNS records transferred correctly. Compare them against a record of your original settings. Check A records, CNAME records, MX records, and any TXT records used for authentication or verification.

Enable auto-renewal

Renewal settings do not carry over from your previous registrar. Enable auto-renewal at the new registrar so the domain does not lapse because you forgot to renew manually. The chapter on keeping a domain name long-term covers renewal strategies in more detail.

Check your WHOIS contact information

Confirm that your name, organization, and admin email are accurate in your new registrar's records. Inaccurate WHOIS contact information can block future transfers or cause you to miss important renewal and security notices.

Common mistakes when transferring a domain

• Starting before the 60-day lock expires. The transfer will be rejected automatically. Check the date your domain was last registered or transferred first.
• Not having access to the WHOIS admin email. If you cannot receive the confirmation email, the transfer stalls. Update this before starting.
• Forgetting to unlock the domain. The lock must be disabled at your current registrar before any transfer can proceed.
• Initiating when the expiry date is too close. A transfer takes 5 to 7 days. If your domain expires during that window, the transfer fails. Renew first if the expiry date is within 30 days.
• Changing DNS records mid-transfer. Wait until the transfer is fully complete before making any DNS changes.
• Assuming the new registrar handles everything automatically. Auto-renewal and DNS verification are your responsibility at the new registrar. They do not carry over.

If you are registering a domain for the first time rather than transferring one, the chapter on how to register a domain covers that process from scratch.

How WEMASY handles domain connections

When you connect a domain to a WEMASY website, you do not need to transfer the domain. You update your nameservers or add a CNAME record at your current registrar, and WEMASY handles the rest. If you are setting up a new domain alongside a WEMASY website, the connection process is built into the platform. See what is included with each plan at WEMASY pricing.

Frequently asked questions

The next chapter covers the domain name mistakes that brands most commonly make, and how to avoid them before they cause real problems.