Transferring a domain name between registrars involves a few steps and adhering to certain requirements. Whether you’re moving your domain for better services, pricing, or management, understanding the process and meeting the prerequisites is essential. Here, we outline the requirements and procedures involved in transferring your domain name between registrars.
Requirements for Domain Name Transfer:
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- Domain Name Eligibility: Ensure that the domain name you wish to transfer is eligible for transfer. Certain restrictions or conditions may apply depending on the domain extension (TLD) and registrar policies.
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- Domain Status: The domain should be in an active and unlocked status. Some registrars impose a lock on domains by default for security purposes. You need to unlock it before initiating the transfer process.
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- Authorization Code (Auth Code): Obtain the authorization code (also known as an Auth Code or EPP code) from your current registrar. This code acts as a security measure to authorize the transfer request.
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- Domain Owner Verification: The domain’s registrant contact information must be accurate and up-to-date. Registrars can also deny a transfer request within 60 days of a previous transfer to a different registrar. Both the gaining and losing registrars may verify the domain owner’s identity to prevent unauthorized transfers.
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- Transfer Restrictions: Ensure there are no transfer restrictions imposed on the domain. For instance, newly registered domains or domains transferred recently may have transfer-lock periods of 60 days.
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- Privacy Protection: If you have WHOIS privacy protection enabled, it should be disabled temporarily during the transfer process to ensure successful verification.
Procedure for Domain Name Transfer:
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- Prepare for Transfer: Ensure that all of the above requirements are fullfilled. Only then the domain status will be change to “OK” and you can proceed with domain transfer process.
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- Initiate Transfer with Gaining Registrar: Begin the transfer process with your new registrar. Provide the domain name you wish to transfer and any necessary authentication codes or information.
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- Verification: The gaining registrar may initiate a verification process to ensure you are the rightful owner of the domain. This may involve confirming your identity through email or other means.
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- Authorize Transfer: Once the verification is complete, you’ll need to authorize the transfer using the authorization code obtained from your current registrar.
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- Transfer Request Sent: The gaining registrar submits a transfer request to the domain’s registry. This request includes the authorization code and other necessary details.
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- Confirmation and Approval: The losing registrar receives the transfer request and notifies the domain owner. You may need to confirm the transfer request through email or your registrar’s portal.
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- Transfer Completion: Once approved, the domain transfer process begins. The domain’s DNS settings and ownership information are updated to reflect the new registrar.
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- Confirmation and Follow-up: Both the gaining and losing registrars typically send confirmation emails once the transfer is complete. Verify that the domain is successfully transferred and review any additional settings or configurations required with your new registrar.
Conclusion: Transferring a domain name between registrars involves fulfilling certain requirements and following a specific procedure. By ensuring eligibility, gathering necessary information, and adhering to the outlined steps, you can smoothly transfer your domain to a new registrar and continue managing it with ease.
What Does NOT Transfer:
- Multi-year renewals: If you paid for multiple years in advance, only the current year is carried forward, and the one additional year applies.
- Domain Ownership: Transferring a domain doesn’t affect ownership details unless manually updated in the WHOIS data.
- DNS Records: DNS settings and configurations (like Cloudflare settings) will need to be reconfigured at the new registrar.
This webpage content provides a comprehensive overview of the requirements and procedures involved in transferring a domain name between registrars, helping users understand the process and successfully navigate through it.
