Businesses move their domains for better pricing, better support, or to keep everything with one provider. A domain transfer is straightforward if you follow the right steps in order.
Before you start
- Check eligibility: most domains cannot be transferred within 60 days of registration or a previous transfer.
- Check the expiry date: transfer well before the domain expires.
- Confirm your admin email: make sure you can receive emails at the address on the domain’s contact record.
Step-by-step
- Unlock the domain at your current registrar.
- Get the EPP or authorisation code from your current registrar.
- Start the transfer at the new provider and enter the code.
- Approve the transfer through the confirmation email.
- Wait for completion, which usually takes a few days.
Keep your website and email online
A domain transfer moves the registration, not your website or email. As long as your DNS settings stay the same, there should be no downtime. Before starting, note down your current DNS records, especially MX records for email, in case anything needs to be re-entered.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Starting the transfer days before expiry.
- Using an outdated admin email you can no longer access.
- Changing nameservers at the same time without a plan.
Most transfers also add a year to your registration. Start a domain transfer or let us handle it for you.