How to Transfer a Domain Name to Another Registrar

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At some point most domain owners want to move a name. Maybe the renewal price crept up, maybe the dashboard is a mess, or maybe you just want everything in one place. Consolidating everything into one place is the main benefit of a transfer.

I have owned a lot of domains over the years. At one point I had more than 1,600 of them. I am down to about 200 now, and I tell that story in How I Got Into Domains. When names are scattered across a bunch of registrars, you lose track of renewals, logins and which email address owns what. Consolidating is one of the most useful cleanup jobs you can do, and it starts with knowing how to transfer a domain name the right way.

This guide covers moving a domain from one registrar to another. If you are handing a name to a new owner after a sale, that is a slightly different process, and I cover it in How to Sell a Domain Name.

What a domain transfer actually is

A registrar is the company you pay to register and renew your domain. A transfer moves the registration from your current registrar (the "losing" registrar) to a new one (the "gaining" registrar).

You keep the same domain. You are just changing who manages it. ICANN, the organization that sets the rules for generic domains like .com, says plainly in its FAQ for registrants on transferring your domain name that it is your right to move your domain between registrars.

A transfer is also different from a few things people confuse it with:

• Changing hosting. Your website can live with any host. You can point your domain at a new host by updating nameservers or DNS records without moving the domain at all.
• Changing the owner. Putting the domain in someone else's name is a change of registrant, not a registrar transfer.
• Pointing the domain somewhere else. Forwarding or DNS changes happen inside your current registrar.

If all you want is a new website host, you may not need a transfer. ICANN makes the same point in that FAQ.

Before you start, check these five things

Most transfer headaches come from skipping the prep. Here is what to check before you click transfer.

1. Can you log in to the current registrar?

You need access to the account that holds the domain. If the login is tied to an old email or an old employee, sort that out first. Nothing else works without it.

2. Is the domain old enough to move?

A registrar may deny a transfer if the domain is within 60 days of its initial registration, or within 60 days of a previous transfer to another registrar. That is straight from ICANN's registrant FAQ. If you just registered or just moved the name, you may have to wait.

3. Did you change the owner details recently?

This one catches people. Under ICANN's current Transfer Policy, a change of registrant triggers a 60-day lock on transfers to another registrar. ICANN's FAQ explains that this includes changes to the registrant name, organization or email address. Some registrars let you opt out of that lock before you make the change, but they are not required to.

The simple rule: if you plan to move the domain, transfer it first and update your contact details after.

4. Is the domain about to expire?

You can transfer an expired domain, and ICANN says a registrar cannot deny a transfer just because the name expired. But if the domain has gone into the redemption period, your current registrar has to restore it first, and that can cost a redemption fee. Do not wait until the last week. Give yourself some breathing room before the expiration date.

5. Do you know where your DNS and email live?

This is the step that can take a website or inbox down, so it gets its own section below.

Figure out your DNS before you move anything

Your domain's nameservers decide where your website and email point. Before a transfer, look at your nameservers in your current registrar's dashboard.

• If your DNS is hosted somewhere else (a hosting company, Cloudflare or another DNS provider), the transfer usually does not touch it. Your nameservers come along with the domain.
• If your DNS is hosted by your current registrar, write down or export every record first: the A records for your website, the MX records for your email, and any TXT records used for email verification or other services. Once the domain leaves, the old registrar may stop serving those records.

The safest move is to set up the same records at the new registrar or your DNS host before the transfer finishes, so nothing goes dark.

If your domain uses DNSSEC and you are changing DNS providers as part of the move, check with both your old and new provider on how to handle it before you switch nameservers. A mismatch there can make a domain stop resolving.

How to transfer a domain name, step by step

Every registrar's screens look a little different, but the process is the same everywhere.

Step 1: Unlock the domain

Most registrars turn on a transfer lock by default to protect you. You will see it called something like "registrar lock" or "transfer lock." Turn it off in your current registrar's dashboard. ICANN's FAQ says registrars must give you a reasonable way to remove that lock.

Step 2: Get the authorization code

The authorization code, also called an auth code, EPP code or transfer code, proves you control the domain. ICANN's FAQ says it is required to move a domain from one registrar to another, and if you cannot generate it yourself in your dashboard, your registrar must give it to you within five calendar days of your request.

Treat that code like a password. Do not post it, and do not send it to anyone you do not trust.

Step 3: Start the transfer at the new registrar

Here is the part people get backwards. You start the transfer at the registrar you are moving to, not the one you are leaving. Search for the transfer option on the new registrar's site, enter your domain and paste in the auth code.

For a .com or other generic domain, most registrars charge a transfer fee that includes a one-year renewal, so you are not paying for nothing. Check the new registrar's pricing and terms before you pay, because fees vary.

My own portfolio sits at Dynadot, and having almost everything in one account is the main benefit of consolidating.

Step 4: Approve the emails

Watch the inbox on file for the domain. Registrars send confirmation emails during a transfer, and some include a link to approve it or cancel it. If you do not respond to a required confirmation, the transfer may not go through.

This is why step 1 of the prep matters. If the contact email is an inbox you never check, you will miss these.

Step 5: Wait for it to finish

Under the current ICANN policy, the losing registrar has five calendar days to respond to the transfer request. If it does nothing, the transfer goes through by default. Some registrars let you approve it right away from your dashboard, which can speed things up a lot.

When it is done, the domain shows up in your new registrar's account.

After the transfer is done

Do not close the tab and walk away yet. A quick checklist:

• Check your website and email. Load your site and send a test email to and from the domain.
• Turn the transfer lock back on at the new registrar.
• Turn on auto-renew or set a reminder for the new expiration date.
• Update your contact details if you held off on changes before the transfer.
• Add privacy if your new registrar offers it and you want it.
• Write down where it lives. Keep a simple list of every domain you own, where it is registered and when it renews.

Keeping that list makes renewals and ownership easier to track. I explain how I sort every name into build, sell, keep or drop in The Real Cost of Owning Too Many Domains.

Why a transfer gets stuck or denied

If your transfer stalls, it is usually one of a handful of reasons. ICANN lists when a registrar may deny a transfer, including:

• The domain is still locked
• It is within 60 days of initial registration or a previous transfer
• There is unpaid money owed for a previous registration period
• There is evidence of fraud, or a dispute over who is authorizing the transfer
• You objected to the transfer in writing

A registrar must deny the transfer if the domain is in a domain dispute proceeding such as a UDRP case, is under a court order, or is under the 60-day change of registrant lock.

A registrar can charge a fee to transfer out, but ICANN says it cannot deny the transfer because you did not pay that fee.

Other common reasons are simpler: a wrong or expired auth code, a missed approval email, or a typo in the domain name. Start there. If you still think a transfer was wrongly denied, ICANN has a formal transfer complaint form.

If you are not sure which company currently manages a domain, look it up with ICANN Lookup. The "Registrar" field tells you.

The transfer rules are changing

One heads-up so you are not surprised later. On June 7, 2026, the ICANN Board adopted a set of recommendations from its Transfer Policy Review, which was set up to improve how transfers work. Those changes still have to be implemented, and ICANN had not announced an effective date when I wrote this.

Until it does, the current rules above still apply. If you are reading this later, check your registrar's help pages for how it handles locks and auth codes today.

Country-code domains can work differently

Everything above is about generic domains like .com, .net and .org, which follow ICANN's Transfer Policy. Country-code domains, like .us, .co or .si, are run by their own registries and can have their own transfer steps. Before moving one, read the new registrar's instructions for that specific extension.

My simple domain transfer checklist

If you want the short version, here it is:

1. Log in to your current registrar and confirm you own the account
2. Make sure the domain is more than 60 days past registration or its last transfer
3. Do not change owner details right before the move
4. Back up your DNS records if your registrar hosts them
5. Unlock the domain
6. Get the auth code
7. Start the transfer at the new registrar and pay the fee
8. Approve the emails
9. Wait for it to finish, then test your website and email
10. Lock it, turn on auto-renew and update your list

Final thoughts

Learning how to transfer a domain name is mostly about doing things in the right order. Prep first, unlock, grab the code, start at the new registrar, approve the emails and then check that everything still works.

The real win is not one transfer. It is having every name in one place where you can see it. Once your domains are organized, it gets a lot easier to decide which ones to build on, which to value and sell, and which to let go.

If you are shopping for a name instead, you can browse the Knup domain portfolio or read how to pick a domain name for a new business.

FAQ

How long does it take to transfer a domain name?

Under ICANN's current Transfer Policy, the losing registrar has five calendar days to respond, and the transfer goes through by default if it does nothing. Many transfers finish faster when the current registrar lets you approve it right away. Delays usually come from a locked domain, a wrong auth code or a missed approval email.

Will transferring my domain take my website down?

Usually not, if you plan ahead. If your DNS is hosted with a separate provider, your nameservers move with the domain. If your current registrar hosts your DNS, copy every record and set them up at the new registrar or DNS host before the transfer completes.

Can I transfer a domain I just bought?

Often not right away. A registrar may deny a transfer to another registrar within 60 days of initial registration. Check your registrar's rules before you plan a move.

Does transferring a domain add a year to the registration?

For most generic domains like .com, the transfer fee includes a one-year renewal added to your current expiration date. Check the new registrar's terms, because country-code domains and some registrars handle it differently.

Where do I find my domain's auth code?

Look in your current registrar's dashboard, usually near the domain's transfer or security settings. If you cannot generate it yourself, ask your registrar. ICANN says it must provide the code within five calendar days of your request.

Can my registrar refuse to transfer my domain?

Only for specific reasons, such as a lock, a domain within 60 days of registration or a previous transfer, unpaid fees from a past registration period, fraud or an active dispute. A registrar cannot deny a transfer just because you did not pay its transfer-out fee.